Students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are invited to “Holidays at Hendricks” on Sunday, Dec. 8 in Hendricks Chapel. New this year, tickets are required to reserve your individual seat.

���ϲ����� invites students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to “” on Sunday, Dec. 8 in Hendricks Chapel, to experience one of the most popular concerts of the calendar year. New this year, due to the concert’s growing popularity and limited seating in the Chapel, to reserve your seats for the free, in-person concert, tickets are required for Holidays at Hendricks and will be made available beginning on Monday, Nov. 18 at noon EST.

The two in-person performances will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel, while the recorded virtual concert will premiere on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. EST.

New and Important In-Person Concert Ticket Details

• Complimentary tickets for the in-person Holidays at Hendricks shows can be ordered from the , beginning at noon EST on Nov. 18;
• All guests will be invited to reserve specific seats in Hendricks Chapel;
• Through this new digital platform, guests will be prompted to create an account, select individual seats and then receive their digital tickets. While tickets will not be made available until Nov. 18, guests can create an account at any time through the Student Box Office online.

Virtual Concert Registration Details

• Registration for the Thursday, Dec. 19, world premiere virtual concert will also be available on Nov. 18 at noon EST;
• Registration is required to receive the link to the YouTube premiere;
• Visit the .

An ongoing tradition hosted by ��and the����in the��, “Holidays at Hendricks” celebrates the sounds of the season and is anchored by the����and its director��, professor of applied music and performance and assistant director of choral activities in the Setnor School.

The student-centered concert features performances from:

• ���ϲ����� Symphony Orchestra, directed by James Tapia, associate professor of applied music and performance in the Setnor School;
• The international award-winning ���ϲ����� Singers, under the direction of John Warren, professor of applied music and performance and director of choral activities in the Setnor School, and Concert Choir, under the direction of Wendy Moy, dual assistant professor of music education in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the ;
• Student organists and University organist Anne Laver on the Hendricks Chapel organ;
• ���ϲ�����’s big band, the Morton Schiff Jazz Ensemble, directed by John Coggiola, associate professor and chair of music education in the Setnor School and the School of Education;
• The World Premiere of “Gloria in Excelsis” from Christmas Cantata, by Peppie Calvar.

Some musical selections for 2024 include “A Christmas Festival,” by Leroy Anderson, “Winter,” by Antonio Vivaldi, a setting of “Joy to the World,” arranged by Taylor Scott Davis and many more.

is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis in Irving Garage, Hillside Lot and the College Place lot. Those who require accessible parking or would like more information about the event may call Hendricks Chapel at 315.443.2901 or email��chapel@syr.edu.

Communication Access Realtime Translation, American Sign Language interpretation and AIRA will be provided at the in-person concerts. Captioning will be provided at the virtual concert. Doors to Hendricks Chapel will open 30 minutes prior to each concert start time.

For more information, visit��. Hendricks Chapel will also post regular updates about the event through its��,�������Ի������貹�����.

Imam Amir Durić (left) and Rabbi Ethan Bair, chaplains at Hendricks Chapel, received national recognition as Interfaith America Innovation Fellows.

Imam Amir Durić and Rabbi Ethan Bair, chaplains at , model how friendship and understanding can transcend and transform adversity. Through the Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship they co-founded, Bair and Durić have helped the ���ϲ����� campus community unlock the potential of religious and spiritual diversity, and their shared efforts are receiving national recognition.

Rabbi Ethan Bair

Each year, , founded by and known as one of the nation’s premier interfaith organizations, chooses exemplary leaders as Interfaith Innovation Fellows. Out of over 200 applicants across the country, both Durić and Bair were chosen. The Fellowship awards grant funding to leaders with an inspirational vision for social change. Durić and Bair will network with cohort members, learn from one another’s projects, participate in a retreat geared toward professional development and work with mentors at Interfaith America. .

After Bair and Durić first met at a Hendricks Chapel retreat in 2022, they perceived potential not just for their friendship but for the opportunities to continue the interfaith work they both valued.

“Interfaith work has always been a priority for me,” says Bair. “Amir and I really only knew each other for a year before we created this Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship and applied for our first grant from Interfaith America. I’ve been an ordained rabbi for 15 years and have dedicated myself to interfaith work in every position I’ve held. What’s new is being able to work with an ordained Muslim imam who shares so many of my values. That is a blessing.”

Imam Amir Durić

Durić completed his undergraduate degree in Sarajevo, Bosnia, which is known for its religious and spiritual diversity. In one part of the city, you can locate a mosque, synagogue and cathedral all on one city block. However, when he attended the Hartford International University for Religion and Peace seminary in Connecticut, he observed interfaith dialogue in practice.

Durić remembered visiting campus when two friends (one Jewish, one Muslim) came to speak about a summer project. Their organization in California visited the Middle East to bring together Jews, Muslims and Christians. “I was like, wow, this is really powerful. They are investing time, and resources just to invite people to have a meal together,” Durić says. “So when Rabbi Bair joined ���ϲ�����, I felt we could team up, and that was really a blessing.”

A Friend for Virtue and Creating Connections for Students

According to Bair, in Jewish tradition there are teachings about finding a mentor, acquiring a friend and giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. “There are a few different versions of friends, and the top level is a friend for virtue. I feel like Amir and I are friends for virtue,” Bair says. “Our friendship helps us become better people. We talk about our values, our vision for our own chaplaincies and also for what we can do together.”

Bair and Durić’s friendship extends into their work as chaplains in various ways. As chaplains serving minority religious groups, the pair have a unique opportunity to create more understanding between their respective communities. Bair notes that their partnership and fellowship are focused on creating intentional space between two communities that rarely meet each other. “There are so many unique similarities between Jews and Muslims, such as dietary rules and holidays that follow the lunar calendar,” Bair says. “And, of course, there are differences as well.”

What’s Next?

The imam and rabbi have already implemented the Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship, which has created support and understanding during an undoubtedly challenging year for their students. Now, the two are seeking to create a Living Learning Community (LLC) where Muslim and Jewish students can live communally in a residence hall. They hope the LLC will build the foundation for shared communities, lasting friendships, understanding and imagination.

Durić and Bair will travel to Chicago for a retreat with the other Interfaith Innovation Fellows in mid-November. In addition to the work they’ll be doing with their Interfaith America cohort, they’ll be working on their second round of Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowships and creating opportunities for their students to build relationships and support their communities through kindness and service.

Both Bair and Durić are grateful for their experience at Hendricks Chapel and the support they receive from both the Chapel and ���ϲ�����. “When we enter spaces that are not Hendricks Chapel, I recognize how challenging it is what we’re doing. And yet, I am very comfortable here and I feel so much support for the kind of work and relationships that we build. The entire team of Hendricks is supportive and it’s an example of helping across the boundaries of religion, of worldviews, of race, of whatever we can think of,” Durić says. “Hendricks Chapel is an example of how it looks when we elevate ourselves and go beyond those boundaries that often limit what we can do.”

Rev. Julie Kelly

“We at Hendricks Chapel are eager to welcome Reverend Kelly to our diverse and dynamic ���ϲ����� campus community,” says Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “To partner with Bishop Lee Miller and the Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a joy, and I am grateful for the efforts of the Lutheran Campus Ministry Board in helping to make this all happen. Reverend Kelly will make many positive contributions both on and off campus, and I look forward to serving alongside her as we accompany our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends.”

Kelly (she/her) is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (E.L.C.A). As part of her religious practice, she emphasizes interfaith relationships and advocacy for marginalized people and communities.

A military family member, Kelly has over 30 years of experience in preparing families for military life. She has specialized in family readiness groups, suicidality prevention and family advocacy (through the U.S. Army domestic violence program). Her career with military family programs led to her growing interest in advocacy for marginalized communities.

Kelly appreciates the mystical aspects of the Christian faith, studies ancient Christo-Pagan history and development, and is committed to interfaith community and wellness. She served as a chaplain at Los Angeles County Hospital and the University of Southern California. She also served with the Red Cross Disaster Spiritual Care.

Kelly has served congregations in California including The Episcopal Church of the Saviour and St. James Lutheran�� in Hanford,�� Hope Lutheran in Riverside, Bethel Lutheran in Encino and Mt. Olive Lutheran in Santa Monica.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and human services from Fort Hays State University in Kansas and a master of divinity degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. As the newest member of a growing and diverse group of chaplains at Hendricks Chapel, Kelly will partner with other chaplains to draw upon Lutheran traditions and practices, develop interfaith partnerships and serve as a resource for the entire University community.

“Working through Hendricks Chapel for the students of ���ϲ����� is the opportunity of a lifetime,” says Kelly. “I am energized about being part of this amazing team and supporting the spiritual welfare of students in many diverse ways.”

Kelly will be on campus starting Oct. 10. To schedule time with her, please email chapel@syr.edu to request a meeting. Those interested can also learn more on the .

Nancy and Hank visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

A chance encounter on a snowy ���ϲ����� day sparked a love story that would span decades, bridging faith traditions and leaving a lasting impact on ���ϲ�����. Henry “Hank” Markiewicz ’71, a graduate of the Whitman School of Management, and Nancy G. Markiewicz ’73, a graduate of Falk College, share their journey from students to alumni to benefactors as proof of the enduring bonds formed at ���ϲ�����. Their recent gift to ���ϲ����� Hillel not only honors their family’s legacy but also reinforces the University’s commitment to inclusivity and interfaith understanding.

Hank and Nancy, who currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona, have long supported the efforts of the University through athletic, academic and alumni interests. In 1982, Hank co-founded the Phoenix-based ���ϲ����� Alumni Club with a fellow alumnus, Gary Mather. Recently, Hank and Nancy donated to ���ϲ����� Hillel through Hendricks Chapel in honor of Dr. Alfred Englander, Dr. Erna Englander and Bernard Englander L’73.

When Hank Met Nancy

It was one of those famously snowy ���ϲ����� winters that brought Hank and Nancy together. Nancy and her friend, also named Nancy, attempted to walk Crouse Drive toward downtown in the hopes of Christmas shopping when two young men drove up in a car and thankfully offered them a ride.

Hank later saw Nancy in the Sadler dining hall, and after chatting with her, he decided to ask her out on a date. However, there were four students named Nancy on her residence hall floor at the time, and Hank didn’t know her last name. It was a little risky, but he took a guess. “I met him, then he called me and asked for a date, and he luckily got the right Nancy,” said Nancy, more than 50 years later. “At least I hope he found the right Nancy!”

An Interfaith Marriage at Hendricks Chapel

When they decided to tie the knot, Nancy and Hank chose to be married at Hendricks Chapel in the heart of the ���ϲ����� campus, which opened its doors in 1930 as a multifaith chapel. However, they faced a unique challenge in finding a rabbi and priest to perform the wedding together. Catholic priests and rabbis in the 1970s were too often unwilling to marry people of different faith traditions.

Their first step was to speak with Father Joseph Valky, an assistant to Monsignor Charles Borgognoni from the University’s Catholic Center. Valky interviewed the couple about their relationship and faith. Then, Hank and Nancy met with Rabbi Julius Rosenthal of Hartsdale, New York. Once the priest and the rabbi agreed to co-officiate, the rabbi offered a plan for a combined interfaith ceremony.

