Hayley Gravette is a full time student in the UMass Boston Gerontology Ph.D. program. She received her undergraduate degree from Elon University where she majored in Religious Studies. She has always been interested in the world religions and is especially curious about the negative aspects of religion, such as when it is used to justify violence. Following graduation from Elon she attended the University of Michigan and received a Masters in Social Work. During her time there she continued to explore spirituality and religion, in particular, its influence and effect on older adults.

1 course: Fundamentalism and the Rise of Religious Violence in Five Major Religions