Tamara Cheshire believes there is a great misunderstanding about what it means to be a pagan, which can lead to disapproval among ill-informed people.

“I think there’s a stigma associated with the term pagan,” says Cheshire, adjunct professor of anthropology and ethnic studies and faculty adviser to the City College Pagan Club.

Cheshire says this stigma can make finding an exact definition of paganism nearly impossible and that many non-pagans are quick to offer their own definition while having an obvious lack of knowledge about the belief system.

Stigmas about pagans offer a different set of challenges to the club.

“The discrimination on campus is frightful,” Cheshire says.

“Some people have really whacked-out theories about what we do,” Wachs says.

Wachs does point out that she feels fortunate to be at City College because a diverse representation of beliefs is welcome here. She implores people to stop by club meetings.