It was raining when the families came together at Hendricks Chapel for the ceremony. Rabbi Rosenthal and Father Valky, speaking in both Latin and Hebrew, led the ceremony as planned. The couple received a start time for the wedding but not an end time. With two religious officials at the wedding, it went significantly longer than most single-faith weddings.

When the ceremony concluded, and they finally opened the Chapel’s doors as Mr. and Mrs. Markiewicz, they were surprised to see hundreds of people standing on the steps in the rain. Those gathered were waiting to hear a lecture from Buckminster Fuller, the renowned American architect, who was scheduled to speak that day in Hendricks Chapel. The crowd applauded the young couple before heading inside to hear from Fuller.

The families made their way over to Drumlins Country Club for the reception along with aunts, uncles, cousins, parents and friends. The local band was tasked with playing a polka by Hank’s Uncle Sam, who came from Israel for the wedding. Uncle Sam taught Nancy to dance to the polka, and the party was deemed a success.

A Donation to ���ϲ����� Hillel

Hank and Nancy have visited campus often over the years for football games and during family visits. When they decided to donate to the Unversity, they spoke with Pam Mulligan ’89, executive director of alumni engagement for the northeast. Mulligan introduced the couple to Jillian Juni, executive director of ���ϲ����� Hillel. “I really wanted to do this to recognize my aunt and uncle, who were Holocaust survivors, as were my parents,” says Hank. “My aunt and uncle had been in ���ϲ����� from the sixties. They were active in the community and at their synagogue, which is currently the home of the Skyler Hotel.”

New Torah scroll covers

After speaking with Juni, Hank and Nancy chose to fund the purchase of 100 High Holiday prayer books for Hillel, along with the design and fabrication of new Torah scroll covers. “Torah scrolls are made of parchment, and Jewish communities have protected these sacred scrolls for centuries with beautiful covers,” says Juni. “���ϲ����� Hillel’s new Torah covers were designed to connect the Jewish concept that the Torah is a ‘tree of life’ that nurtures and sustains us, with the orange, a symbol at ���ϲ����� that represents community and belonging.”

“We are so thankful to Hank and Nancy for their generous gift in memory of loved ones, which enables us to weave religious tradition, gratitude, and remembrance together through these covers,” says Juni. Each book and cover has a label honoring the memory of Hank’s aunt, uncle and cousin.

After several years away, Hank and Nancy will be visiting campus for the upcoming festivities and plan to visit Hendricks Chapel, ���ϲ����� Hillel and the Catholic Center.

For more information about ���ϲ����� Hillel or weddings at Hendricks Chapel, .

2023 Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering (Photo by Angela Ryan)

The Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering is an event held on campus to welcome all incoming and returning students, faculty and staff for the 2024-25 academic year, and for all to show respect for the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands ���ϲ����� now stands. Schenandoah is a citizen of the Oneida Nation and a Wolf Clan Faithkeeper, as well as . The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is comprised of Six Nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora.

This year’s featured speaker, Wakerahkáhtste Louise McDonald Herne, is a Bear Clan Mother for the Mohawk Nation Council. Wakerahkáhtste presented at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and lectures regularly at universities throughout Canada and the United States on Ratinonhsón:ni philosophies and self-determination regarding the rights of women. Wakerahkáhtste has been the Distinguished Scholar in Indigenous Learning at McMaster University Institute for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (MIIETL) and received an honorary doctorate from State University of New York at Canton. Her most recent work includes a feature in the award-winning documentary film, “Without a Whisper: Konnon:kwe” about the Ratinonhsón:ni women’s influence on the women’s rights movement.

Diane Schenandoah, Faithkeeper of the Wolf Clan, Oneida Nation, speaks at the 2023 Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

“This land is sacred. We welcome visitors to be part of this sacred place. Part of our teaching is that no one can own the land, so it’s important to remember that ���ϲ����� is part of a much bigger picture,” says Schenandoah. “It’s important to acknowledge and recognize that there are Indigenous peoples still here and we are standing in the capital of the Haudenosaunee territory.”

At the gathering, speakers and dancers will welcome a new academic year. Hot scones and strawberry drink will be offered. The hot scones are derived from traditional breads and the strawberry drink consists of strawberries, maple syrup and water. “This is significant because strawberries are the leaders of the plants and maples are the leaders of the trees. In this way we honor them,” says Schenandoah.

Schenandoah encourages students, faculty and staff to participate in the Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering. “We are sharing our culture because the Earth is calling to us to pay attention, we require collective healing, and most importantly, we are inviting our community to live in gratitude,” she says.

For more information on this and other Hendricks Chapel programs and services visit .

Rev. Jee Hae Song

is excited to introduce Rev. Jee Hae Song as United Methodist chaplain. “I am delighted to welcome Rev. Song to our campus community,” says , dean of Hendricks Chapel. “To partner with Bishop Héctor��A. Burgos Núñez and the United Methodist Church is a joy. Rev. Song is an outstanding leader, and I look forward to our continued partnership in service to our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends.”

Song is a first-generation immigrant from Seoul, South Korea, who moved to ���ϲ����� in 2016 to serve three United Methodist congregations in the Upper New York Conference: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (���ϲ�����), Hope Korean United Methodist Church (���ϲ�����) and Warners United Methodist Church (Warners). Song also served as the director of Hope Christian Student Fellowship, a religious and spiritual life group registered with Hendricks Chapel from 2019-21.

Song was born and raised in Seoul and moved to the United States in 2012 to further her education. She attended The Candler School of Theology of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she earned a Master of Divinity in 2015. She also resided in Seattle, Washington, and Evansville, Indiana, before moving to ���ϲ�����.

As a passionate storyteller who speaks both Korean and English fluently, she weaves biblical and modern-day stories, inviting participants to strengthen and grow their relationship with God. Song is passionate about community-building, education and assisting young adults in navigating life paths.

“I am thrilled to return to ���ϲ����� and Hendricks Chapel as a chaplain,” says Song. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends can meet Rev. Song during weekly Bible study, the Eat, Pray & Connect dinners, or during her weekly office hours. You can find more about the United Methodist Chaplaincy on the .

As the newest member of a growing and diverse group of chaplains at Hendricks Chapel, Song will partner with other chaplains to draw upon Methodist traditions and practices, develop interfaith partnerships and serve as a resource for the entire campus community.

Joseph Perez meditates outside Hendricks Chapel (Photo by Micah Greenberg)

“People were lonely. They had a lot of anxiety,” recalled Cooke. She knew the need for meditation and mindfulness would increase as students returned to campus in the fall of 2020. That’s when she put together the Mindfulness Certification program. Some of the students who showed interest in the program were already invested in their meditation practice, but many others were curious about meditation and nervous to try it. While some participants identify as Buddhist, most come from other backgrounds (including faith-based and atheist/agnostic) and gather to embrace the spiritual benefits of meditation and mindfulness.

The students who came together for meditation and the weekly sangha meetings felt like they had found a sense of belonging. “When you’re in a group, you just see that you’re not the only one who feels pain,” said Cooke.

The Mindfulness Certification has three levels. The first level entails attending a beginners’ workshop that includes how to sit in meditation and how to deal with discomfort. The student must attend one or more meditations per week and keep a short journal. About 40 students have completed the first level of certification.

The Buddhist altar in Hendricks Chapel’s Small Chapel (Photo by Solon Quinn)

Why develop a certificate for meditation? “Your brain is going to tell you that you don’t have time to do ‘nothing’ for half an hour; you’re very busy and you shouldn’t do it,” Cooke says. “But if you tell your brain, ‘I’m getting a certificate!’ your brain is going to understand that you’re gaining credentials.” However, she adds that the real payoff isn’t a piece of paper, your well-being is where the real benefits lay.

Caroline Moller ’24 will receive her Level 2 certificate this semester. As a senior studying forensic science and psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, she notes many benefits for both her personal and professional well-being. Just about a year ago, Moller’s friend asked her to attend a meditation session. Before that, other trusted people in her life had recommended meditation. “It was never something I saw myself capable of doing, because I had always been a highly anxious person,” she says. “My life has been changed ever since for the better.”

Not only did Moller feel that she received personal benefits from her involvement, but also that the entire group was collectively recovering from trauma and stress. “Being a part of this group has acted as a healing process,” she says.

University staff member Robin Summers started her mindfulness practice in 2018. Currently, as an assistant director in admissions, she is grateful for her mindfulness training with Cooke and others. She travels often to recruit future students and feels the benefit of the lessons she has learned. “I can tell when I am meditating and when I’m not. I can physically and mentally feel it,” she says. “As a parent and a caregiver for older parents, my ability to manage the noise in my life is much better.”

Avid practitioner Joe Perez, a senior at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), started meditation after his therapist introduced a visualization practice during a session. Perez realized that meditation would be a helpful addition to his regular therapy sessions, and he has since learned to calm his emotions and think through situations logically.

For those seeking care for mental health, mindfulness training is one of many options.* Mindfulness practices are considered a healthy supplement to medication and other modes of therapy, like .

Mindfulness, according to Cooke, is about paying attention. “Paying attention is a spiritual practice where you find joy and gratitude,” she says. “And that’s how you express compassion: paying attention to other people and their needs.”

Here are six tips for starting your mindfulness journey:

1. Bring a friend! Engaging with a community or a friend can enhance your practice and provide motivation.
2. Just pause. Use meditation as a tool to pause the hustle of daily life, offering a moment to regain control and perspective.
3. Find a teacher. If you can’t find a teacher, try a video or podcast to get started.
4. Persist with patience. Meditation is a skill that develops with practice. Embrace the process with an open heart and patience. Initial discomfort or skepticism is part of the journey.
5. Reflect on the positives daily. Every day has moments of both delight and discomfort. Note those moments, and then release them.
6. Just try it. You don’t need any prior knowledge about meditation before attending.

“You are not alone,” notes Cooke. “When we meditate as a group, we learn that we are all experiencing pain. There is pain and discomfort in the world, but it doesn’t last forever. Experiencing this together creates community and compassion, two things this world needs a lot more of.”

You can learn more about the Mindfulness Certificate program and the meditation schedule on the . Anyone from SU or SUNY-ESF is welcome to join meditations or sangha meetings. Contact Cooke at jmcooke@syr.edu to have a cup of tea and talk about your interest in meditation or in receiving mindfulness training.

*SU and SUNY-ESF students seeking mental health support can reach out to the Barnes Center at the Arch, which offers services for mental health emergencies at 315.443.8000 or barnescenter@syr.edu; faculty, staff and employee family members can contact . The Barnes Center at the Arch also has . The has��resources to support yourself and help others, as well as a��chat service to talk with crisis counselors around the clock.

Fraternities and sororities rallied their members and friends to contribute, and as the day unfolded, the remarkable generosity of these groups was made apparent. “We are all so grateful for the overwhelming response to this first-ever Hendricks Cup challenge. With over $300,000 raised, our ���ϲ����� students were the true winners,” said Alison Murray, assistant dean for student assistance at Hendricks Chapel, acknowledging the immense impact of the day’s efforts.

A staggering total of $333,192 was raised for the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry on the 2024 ���ϲ����� Giving Day, a testament to the collective spirit of giving within the ���ϲ����� campus community. Among the 1,280 donors, 984 identified as being affiliated with Fraternities and Sororities, accounting for a significant portion of the overall contributions.

In addition to financial contributions, the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry also received 1,484 in-kind donations as part of the Hendricks Cup challenge, which stocked the pantry shelves and made an immediate impact in support of those in need.

Reflecting on the day’s events, Rev. Dr. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, expressed profound gratitude for the overwhelming response: “Witnessing the energy and efforts of ���ϲ�����’s Giving Day was a spark of inspiration and appreciation. For the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry to be on the receiving end of such extraordinary generosity—especially among our students—is an honor and joy that far exceeded my expectations.”

Following a final tally of in-kind contributions, total donors and dollars, and percentage of respective membership involvement, the inaugural Hendricks Cup trophy was awarded to Theta Chi, with Phi Kappa Psi in second place and��Delta Tau Delta in third. “I am incredibly proud of the effort that each Greek organization put into the Hendricks Cup. The Greek Community absolutely exploded with support and participation,” said Tage Oster, president of the Interfraternity Council.

Members of Theta Chi (from left to right) Tage Oster, Jake Bransfield, David Ritacco and Drew Maier with Dean Konkol.

As ���ϲ�����’s Giving Day for 2024 concluded, the importance of community, compassion and collaboration were top of mind. “I am left humbled by the outstanding leadership of campus partners in the Division of the Student Experience and the Office of Advancement and External Affairs, as their shared efforts will help us all to impact more students, which then helps students to impact our world,” said Dean Konkol.

The Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry is open to all ���ϲ����� and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) students who may be experiencing food insecurity. The pantry provides supplemental shelf-stable foods, produce, personal hygiene products, and more at no cost to students. For more information on how to donate to or receive food from the pantry, please visit .

Hendricks Chapel’s chaplains gathered to offer words of hope and inspiration at the 2023 Blessing of the Students. Otto made a guest appearance at the ceremony.

A historic gift to Hendricks Chapel, the largest since its dedication in 1930, will launch a $3 million Challenge Campaign to enrich student life and learning through the spiritual heart of ���ϲ�����.

As a home for all faiths and place for all people, Hendricks Chapel hosts nine chaplaincies, more than 25 student-led religious and spiritual life groups, and sponsors over 2,000 programs for more than 600,000 annual attendees. Hendricks Chapel employs student workers; supports musical ensembles; offers support through the Student Opportunity Fund, Student Veteran Support Fund and the Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry; and also partners throughout the campus community to advance academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

The recent anonymous gift will be used to support various chapel programs and initiatives, to prepare engaged citizens, scholars and leaders for participation in a changing global society.

Through the connection of family members who attended ���ϲ�����, two of whom were married at Hendricks Chapel, the donors are inspired by the chapel’s mission and want to support its efforts through an unrestricted gift that inspires others to give. “I like the idea of universities having an opportunity to be brought together in a spiritual and religious setting,” says a member of the family. “The focused effort required to learn a field of endeavor during your college years needs to be balanced with a constant reminder that each field’s ultimate purpose is to advance goodness in the world.”

The gift will launch the $3 million Hendricks Chapel Challenge Gift Campaign. The donors have already committed to $1 million. If ���ϲ����� alumni, parents, friends and other supporters can raise an additional $1 million by June 30, the family will give another $1 million, for a total of $3 million in support of Hendricks Chapel. All donations to any Hendricks Chapel funds by June 30, 2024, will count toward the Hendricks Chapel Challenge Gift Campaign. “For Hendricks Chapel to be on the receiving end of such remarkable generosity is an honor and a joy,” said Reverend Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “This gift will help us to impact more students, which help our students to impact our world.”

The initial $1 million gift has already made a significant impact:

• “We are very blessed to be receiving funds from Hendricks Chapel this year. Some of these funds are being used to bring an ASL [American Sign Language] interpreter to our 12:10 p.m. Mass on Wednesday afternoons,” says Father Gerry Waterman, Catholic chaplain.
• “It is hard to put into words the enormous impact that Hendricks Chapel’s support has on the ���ϲ����� Hillel community. We are so grateful for our partnership with the chapel. In addition to thought partnership, strategic support and the benefits of a community of practice, grants from the chapel have enabled Hillel to inspire students as they embrace Shabbat and holiday traditions here on campus,” says Jillian Juni, executive director of ���ϲ����� Hillel.
• “Hendricks Chapel has supported our many service trips. Through these trips, students have engaged in compassion-oriented service work, providing food and water filtration, and replacing roofs after the destruction of Hurricane Maria. Over 70 students have benefited from our trips to Puerto Rico, New York City and Nepal over the years,” says Rev. Devon Bartholomew, nondenominational Christian protestant chaplain.
• “Thanks to Hendricks Chapel I was able to study abroad, which has drastically shaped my ���ϲ����� experience, allowing me to learn more about myself and the world around us,” says Leondra Tyler, student coordinator for the��Hendricks Chapel Food Pantry.
• “Funding from Hendricks Chapel helps the Hendricks Chapel Choir stay connected to the campus community, and to the artistic community around our state, our nation, and our world,” says José “Peppie” Calvar, DMA, director of the Hendricks Chapel Choir.
• “Funding from Hendricks Chapel enables our group to expand its programming, makes it easier to accommodate religious observances like Ramadan Iftars, and gives our students additional opportunities to gather and connect in meaningful and creative ways without the burden of financial constraints. It was pivotal in building our community, sense of belonging, and student connections, which have increased enrollment, participation and engagement,” says Imam Amir Durić, Muslim chaplain.

For more information or to support the Hendricks Chapel Challenge Gift Campaign before June 30, 2024, please visit or contact Jeff Comanici at jjcomani@syr.edu or 315.420.9330.

Find more about Hendricks Chapel’s events and programming at .

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ�����

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ���ϲ����� is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit����to learn more.

Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent, is Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Ash Wednesday is Feb. 14, marking the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. Lent is a 40-day period of reflection that guides people of Christian faith to the “Triduum,” or Sacred Three Days, that begins on the evening of Maundy (Holy) Thursday and closes on Easter Sunday.

Ashes will be distributed at both Hendricks Chapel and at the Catholic Center, located at 110 Walnut Place.

The noon ecumenical service at Hendricks Chapel will include clergy from a diversity of Christian traditions. The service will be held from 12-12:30 p.m. in the Main Chapel.

The complete schedule for the distribution of ashes is as follows:

• 8 a.m.: Catholic Mass and Distribution of Ashes at the Catholic Center
• Noon: Ecumenical Worship Service with Distribution of Ashes in the Main Chapel at Hendricks Chapel
• 1:30 p.m.: Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes at the Catholic Center
• 4 p.m. Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes, Hendricks Chapel
• 5 p.m.: Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes, Hendricks Chapel
• 7 p.m.: Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes, Catholic Center

For more information, contact Hendricks Chapel at 315.443.2901,��chapel@syr.edu, or the Catholic Center at 315.443.2600.

Hosted by the chaplains of Hendricks Chapel, participants can attend Jumuah prayer, a Buddhist meditation, Catholic Mass, Shabbat dinner and more. The week will conclude with a special Interfaith Dinner and Conversation with the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 5 to 6 p.m. The full schedule and details are available on the .

Here are seven reasons you may want to explore:

1. Learn about other faith communities. You may have a Jewish friend who you met in the residence hall, but you don’t know a great deal about Judaism. Interfaith Exploration Week is a ideal time to learn about your friends and their beliefs.
2. Deepen your sense of religious and spiritual diversity. If you have been raised in a particular faith community, attending university may be the first time you’ve met Buddhists, Muslims, Baptists, etc. One of the best ways to create understanding is to observe another’s practice.
3. Find your own community of faith. Leaving home also means leaving your home place of worship. Finding a faith community at school can offer a home away from home. Additionally, you may find yourself ready to create new opportunities as you expand your center of understanding.
4. Have fun.��It’s just fun to be with new people in new places!
5. Meet the chaplains. Did you know that our chaplains are confidential resources? If you are in crisis or just need someone to talk to, you can meet with any of our chaplains. Each chaplain is here to support our entire student body, regardless of your spiritual, religious or non-religious practice.
6. Make friends! In these programs, you will meet new people. Perhaps you’ve seen them in your residence hall or in class but have never had a chance to connect. Now you’ll have an experience in common!
7. Experience a “home for all faiths and a place all people.” With 15 chaplains and more than 25 student and religious groups, Hendricks Chapel celebrates and observes many traditions. At Interfaith Exploration Week events, you can ask questions, learn and experience concepts new to you!

“Interfaith Exploration Week is an opportunity to create and sustain curiosity, understanding and expression,” says Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “We hope that all participants can learn about others, and also learn about themselves, all in service to our common good.”

Interfaith Exploration Week is organized by the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders (SAIL), chaplains, religious and spiritual life group advisors, and the staff of Hendricks Chapel.

To learn more about Interfaith Exploration Week, , call 315.443.2901 or email chapel@syr.edu.

The 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Planning Committee is proud to announce the 2024 Unsung Hero Award winners: Murjan Abdi, Sharon Dotger, Elbethel Berhane and Mia-Marie Fields ’24.

The Unsung Hero Award is given to community members, students, faculty and staff who have made a positive impact on the lives of others but are not widely recognized for their contributions. The awards were created to honor Dr. King’s vision of creating positive change in a troubled world. There were a record number of nominations for this year’s award.

The award winners will be recognized at the 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. The 2024 celebration will be held on Sunday, Jan. 21, with the art gallery opening at 4:15 p.m., dinner at 5 p.m., and the event at 7 p.m. featuring keynote speaker Talithia Williams. Tickets for the celebration are available .

The Unsung Heroes are:

Sharon Dotger (���ϲ����� faculty)

Dotger is the faculty director of teacher education and undergraduate studies in the School of Education. Over the past year, she has been tasked with redesigning the teacher education program, ensuring that preservice teachers are equipped with the skills, knowledge and compassion necessary to both enter the workforce and thrive in it. This shift will ensure that graduates of the University’s education programs are prepared to work alongside students with disabilities in schools across the nation, bringing the world closer to full inclusion.

Mia-Marie Fields ’24 (���ϲ����� student)

Fields, majoring in biomedical engineering and neuroscience in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), exemplifies the values of scholarship, service, social justice and inclusion. In her time at ���ϲ�����, she has helped to develop a portable breast cancer detection device addressing healthcare inequities in resource-limited countries; assisted in updating the Dean’s Advisory Panel in ECS; worked with a team to re-design the interior of 119 Euclid; and introduced Kevin Richardson of the “Exonerated 5” at the Black Excellence Gala. Fields is known to be both selfless and humble in her many pursuits.

Elbethel Berhane (Community youth)

Currently a senior at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, Berhane began her work with the Umoja/Kente Club as a first-year student and has continued her service by becoming the co-student advisor in her senior year. Last summer, she became certified and trained through the Student Coalition on Race and Equity, an initiative that accesses the talent and skills of students to eliminate racism in their community, starting in their school district. She currently works with People In Action and teaches Bible stories and lessons in the Amharic language to elementary school children at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Baldwinsville, New York.

Murjan Abdi (Community member)

A dedicated leader, Abdi uplifts his community with tremendous commitment. A proud graduate of the ���ϲ����� City School District, he joined the Manufacturers Association of Central New York (MACNY), serving in the field of workforce development. Prior to his work at MACNY, Murjan was an integral part of Onondaga Community College, significantly impacting the Educational Opportunity Program and the Collegiate Science Technical Entry Program. As a former peer financial mentor at CNY Works, Murjan’s unique ability to connect with young people catalyzed positive transformations in ���ϲ�����. His commitment to community development inspires hope for a more inclusive future in ���ϲ�����.

To express the celebration theme of “The Reach of the Dream,” seven local artists were selected to show their works in the specially designed gallery, which will be open to the public on Sunday, Jan. 21, before and during the celebration dinner. The art gallery will open at 4:15 p.m. and the dinner will begin at 5 p.m. For more information, visit .

“Resilience” by London Ladd

The exhibition will spotlight artists Sharif Bey, London Ladd, David MacDonald, Brandan Meyer, Rochele Royster, Melquea Smith and Iris Williams. Curators for the exhibition include Qiana Williams, Jaleel Campbell and Cjala Surratt of the Black Artists’ Collective; Ken Harper, associate professor of visual communications and art curator in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; Ajajielle Brown of the Department of African American Studies, Emily Dittman of the ���ϲ����� Art Museum and Dara Harper of Hendricks Chapel.

The artists

Sharif Bey is associate professor of studio arts (ceramics) in the School of Art in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, Bey studied sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia. Later, he earned his B.F.A. from Slippery Rock University, his M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Ph.D. (in art education) from Penn State University. His awards include the United States Artist Fellowship, the Pollock-Krasner Fellowship and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship. Bey’s works are featured in numerous public collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Mint Museum and the Nelson Atkins Museum, among others.

“Untitled” by Brandan Meyer

London Ladd, instructor of illustration in the School of Art in VPA, has had his work featured in critically acclaimed picture books, newspapers, magazines and community-based murals. His artwork is a mixture of acrylic paint, cut paper and tissue paper, creating rich, vibrant textures. Ladd’s illustrations can be found in the books“Black Gold,” “Oprah: The Little Speaker,” “Under the Freedom Tree” and “March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World.”

David R. MacDonald, professor emeritus in VPA, is an acclaimed and celebrated ceramic artist. MacDonald joined the faculty of the School of Art and Design in 1971. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, MacDonald’s work received most of its creative inspiration from his investigation of his African heritage. MacDonald draws much of his inspiration from the myriad examples of surface decoration that manifests itself in the many ethnic groups of sub-Saharan Africa. MacDonald’s work spans the complete spectrum of ceramic forms of a utilitarian nature.

Brandan Meyer is a ceramicist from ���ϲ�����. Studying at SUNY Oswego, his primary focus is on evolving his craft as a ceramic artist and exploring his capabilities through the medium. This is expressed through his pottery, as well as his experimentation with clay instruments. Finding inspiration from his political ideologies, familial heritage and personal connections, he creates work that not only reflects his roots, but sparks conversation that revolves around culture, empathy and unity.

“Fractured Expectations” by Rochelle Royster

Rochele Royster, assistant professor of art therapy in VPA,�� is a seasoned artist, community psychologist and educator who finds inspiration from people and community. Her upbringing, immersed in the rhythms of the South, was a fertile ground for creativity, where she learned the importance of the connection to land, rituals, and customs, and people. Proficient in quilting, printmaking, and various dye and resist techniques, Royster breathes new life into discarded materials, crafting narratives that echo themes of blackness and the resilience of ordinary individuals navigating worlds where patterns become as integral as the people they adorn. Through a meticulous examination of life’s rhythms, Royster invites viewers to reflect on the resilience and beauty that persist amidst life’s clutter and chaos.

Melquea Smith is a Black, Queer, multi award-winning children’s book illustrator based in New York. Known as a certified kid at heart, she adores illustrating magical stories with animals, mythological creatures and dragons. She specializes in illustrating Black children of all shapes, colors and sizes. When not illustrating, you’ll find her watching the newest animated movies, learning about Japan, studying Spanish with her cat Kilala, and giving love to her other cat, Bumblebee.

“The Biggest Gift” by Melquea Smith

Iris Williams is a visual artist born and raised in ���ϲ�����. She has a passion for bringing her creative ideas to life. She is heavily influenced by the Black community and finds it important to find innovative ways to include, empower and represent it in her projects. She experiments with various art forms, refusing to limit herself to just one. However, her authentic and creative expression has led her to develop a particular interest in digital art.

“We’re excited to highlight the talents of these extraordinary Black artists and champion the richness of ���ϲ�����’s artistic community,” says Cjala Surratt, co-founder of the Black Artists Collective and member of the MLK Art Gallery Committee. “This exhibition recognizes both established and emerging talent within ���ϲ�����’s artistic landscape and promises to be a source of inspiration for individuals of all ages. We hope to spark creativity, ignite curiosity and foster a deeper connection with the arts.”

“Wrapped in Iris” by Iris Williams

More information on the celebration

Tickets for the dinner and program, which will include student and community group performances, presentation of the Unsung Hero Awards and a keynote address from Talithia Williams, .

For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at��chapel@syr.edu��or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting .

Talithia Williams

Talithia Williams, Ph.D., big data expert, math professor and host of “NOVA Wonders,” will serve as featured speaker at the 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 21, in the JMA Wireless Dome.

This year’s theme is “The Reach of the Dream.”

Tickets for the dinner and program��.

This annual event is the largest of its kind on any college campus. The program seeks to honor the message and mission of King and is a direct expression of the University’s commitment to advancing academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

“We are honored and delighted to welcome Dr. Talithia Williams to ���ϲ����� as our featured speaker for the 39th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr event. As we prepare to remember and honor the roots of a dream that continue to inform and inspire, Dr. Williams serves as a living reminder of how far the dream can reach,” says Dean Brian Konkol of Hendricks Chapel. “Through her groundbreaking research and steadfast commitment to community impact, Dr. Williams is transforming the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. At our upcoming event, I am confident that learners of all ages will be left inspired to dream big and strive to make such dreams come true.”

Williams, associate professor of mathematics and Mathematics Clinic director at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, is an innovative statistician, co-host of the PBS series “NOVA Wonders” and a speaker whose popular TED Talk, “Own Your Body’s Data,” extols the value of statistics in quantifying personal health information. Williams demystifies the mathematical process in amusing and insightful ways to excite students, parents, educators and the larger community about STEM education and its possibilities.

Williams graduated from Spelman College and Howard University, and then later received a Ph.D. from Rice University. Her research involves developing statistical models that emphasize the spatial and temporal structure of data and applying them to problems in the environment. She’s worked at NASA, the National Security Agency and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and has partnered with the World Health Organization on research regarding cataract surgical rates in African countries.

At ���ϲ����� Williams’ topic will be “Becoming an Agent of Change for Inclusive Education.” By showing how educational systems are microcosms of our increasingly diverse society, Williams will address how to close achievement gaps and serve as inclusive agents of positive and profound change. In her keynote presentation, Williams hopes to inspire educators and learners or all ages by showing how data can be utilized to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

“As a neurodivergent nontraditional student, I am excited to hear Dr. Williams speak about the importance of diversity and inclusion within education,” says Leondra Tyler ’24, co-chair of the 2024 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. “I believe it is important to shed light on how we can pave the way for future academics and leaders who will bring positive change to our world.”

The 2024 program will include an address from Williams, student and community group performances, and a presentation of this year’s .

The newly introduced art gallery that features works from local Black artists will open at 4:15 p.m. The traditional dinner will open at 5 p.m. Halal/Kosher, gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available. Dinner will be held near the JMA Dome’s west end zone, entry at Gate A. The main program with Williams and performers will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the east side. For program-only attendees, doors open at 6 p.m.

Ticket purchase options are as follows:

• ���ϲ����� staff, faculty and the general public (dinner and program): $30
• Students (dinner and program): $15
• Main program only: Free

Registration is required for all ticket purchase options.

All dinner tickets will be assigned a table number at the time of purchase, which will be included in the mobile tickets. Guests interested in sitting with friends are recommended to purchase tickets together to ensure the same table assignment.

Guests may order up to 10 dinner and program tickets online. To purchase one full table (10 seats), select 10 total tickets and proceed to checkout. To purchase more than one table or more than 10 individual tickets, or if experiencing difficulties, please call the JMA Dome Box Office at 1.888.DOME.TIX (315.443.2121), option four.

All dinner guests will be seated in the 100 level of the stands for the program following dinner. All guests attending the program only will be seated in the 200 level. Seating is general admission in those areas for the program.

Buy tickets online at��, in person at the Dome Box Office inside Gate B at 900 Irving Ave. (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or by phone (888.DOME.TIX or 315.443.2121, option four). Tickets will be mobile and will be uploaded directly to your MyCuse account to manage upon purchase. View the for more information.

Free parking is available in the Irving Avenue Garage and in lots west of the JMA Dome. Visit the University’s for maps and directions. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available at the event. Accessible seating is provided on the concourse level of the JMA Dome.

For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at��chapel@syr.edu��or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting .

On Sunday, Dec. 3, performances will take place in Hendricks Chapel at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The recorded virtual concert will premiere on Sunday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. EST.

These performances are free and open to the public.����for both the in-person and virtual concerts. Guests for the in-person concerts can select which section they will sit in for the performance.

An ongoing tradition hosted by����and the����in the��, “Holidays at Hendricks” celebrates the sounds of the season and is anchored by the ��and its director��, associate professor of applied music and performance and assistant director of choral activities in the Setnor School.

The student-centered concert features performances from:

• ���ϲ����� Symphony Orchestra, directed by James Tapia, associate professor of applied music and performance in the Setnor School;
• The international award-winning ���ϲ����� Singers, under the direction of John Warren, professor of applied music and performance and director of choral activities in the Setnor School, and Setnor Sonority under the direction of Peppie Calvar.
• Student organists and University organist Anne Laver on the Hendricks Chapel organ;
• ���ϲ�����’s big band, the Morton Schiff Jazz Ensemble, directed by John Coggiola, associate professor and chair of music education in the Setnor School and the School of Education; and
• The World Premiere of “O Magnum Mysterium” from Christmas Cantata, by Peppie Calvar.

Public parking is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis in Irving Garage, Hillside Lot and the College Place lot. Those who require accessible parking or would like more information about the event may call Hendricks Chapel at 315.443.2901 or email chapel@syr.edu.

Communication Access Realtime Translation and American Sign Language interpretation will be provided at in-person concerts. Captioning will be provided at the virtual concert. Doors to Hendricks Chapel will open 30 minutes prior to each concert start time.

For more information, visit��. Hendricks Chapel will also post regular updates about the event through its��,�������Ի������貹�����.

As part of the MLK Jr. Celebration, several community members who embody the spirit of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. receive the Unsung Hero Award.

The award seeks to honor the life and legacy of individuals who exemplify the spirit, life and teachings of Dr. King yet have not received widespread recognition or been previously honored for their efforts. These individuals represent a direct expression of the University’s commitment to fostering and supporting a university welcoming to all.

If you know an individual who should be honored and celebrated, please consider nominating them for the 2024 celebration.

included University staff member Nichole Henry, student Thomas Wilson ’23, ���ϲ����� community members and more. Nominations may be made in any of the following categories:

• youth/teen from Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cayuga or Cortland counties
• adult from Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cayuga or Cortland counties
• currently enrolled student at ���ϲ����� or the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF)
• faculty or staff from ���ϲ����� or SUNY ESF

The Unsung Hero Award nominations are due by Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 11:59 p.m. Nomination forms can be found��on the .

The 2024 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will take place on Jan. 21, 2024, in the JMA Wireless Dome. Further information will be announced in the coming weeks at .

Questions regarding the Unsung Hero Awards can be directed to Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu.

Members of SAIL (Photo by Micah Greenberg ’26)

Twice per month, a group of students gather in for dinner and meaningful interfaith conversation. From Muslim to Christian, Hindu to Jewish, and many others in between, these students who make up the gather to learn and listen. Their mission is to deepen their understanding of each other’s faiths, as this knowledge is the foundation for building bridges of unity, empathy and shared purpose. The group chooses various discussion topics throughout the semester, including themes like lunar and solar calendars, holidays, symbolism, food, sacred texts, religious tools and altars, myths, core values and more.

To develop a foundation for the current academic year, SAIL chose the recent introductory topic of fostering mutual familiarity. “We aim to be in the process of promoting understanding, respecting and building knowledge between individuals and groups of different religious backgrounds,” says Mian Muhammad Abdul Hamid ’25, convener of the group and a student in the School of Information Studies. “We embark on this journey of discovery and mutual respect. Please come prepared to share, listen, and learn from one another’s faith experiences. Together, we will continue to build bridges that connect us in the spirit of harmony.”

Hamid explains the purpose of the SAIL meeting. (Photo by Micah Greenberg ’26)

Hamid, a leader in the Muslim Student Association (MSA), credits his fellow SAIL member Ren Morton with the introductory topic of fostering mutual familiarity. Morton is pursuing a Ph.D. in social science at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She is a co-leader for ���ϲ�����’s Pagan Association. Hamid was concerned that the students would be afraid to share their beliefs and opinions, so he was grateful to see that multiple students spoke up repeatedly and were excited to learn and share their own traditions. “By introducing this topic, students will be able to be aware of different faiths, and we can later jump into deeper topics and gain a better understanding of one another’s faith,” says Hamid.

Morton is a Ph.D. graduate student and the only parent in the group. She feels that creating a safe space is important and she hopes that the group will continue to connect SAIL members, especially when there are global concerns. “I believe strongly in the axiom that there is more that unites us than divides us. Familiarity and friendship, practicing respect for other people’s beliefs, and understanding the nature of religious conflict and religious trauma can go a long way in de-escalating tensions. Tensions can be from the past, in the present, or may arise in the future,” said Morton. “It is my hope that all those who participate in SAIL will leave with more compassion and appreciation for other religions, going on to embody that appreciation in their spaces and practices.”

Those gathered at SAIL recognize how their own judgements can sometimes stunt the ability to connect with those outside of their own worldview. To this, Hamid quoted a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab: “We judge by what is apparent and we leave their inner secrets to Allah (God).”

Yapan Liu, who represents the Chinese Christian Fellowship, offers his perspective to the group. (Photo by Micah Greenberg ’26)

With Al-Khattab’s statement and his participation in SAIL, Hamid is extra cautious because people follow different faiths for many reasons. He goes on to say, “After participating in SAIL, I am more open-minded to hearing interfaith peers and their outlook on life. I believe SAIL influenced me to not be judgmental and to be more open.”

Kayla Cuttito ’25 is one of the newest members of SAIL. Cuttito is a double major in Political Science and Environment Sustainability & Policy with minors in Geography and Policy Studies at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She is excited to be part of the group and notes, “It’s very inspiring to be part of this community of individuals who are empowered by their experiences to share their faith with others.”

Through the years of SAIL’s existence, Hendricks Chapel’s associate dean Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz has enjoyed seeing the spiritual progress and thoughtfulness of so many students. As the advisor to SAIL, Kantrowitz oversees each meeting and brings wisdom as an advisory board member for Interfaith Works of CNY. “It brings me immense joy to commune with these incredible student leaders,” she said. “We grow and grow during the meetings. I learn something new each time we meet.”

SAIL is comprised of representatives from the 25 religious and spiritual life groups of Hendricks Chapel and seek for participants to develop as interfaith leaders and to function as a student advisory committee for the dean of Hendricks Chapel, Rev. Brian Konkol. Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to connect with convener Mian Muhammad Abdul Hamid or advisor Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz to gain more information.

Established in 1930 as a home for all faiths and place for all people, Hendricks Chapel has witnessed significant increases in student engagement in recent years and has responded with the placement of new chaplains and development of new chaplaincies to advance academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

The Rev. Brian E. Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel since 2017, says diverse and dynamic chaplains are of great importance for the University community: “As confidential and trusted advisors, University chaplains accompany students of diverse religious, spiritual, moral and ethical identities and experiences. While drawing from their distinctive traditions and practices, chaplains are called upon to serve all people by building community, exploring belief, offering guidance, leading rituals, facilitating cooperation and providing care.”

Hendricks Chapel is now host to 15 chaplains and 27 religious and spiritual life groups. To connect with a chaplain, please visit the Chaplains Suite on the lower level of Hendricks Chapel, call 315.443.2901 or visit .

About the New Chaplains

Daren Jaime

Pastor Daren C. Jaime, Christian Protestant Chaplaincy, Historically Black Church

Pastor Daren C. Jaime moved to ���ϲ����� 17 years ago and hails from Harlem, New York. His ministerial journey began in 1994, when he acknowledged his call to ministry at the Saint Frances A.M.E. Zion Church in Port Chester, New York. He is currently the senior pastor at People’s A.M.E. Zion Church in ���ϲ����� and is very active in the local community. Pastor Jaime has also been privileged to reach a global community as an award-winning journalist, educating minds across the world through his former radio show “Power Perspectives” and his weekly live television broadcasts of “Perspectives” and “Open” on Bronxnet. You can reach Pastor Jaime at dcjaime@syr.edu.

William Payne

Rev. William Payne, Christian Protestant Chaplaincy, Fellowship of Christian Athletes

In March 2018 Rev. William Payne was appointed as campus director of the University’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Payne started playing baseball at an early age, sustained a love of sports throughout his youth in Maryland, and continues to blend athletics and ministry. After graduating from Liberty University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1996, he went on to graduate from Baptist Bible Seminary in Pennsylvania in 2004. He served as a pastor in Michigan and ���ϲ����� before joining the FCA. Payne is enthusiastic about ministering alongside students of the campus community. You can reach him at wmpayne@syr.edu.

Dave Schubert

Reverend Doshin David Schubert, Buddhist Chaplaincy, Zen Center of ���ϲ�����

Reverend Doshin David Schubert was ordained as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk in 1994. He is currently the head monk at the Zen Center of ���ϲ�����. Schubert was born in ���ϲ����� and graduated from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) with a degree in environmental and forest biology and later received a master’s degree, also from SUNY ESF, in forest entomology. After years of working at Beaver Lake Nature Center and Burnet Park Zoo, he retired in 2023 to join the Hendricks Chapel team and spend more time with his wife, two daughters, four dogs, three cats and two guinea pigs! You can reach him at dschub01@syr.edu.

Participants from last year’s Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering (photo courtesy of Angela Ryan)

The Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering is an event held on campus to welcome all incoming and returning students, faculty and staff for the 2023-2024 academic year, and for all to show respect for the Indigenous people on whose ancestral lands ���ϲ����� now stands. Schenandoah is a citizen of the Oneida Nation and a Wolf Clan Faithkeeper. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is composed of Six Nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora.

“It’s important to acknowledge and recognize that there are Indigenous peoples still here and that we are all standing in the capital of the Haudenosaunee territory,” says Schenandoah. “This land is sacred. We welcome visitors to be part of this sacred place. Part of our teaching is that no one can own the land, so it’s important to remember that ���ϲ����� is part of a much bigger picture.”

At the gathering, speakers and dancers will set the stage for the new academic year. Hot scones and strawberry drinks will be offered. The hot scones are derived from traditional breads and the strawberry drink consists of strawberries, maple syrup and water. “This is significant because strawberries are the leaders of the plants and maples are the leaders of the trees. In this way we honor them,” says Schenandoah.

Schenandoah encourages students, faculty and staff to participate in the Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering. “We are sharing our culture because the Earth is calling to us to pay attention, we require collective healing, and most importantly, we are inviting our community to live in gratitude,” she says.

For more information on this and other Hendricks Chapel events, visit��.

Lutheran pastor Rev. Gail Riina stands with fellow chaplains in her white pastor’s robe.

After 15 years of service as Lutheran Chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, Rev. Gail Riina has announced her retirement, effective at the end of July.

Pastor Gail (as she is often known by students) served in numerous campus contexts throughout her years of ministry, including George Washington University, Cornell University and The State University of New York at Buffalo before arriving at ���ϲ����� in 2009. Through her focus on vocational discernment and pastoral counseling, Pastor Gail was committed to sharing a Lutheran expression of Christianity in ways that met the evolving needs of a diverse student body.

“Throughout her years of ministry at ���ϲ�����, Pastor Gail Riina embodied her Christian faith through a genuine care for students and principled commitment to inclusive community impact,” says Rev. Dr. Brian Konkol, Dean of Hendricks Chapel. “Through a remarkable ability to both proclaim her own beliefs and also learn from the beliefs of others, she empowered countless students to grow and flourish as leaders, and she now leaves a foundation for others to build upon and appreciate. I am personally grateful for her friendship and wish her the fullness of God’s blessings for the next chapter in her journey.”

In addition to her on-campus presence, Pastor Gail also championed many community initiatives, such as “Success Saturdays” that involved tutoring New American students, providing support and building cultural competency. “Pastor Gail has shaped both the Lutheran Chaplaincy and Hendricks Chapel’s Chaplains’ Council in countless ways by infusing the values of loving-kindness, social justice and care for the earth in all that she does, says Associate Dean, Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz. “Gail’s work with area refugees, coupled with numerous community service projects, has made a lasting impact not only on the Central New York community but also on the hundreds of students, staff and faculty with whom she has worked.”

“My greatest joy has been to be a part of building relationships of trust and dialogue, and to witness how community is the catalyst for students’ growth,” says Riina. “My experience has deepened my faith in the power of God to heal and transform and my hope for greater peace throughout the world.”

In partnership with Dean Konkol and Hendricks Chapel, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Upstate New York Synod will launch a search for the next Lutheran Chaplain.

It started when colleagues and friends Imam Amir Durić and Rabbi Ethan Bair had an idea for strengthening their chaplaincies through bringing students into their circle of friendship. Both Bair and Durić have a history of interfaith collaboration. Bair’s earliest family memories include sharing Dec. 25 with Iranian Sufi Muslim neighbors.

Imam Amir Durić (left) and Rabbi Ethan Bair had an idea for strengthening their chaplaincies through bringing students into their circle of friendship. Both Bair and Durić have a history of interfaith collaboration.

“We had a tradition of getting together on the 25th since it wasn’t either of our holidays and we would have dinner together,” says Bair. “I love the idea of not just knowing your neighbors but becoming friends with your neighbors.”

At , known as the spiritual heart of ���ϲ����� since 1930, friendships between chaplains aren’t new territory. In the mid-1990s the Jewish and Muslim chaplains shared an office in the lower level of the chapel.

The rabbi and imam no longer share an office, but Durić and Bair wanted to engage their groups in both sharing meals and partnering on service opportunities. Bair discovered a special funding opportunity through Hillel International in partnership with��the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, allowing the two groups to sponsor a meal and a service project.

If we all just live in our own bubbles, we will just end up being limited and having limited impact. Connecting and collaborating with others is really what makes us better. — Imam Amir Durić

When the two religious leaders met at Hendricks Chapel’s annual staff and chaplain retreat in August 2022, Durić and Bair gravitated toward one another, discussing their chaplaincies and students. They immediately recognized commonalities and identified a path toward collaboration.

Rabbi Ethan Bair (left) and Imam Amir Durić.

Durić joined Hendricks Chapel and the Muslim Student Life organization at ���ϲ����� as chaplain in 2017. Durić previously served as the Imam, Khatib, and Mu’allim for ten years: three years in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina, and seven years in the United States, Delaware Valley-Philadelphia region.

Rabbi Bair began his tenure at ���ϲ�����’s Hendricks Chapel and ���ϲ����� Hillel in July of 2023, after having served as congregational rabbi in Miami Beach and as campus rabbi at the University of Southern California’s Hillel center, among other positions.

As a multifaith chapel for over 90 years, Hendricks Chapel is a place where religious leaders are encouraged to work together and share common spaces, and a genuine friendship adds an extra realm of possibility. So, when the grant from Interfaith America was acquired, Durić and Bair knew they could make their ideas of bringing the students together into a reality.

A Holy Overlap

Students from the Muslim and Jewish chaplaincies gather for a catered meal at sundown as ���ϲ����� Hillel hosted a Muslim iftar (dinner) in the Hillel building.

It’s not every year that the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan and Jewish Passover holy days overlap. During the Spring Semester of 2023, this was a unique opportunity for ���ϲ����� Hillel to host a Muslim iftar (dinner) in the Hillel building. With Muslim students fasting from dawn to dusk, a catered meal at sundown was a welcome invitation. The Muslim and Jewish chaplaincies each invited 60 students to the dinner, and each had one or more student leads to help the groups connect with each other. Sadie Roberts ’27, a student in the School of Architecture, worked closely with Mian Muhammad Abdul Hamid ’25, who attends the School of Information Studies.

“If you show respect and you’re genuine, then you’ll be able to make good friends,” says Hamid. In that spirit, the two students created conversation starter questions for the dinner tables and a digital quiz:

1. How does fasting work��in each��of your religions?
2. Do you find it difficult to balance your religion with school-related obligations��in college?
3. Based on the climate we live in today; how do you think religion plays a part in your own��life or the lives of others?
4. What keeps you grounded in your faith?
5. What��are��some challenges you have faced��due to��your��faith?

Students from the Muslim and Jewish chaplaincies gather for a catered meal at sundown as ���ϲ����� Hillel hosted a Muslim iftar (dinner) in the Hillel building.

During the dinner, those in attendance discussed how their respective fasting practices differed, and how they were similar. They discussed discriminations that they’ve faced because of their identities and beliefs. The students discovered more similarities than differences in their lives. Rev. Dr. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, says the chapel aspires to be “a both/and place in an either/or world,” and that is what the students seemed to realize at the dinner.

For Bair, the coming together and collaboration of their chaplaincies will hopefully strengthen their students’ personal faith and the entire University community.

“A big part of the purpose for me of having a strong Jewish community is to be able to partner with others: to share our culture and learn from other cultures. The values of diversity that we aspire to live with on campus can only happen when we take that extra step and reach out to co-plan events with other groups. I think that’s where the magic happens,” says Bair. “That night at the iftar hosted by Hillel, I walked around and saw people having some awkward conversations, some funny conversations, and seeing students getting out of their comfort zones a little bit, or maybe leaning just at the edge of their comfort. That’s what it’s all about for me.”

The other revelation of the evening included continued dialogue around an important word that is found in both traditions. While spelled differently in Hebrew and Arabic, tzedakah/sadaqah has a similar meaning and importance to both groups. Tzedakah/Sadaqah is the concept of the responsibility of charitable giving that are tenets of both the Ramadan and Passover holy days.

“During Ramadan we are expected to boost our empathy and to strengthen our compassion,” says Durić. “Community service helps with that. It is a concrete action that easily becomes part of Ramadan observance.”

In Muslim texts, sadaqah holds high religious importance, as it is a term that refers to a wide spectrum of giving and compassion. The term encompasses love, friendship, kindness, generosity and religious duty.

And, according to the Talmud, tzedakah is as important as all the other commandments combined. The Jewish law describes the act of giving tzedakah as mitzvah, which means a religious duty to perform a good deed.

“Passover has a message around food justice stating that all who are hungry, can come eat,” says Bair. “There are also messages of inclusivity and making sure everyone of every socioeconomic status has a meal to attend.”

Teaming Up to Bring Tzedakah/Sadaqah into Action

In addition to the iftar, the two groups wanted to embark upon a service project. They collectively chose to support the . With hundreds of dollars’ worth of diapers, Durić and Bair gathered ten Muslim and ten Jewish students to package bags of diapers for parents in Central New York.

On the drive to the facility, Bair connected with Adam Baltaxe ’25, a dual enrolled student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences. As a Jewish student with many Muslim friends, Baltaxe has chosen to fast during the entire month of Ramadan in solidarity with his friends.

“People forget that we’re all human. We’re way more similar than we are different. Rabbi Bair is really bringing a new perspective toward the way we look at other cultures and other people and that takes away from the divides that are currently keeping us apart,” Baltaxe says. “I mean, right now there’s enough in this world that is trying to keep different groups of people apart. Imam Durić and Rabbi Bair are trying to connect multiple communities that have long histories of battling, arguing, conflict and that is really healthy. I’m very happy to reenter this space of Judaism under Rabbi Bair’s leadership.”

The Work Isn’t Over

Both Bair and Durić have been asked about future collaborations between their groups. They plan to keep up the momentum by continuing to share events and service projects. The two friends continue to pave the path forward. “I think the more common ground we create together, the safer our students may feel to engage in diverse friendships and meaningful topics down the road,” Bair says.

Through Easter, Passover, Ramadan, Ram Navami and more, all students, faculty and staff are invited to learn of these opportunities and support ���ϲ�����’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

The following is a summary of upcoming opportunities. Visit the for a full listing of Hendricks Chapel programs and services.

Baptist Chaplaincy

• April 7: Good Friday
  11:30 a.m.-; Christian chaplains will be offering blessings at this service (Hendricks Chapel)
• April 9:��Easter
  11 a.m.-Easter Sunday Service (Hendricks Chapel)
  12:15-1:30 p.m.-Easter lunch

Buddhist Chaplaincy

• April 15: Buddha’s Birthday
  6 p.m.-Celebrate the Buddha’s birthday! Contact JoAnn Cooke for more information at jmcooke@syr.edu

Catholic Chaplaincy/SU Catholic Center

• April 6: Holy Thursday
  7 p.m.-Mass of the Lord’s Supper (includes washing of the feet) followed by dinner available until 9 p.m. (Catholic Center)-Eucharistic Adoration**
• April 7: Good Friday
  11:30 a.m.-; Christian chaplains will be offering blessings at this service (Hendricks Chapel)
  3 p.m.-Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (Catholic Center)
  4:30 p.m.-Stations of the Cross (Catholic Center)
• April 8: Holy Saturday
  7:30 p.m.-Easter Vigil Mass (Catholic Center); includes baptisms, first communions, confirmations and renewal of baptismal promises
• April 9: Easter Sunday
  10:30 a.m.-Easter Sunday Mass (Catholic Center)
  1 p.m.-Easter Sunday Mass** (Hendricks Chapel)

**Mass is live-streamed on the SU Catholic Center YouTube page,��and will be posted to its Facebook page��at the conclusion of Mass.

For additional information, or to request accommodations, contact Campus Minister Danielle Drop at dadrop@syr.edu��or 315.443.2651.

Evangelical Chaplaincy

• April 6 : Maundy Thursday
  Noon-1:15 p.m.-Friendship Luncheon; includes chat about the significance of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday (Noble Room, Hendricks Chapel)
  Noon-Foot Washing (example) before the Friendship Luncheon, jointly sponsored by the Evangelical Chaplaincy and Lutheran Campus Ministry
• April 7 : Good Friday
  11:30 a.m.-; Christian chaplains will be offering blessings at this service (Hendricks Chapel)

Hindu Chaplaincy

• April 7: Ram Navami Pooja and Welcome to Hindu Chaplain, Sanjay Mathur
  4-5:30 p.m.- (Hendricks Chapel)
  5:30-6:30 p.m.- (Noble Room, Hendricks Chapel)

Historically Black Church Chaplaincy

• April 7 : Good Friday
  11:30 a.m.-; Christian chaplains will be offering blessings at this service (Hendricks Chapel)

Jewish Chaplaincy/���ϲ����� Hillel

• April 5: First Night Seder
  6 p.m. (Goldstein Auditorium, Schine Student Center)
  
• April 6: Second Night Seders
  6 p.m. (���ϲ����� Hillel, Winnick Center for Jewish Life)
  
  • Inclusive Multicultural Passover Seder
    Experience Passover with ���ϲ����� Hillel, Jewish and non-Jewish peers from diverse backgrounds for a Passover seder with special attention to social justice themes.
  • Pajama and Coloring Passover Seder
    Come in pajamas for a comfy, fun-filled seder that will channel your inner child. (Think make-your-own puppets, color and sing with guitar).
  • Host Your Own Seder
    ���ϲ����� Hillel will support you to host your own with a per-person reimbursement once you send us pictures!
• April 6-13: Kosher for Passover Meals
  ���ϲ����� Hillel will offer two K-for-P meals per day throughout the holiday (Winnick Center for Jewish Life)
  Lunch:��11 a.m.-2 p.m.; no RSVP needed!
  Dinner:��4-7 p.m.; no RSVP needed!
• April 10: Special Mid-Week Passover Meal
  5:30-7 p.m.; no RSVP needed!

For additional information, or to request accommodations, contact Rabbi Ethan Bair at etbair@syr.edu��or��617.676.7997.

Lutheran Campus Ministry

• April 6: Maundy Thursday
  Noon-1:15 p.m.-Friendship Luncheon; includes chat about the significance of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday (Noble Room, Hendricks Chapel)
  Noon-Foot Washing (example) before the Friendship Luncheon, jointly sponsored by the Evangelical Chaplaincy and Lutheran Campus Ministry
  7 p.m.-Remembrance of the Last Supper; celebrate Jesus’ Call to Service and share a meal like the dinner He ate with His disciples (Koinonia House at the Parsonage, 100 Berkeley Drive)
• April 7: Good Friday
  11:30 a.m.-; Christian chaplains will be offering blessings at this service (Hendricks Chapel)
• April 9: Easter Sunday
  5:30 p.m.-“ALLELUIA Christ is Risen!”; join to celebrate new life in Christ at worship (Noble Room, Hendricks Chapel)
  7 p.m.-Easter feast; dinner reservations requested to help with planning, please email griina@syr.edu

For additional information, or to request accommodations, contact Rev. Gail Riina at .

Muslim Chaplaincy

Ramadan began at sunset on Wednesday, March 22. The first full day of fasting was Thursday, March 23, and there are 29 fasting days this year.

Iftars will take place in Hendricks Chapel’s Noble Room on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings during the holiday.

• April 4:
  7 p.m.-All are welcome; ! (Goldstein Auditorium)
• April 21: Eid al-Fitr
  9-10 a.m.-Celebrate with a service followed by an Eid brunch (Noble Room, Hendricks Chapel)

For additional information, or to request accommodations, contact Imam Amir Duric at .

United Methodist Ecumenical Campus Ministry

• April 7: Good Friday
  11:30 a.m.-; Christian chaplains will be offering blessings at this service (Hendricks Chapel)

Sanjay Mathur

“To welcome a Hindu Chaplaincy to ���ϲ����� is an occasion for tremendous celebration,” says the Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “I am grateful for the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends who contributed to this historic moment. We at Hendricks Chapel are excited for Sanjay Mathur to join our diverse and dynamic team of chaplains, and I look forward to our shared future in service to our common good.”

The Hindu Student Association (HSA), one of 25 religious and spiritual life groups at Hendricks Chapel, was founded in 2018 and provided a strong foundation for a new Hindu Chaplaincy. Through the efforts of inaugural student president Akshay Bapat ’21, Associate Dean of Hendricks Chapel Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, the late Anju Varshney and Pramod Varshney, Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the HSA has grown significantly and now serves hundreds of students, faculty, staff and alumni.

“I am truly delighted to learn that a Hindu chaplain is coming onboard at Hendricks Chapel. He will serve a large Hindu community at ���ϲ�����. It has been a longstanding need,” says Varshney. “I would like to thank Dean Brian Konkol for recognizing this and for his vision to enhance Chapel offerings to include our Hindu student population.”

A founding board member of the North American Hindu Chaplains Association, Mathur is a national leader with strong ties to Central New York. In addition to serving as Hindu chaplain for the Rochester Institute of Technology and University of Rochester, he has served as president in the past and is currently on the Board of Trustees for the Hindu Temple of Rochester (Rochester, New York), and is a sought-after speaker and teacher on spirituality and health.

“The addition of Chaplain Mathur is a meaningful step toward furthering HSA’s mission to foster a welcoming environment of Hindu spirituality on campus that supports the pursuit and practice of Dharma,” says Siya Kumar ’24, the current president of the HSA and a public health student. “We look forward to furthering our programs, resources, events and support with the guidance of a professional who has ample experience and an even bigger heart.”

As the newest chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, Chaplain Mathur will partner with nine other chaplaincies to draw upon his traditions and practices to serve as a resource for the entire ���ϲ����� community. “I have the courage to work, persist, grow and inspire people in the Hindu tradition; to learn about reflective listening and compassionate care,” Mathur says.

To welcome Chaplain Mathur to ���ϲ�����, the Hindu Student Association will host a Ram Navami Pooja in Hendricks Chapel at 4 p.m. Friday, April 7. Following the program, all members of the campus community are invited to a reception in the Noble Room at 5:30 p.m.

Ashes will be distributed at both Hendricks Chapel and at the Catholic Center, located at 110 Walnut Place.

The noon ecumenical service at Hendricks Chapel will include clergy from a diversity of Christian traditions. The service will be held from 12-12:30 p.m. in the Main Chapel.

The complete schedule for the distribution of ashes is as follows:

• 8 a.m.: Catholic Mass and Distribution of Ashes at the Catholic Center
• Noon: Ecumenical Worship Service with Distribution of Ashes in the Main Chapel at Hendricks Chapel
• 1:30 p.m.: Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes at the Catholic Center
• 4 p.m. Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes, Hendricks Chapel
• 5 p.m.: Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes, Hendricks Chapel
• 7 p.m.: Catholic Worship Service and Distribution of Ashes, Catholic Center

For more information, contact Hendricks Chapel at 315.443.2901, chapel@syr.edu, or the Catholic Center at 315.443.2600.

All students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in Interfaith Exploration Week.

Hendricks Chapel is celebrating religious and spiritual diversity and inclusion through Interfaith Exploration Week, from Wednesday, Feb. 1, through Tuesday, Feb. 7. All students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in a series of gatherings that provide a safe space to learn about diverse religious and spiritual traditions, rediscover familiar traditions, and build relationships and understanding across barriers.

Hosted by the Chaplains of Hendricks Chapel, participants can attend Jumuah prayer, a Buddhist meditation, Catholic Mass, Shabbat dinner, and more. The week will kick off with a special Interfaith Dinner and Conversation on Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 4:30-6 p.m. For the full schedule and details, .

Here are seven reasons you may want to explore:

1. Learn about other faith communities. You may have a Jewish friend who you met in the residence hall, but you don’t know a great deal about Judaism. Interfaith Exploration Week is a ideal time to learn about your friends and their beliefs.
2. Deepen your sense of religious and spiritual diversity. If you have been raised in a particular faith community, attending university may be the first time you’ve met Buddhists, Muslims, Baptists, etc. One of the best ways to create understanding is to observe another’s practice.
3. Find your own community of faith. Leaving home also means leaving your home place of worship. Finding a faith community at school can offer a home away from home. Additionally, you may find yourself ready to create new opportunities as you expand your center of understanding.
4. Have Fun! It’s just fun to be with new people in new places!
5. Meet the chaplains. Did you know that our chaplains are confidential resources? If you are in crisis or just need someone to talk to, you can meet with any of our chaplains. Each chaplain is here to support our entire student body, regardless of your spiritual, religious, or non-religious practice.
6. Make friends! In these programs, you will meet new people. Perhaps you’ve seen them in your residence hall or in class but have never had a chance to connect. Now you’ll have an experience in common!
7. Hendricks Chapel is a “home for all faiths and a place all people.” With nine chaplaincies and more than 25 student and religious groups, Hendricks Chapel celebrates and observes many traditions. At Interfaith Exploration Week events, you can ask questions, learn, and experience concepts new to you!

“Interfaith Exploration Week is an opportunity to create and sustain curiosity, understanding and expression,” says Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “We hope that all participants can learn about others, and also learn about themselves, all in service to our common good.”

Interfaith Exploration Week is organized by the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders (SAIL), chaplains, religious and spiritual life group advisors, and the staff of Hendricks Chapel.

To learn more about Interfaith Exploration Week, , call us at email 315.443.2901or email��chapel@syr.edu.

Dean Brian Konkol says, “As the Muslim Chaplaincy continues to experience significant growth in student engagement, I am overjoyed to welcome Imam Dzemal Crnkić to our ���ϲ����� campus community, as he and Imam Amir Durić will build a dynamic collaboration to ensure Hendricks Chapel is leading in service to our common good.”

Dzemal recently moved to ���ϲ����� from Pennsylvania, where he served as imam for the Bosnia & Herzegovina Islamic Center of Pennsylvania. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Alvernia University (Reading, Pennsylvania) studying leadership, with a focus on leadership challenges among immigrant communities.

In addition to his demonstrated commitment to Muslim students, faculty and staff, Imam Crnkić is also dedicated to building multifaith relationships and community-wide interfaith programs.

“I am thrilled that Imam Dzemal accepted our invitation to join the Muslim Chaplaincy team,” says Imam Durić. “His leadership skills, creativity and enthusiasm will enhance the scope of our programming, and assist the chaplaincy in creating additional outreach and engagement opportunities for our students. It is my great honor to welcome him to the Orange family.”

WSYR-TV news reporter Iris St. Meran will emcee Sunday’s 38th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

“Iris St. Meran is a respected journalist, trusted community member, inspirational storyteller and thought leader,” says , dean of Hendricks Chapel. “As we prepare for our first in-person MLK Celebration since January of 2020, Iris St. Meran is the right person for this important time, and I am excited that she accepted the invitation to participate.”

The featured speaker at this year’s celebration is Rev. Phil Turner, pastor of Bethany Baptist Church. Turner’s theme is “Civil Rights and the City of ���ϲ�����.”

The University’s celebration is the largest of its kind on any college campus, featuring performances, dinner, and the presentation of the Unsung Hero Awards.�� is free and open to all members of the University community.

To express the celebration theme of “Civil Rights and the City of ���ϲ�����,” four local artists were selected to show their works in the specially constructed gallery, which will be open to the public on Sunday, Jan. 22, before and during the traditional celebration dinner. The art gallery will open at 4:15 p.m. and the dinner will begin at 5 p.m. For more information, visit .

The exhibition will spotlight artists David R. MacDonald, Jaleel Campbell, Jessica McGhee ’19 and Vanessa Johnson. Curators for the exhibition include Qiana Williams and Cjala Surratt of the Black Artists’ Collective; Ken Harper, associate professor of visual communications and art curator in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; and Hendricks Chapel staff.

THE ARTISTS

, professor emeritus at ���ϲ�����, is an acclaimed and celebrated ceramic artist, who has lived in ���ϲ����� for many years. MacDonald joined the faculty of the School of Art and Design at ���ϲ����� in 1971. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, MacDonald’s work received most of its creative inspiration from his investigation of his African heritage. MacDonald draws much of his inspiration from the myriad examples of surface decoration that manifests itself in the many ethnic groups of sub-Saharan Africa. MacDonald’s work spans the complete spectrum of ceramic forms of a utilitarian nature.

Artwork by Jaleel Campbell

’s passion for creating knows no bounds. Whether it be through illustration work that showcases the often underrepresented, video work that captures the beauty and essence of Black life and culture, or handmade dolls that aim to honor and acknowledge African traditions, there is no limit to his creativity. “I create work that reminds Black people of their worth; even when the world becomes too heavy,” he says.

“Lexical Priming” by Jessica McGhee ’19

, originally from Los Angeles, California, moved to ���ϲ����� in 2008. She earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from ���ϲ����� in 2019 and is currently enrolled in the University’s creative arts therapy M.S. program. Her primary medium is painting, though she works in a variety of media. McGhee works therapeutically and believes strongly in art’s nonverbal ability to communicate, heal and transform the self in ways that impact the overall well-being of its creator. She is currently the arts programming coordinator and an instructor at the University’s La Casita Cultural Center.

“Hye Won Hye” by Vanessa Johnson

is a griot (storyteller) in the West African tradition. She is also a writer, playwright, actor, fiber artist, museum consultant, community activist, historian, educator and teaching artist. Johnson received the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Creatives Rebuild NY Grant for 2022-24. At Onondaga Historical Association, Johnson used her storytelling talents to tell the history of Onondaga County and she has been teaching in school programs since 2005. Presently, Johnsonteaches at ���ϲ�����’s Community Folk Art Center and is the artist-in-residence for the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation

“We are excited for this year’s participants to celebrate the richness of ���ϲ�����’s culture and beauty…and there’s no juicier way to do that than through art,“ says Harper, who has been on the MLK Event Planning Committee for the past three years. “We hope to expand the gallery next year to include collaborations with additional local artists, the Community Folk Art Center and the ���ϲ����� Art Museums.”

Tickets for the dinner and program, which will include student and community group performances, presentation of the Unsung Hero Awards and a keynote address from the Rev. Phil Turner,��.

This year’s theme is “Civil Rights and the City of ���ϲ�����.” Tickets for the dinner and program .

Reverend Phil Turner (Photo by Amelia Beamish)

This annual event is the largest of its kind on any college campus. The program seeks to honor the message and mission of Dr. King and is a direct expression of ���ϲ�����’s commitment to advancing academic excellence at a university welcoming to all.

“As we prepare for our first in-person MLK Celebration since 2020, our planning team is committed to highlighting the people and possibilities of our local community,” says the Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “I am honored to welcome Pastor Phil Turner as our featured speaker, as he embodies the spirit and soul of ���ϲ�����. Through his proven leadership and hopeful vision, Pastor Turner is the right person to bring us all together.”

Turner was elected as the 12th pastor of Bethany Baptist Church on Feb. 19, 2007. Following his formal installation in April of 2007, he helped expand congregational impact through membership growth, facility renovations, increased access to transportation services, and improved engagement with civic organizations and community organizers. Turner��led the development of a radio ministry, tutoring program and an annual festival that highlights African American heritage. Bethany Baptist Church also partners with the ���ϲ����� City School District, sponsors clothing giveaways, and hosts numerous local and regional events.

In addition to earning music recording contracts with Warner Bros. and 4th and Broadway, Turner��holds a bachelor of science in history and political science from Columbia College, a master of theological studies from��Northeastern Seminary and a certificate in church management from Villanova University.

“When Dr. King spoke, his words were so piercing because they came from truth, his inner light and compassion,” says Rev. Turner. “We must accept the challenge to make everyone’s lives better. Leaders need to have a healthy appetite for change. They can’t be afraid.”

Our 2023 program marks the 38th year for the MLK Celebration, which will include an address from Turner, student and community group performances, a presentation of this year’s , and recognition of the 2022 and 2021 Unsung Hero Awardees previously honored through online celebrations.

New this year is an art gallery featuring works from local Black artists, ��opening at 4:15 p.m. The traditional dinner—pulled BBQ pork, collard greens, sweet potato pie and more—will open at 5 p.m. Halal/Kosher, gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available. Dinner will be held near the JMA Dome’s west end zone, entry at Gate A. The main program with Rev. Turner and performers will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the east side. For program-only attendees, doors open at 6 p.m.

Ticket purchase options are as follows:

• ���ϲ����� staff, faculty, and the general public (dinner and program): $30
• Students (dinner and program): $15
• Main program only: FREE

Registration is required for all ticket purchase options.

All dinner tickets will be assigned a table number at the time of purchase, which will be included in the mobile tickets. Guests interested in sitting with friends are recommended to purchase tickets together to ensure the same table assignment.

Guests may order up to 10 dinner and program tickets online. To purchase one full table (10 seats), select 10 total tickets and proceed to checkout. To purchase more than one table or more than 10 individual tickets, or if experiencing difficulties, please call the JMA Dome Box Office at 1.888.DOME.TIX (315.443.2121), option four.

All dinner guests will be seated in the 100 level of the stands for the program following dinner. All guests attending the program only will be seated in the 200 level. Seating is general admission in those areas for the program.

Buy tickets online at��, in person at the Dome Box Office inside Gate B at 900 Irving Ave. (Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or by phone (888.DOME.TIX or 315.443.2121, option four). Tickets will be mobile this year and uploaded directly to your MyCuse account to manage upon purchase. View the for more information.

Free parking is available in the Irving Avenue Garage and in lots west of the JMA Dome. Visit the University’s ��for maps and directions. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) will be available for the event. Accessible seating is provided on the concourse level of the JMA Dome.

For more information about the MLK Celebration or to request accommodations, contact Hendricks Chapel at��chapel@syr.edu��or 315.443.2901. Learn more about this and other Hendricks Chapel events by visiting .

On Sunday, Dec. 4, performances will take place in Hendricks Chapel at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The recorded virtual concert will premiere on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. EST.

These performances are free and open to the public. for both the in-person and virtual concerts. Guests for the in-person concerts can select which section they will sit in for the performance.

An ongoing tradition hosted by and the in the , Holidays at Hendricks celebrates the sounds of the season and is anchored by the and its director , associate professor of applied music and performance and assistant director of choral activities in the Setnor School.

The student-centered concert features performances from:

• ���ϲ����� Symphony Orchestra, directed by James Tapia, associate professor of applied music and performance in the Setnor School;
• The international award-winning ���ϲ����� Singers, under the direction of John Warren, professor of applied music and performance and director of choral activities in the Setnor School;
• Crouse Chorale and Setnor Sonority, directed by Wendy Moy, assistant professor of music education in the Setnor School and the School of Education, and Peppie Calvar, respectively;
• Student organists and University organist Anne Laver on the Hendricks Chapel organ;
• ���ϲ�����’s big band, the Morton Schiff Jazz Ensemble, directed by John Coggiola, associate professor and chair of music education in the Setnor School and the School of Education; and
• The World Premiere of “Quem Vidistis Pastores” from Christmas Cantata, by Peppie Calvar.

Public parking is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis in Irving Garage and the Hillside lot. Those who require accessible parking or would like more information about the event may call Hendricks Chapel at 315.443.2901 or email��chapel@syr.edu.

Communication Access Realtime Translation and American Sign Language interpretation will be provided at in-person concerts. Captioning will be provided at the virtual concert. Doors to Hendricks Chapel will open 30 minutes prior to each concert start time.

For more information, visit��. Hendricks Chapel will also post regular updates about the event through its��,�������Ի������貹�����.

Hendricks Chapel is often referred to as the “heart” of ���ϲ�����. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Moving to a new town or city can be challenging and often the most daunting piece is finding a sense of community. For university students this can be even more of a challenge, especially when they’re trying to find a spiritual home.

Fortunately, ���ϲ����� has a thriving and diverse multi-faith community, thanks to the late Senator Francis Hendricks and many others. In the 1920s Senator Hendricks donated funds to build a chapel in honor of his wife, Eliza Jane Hendricks. He planned for Hendricks Chapel to be welcoming to all, and in 1930 it opened its doors as “a home for all faiths and place for all people.”

It’s curious to think about the definition of the word chapel and its counterpart, chaplain. Chapels are often found in places where a dedicated place of quietude or reflection is needed.

The Rev. Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel, and Buddhist Chaplain Jikyo Bonnie Shoultz share a moment together during a recent chapel retreat.

Unlike most churches, mosques, synagogues or temples, Hendricks Chapel is not tied to one particular religion. Chaplains often represent a religion, but any chaplain at ���ϲ����� is called upon as a trusted and confidential advisor available to all students. Our chaplains, including an imam, a rabbi, a priest and several pastors, work together under the umbrella of Hendricks Chapel. They share resources and talents to better serve our students.

The chapel hosts nine chaplaincies, 25 student-led religious and spiritual groups, and sponsors over 1,000 programs for more than 500,000 annual attendees. Hendricks Chapel employs student workers, supports musical ensembles, offers direct assistance through the and , and partners throughout the campus community to advance academic excellence at a university welcoming to all. To help students learn about resources, welcome letters from various chaplains have been sent via email, in addition to from Dean of Hendricks Chapel Brian Konkol.

While many students enter ���ϲ����� with a defined religious or spiritual identity, there are many others who perceive themselves as “spiritual but not religious” or perhaps identify with multiple traditions or none at all. Whatever the case, at Hendricks Chapel there is a place for all students regardless of identity or practice, and we invite all to find a sense of community, perhaps with one of the following tips and tricks.

1. First of all, Hendricks Chapel is a great place to hang out. Whether sitting in the main chapel for quiet reflection, grabbing a coffee at or studying in the Noble Room, you can easily get a sense of Hendricks Chapel’s vibe by spending time in the building.

Hendricks Chapel’s Noble Room is a great spot to find community or catch up with friends.

2. There is no obligation to join a group. You can attend one session to learn if you like it, and you are free to return (or not) without pressure. All gatherings are listed on .

3. Play the piano and charge your phone! The Noble Room on the chapel’s lower level has a piano that you can play (while being sensitive to others that may be studying!) and you may also charge your phone at one of the courtesy charging stations.

4. It’s better with friends.��If you’re nervous, recruit a fellow student to attend a gathering with you. If your friends are going to Taco Tuesday, tag along.

Students enjoyed a sweet treat at the New Student Ice Cream Social hosted by Hendricks during ���ϲ����� Welcome.

5. Attend an event! Hendricks hosts many events sponsored by chaplaincies or one of our religious and spiritual life groups, and many others that partner with academic departments, campus divisions or other registered student organizations.

6. is a weekly gathering filled with inspirational messages and wonderful music from the Hendricks Chapel choir, Setnor School of Music musicians and visiting groups.

7. Try new things! During Interfaith Exploration Week, held each spring, you can participate in over 40 programs such as Jumuah Prayer (Muslim), Mass (Catholic), Shabat Services (Jewish), Campus Church (Baptist), Meditation (Buddhist/Multifaith) and more!

8. Join a community service project. You can find upcoming opportunities on the .

9. Keep trying. Just like brussels sprouts, you may have your doubts after just one taste. So, allow yourself a little time to adjust.

10. Visit with the chaplains, Dean Konkol or any members of our team. Call the chapel at 315.443.2901 or email chapel@syr.edu and we are happy to help!

11. Work or volunteer at Hendricks! The chapel is always accepting volunteers to staff the food pantry or events. Hendricks also hires students as hospitality associates and People’s Place baristas throughout the school year.

12. Peruse the to learn more about our community, events and chaplaincies.

In this time of great discovery, now you know that there is always a welcoming community at Hendricks Chapel!

Zola and Hugh Fulmer married in Hendricks Chapel in 1952.

In 1947 as undergraduates, Hugh and Zola, whose families hailed from ���ϲ�����, spent most of their time on campus during the school year and then headed to their cottages in the Thousand Islands for the summer. Zola Jones was studying home economics while Hugh was working toward a degree in cultural anthropology.

While they were both in the Thousand Islands for the summer, Hugh noticed Zola, who was waitressing at a local hotel. He thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. However, in the style of the times, Hugh waited patiently until the following summer vacation to express his interest.

Hugh’s plan for a date had to be done just right in order to be respectful. He contacted Millie Lou, the waitressing supervisor, and asked if she could arrange a date with Zola Jones to a big upcoming dance on Wellesley Island. Millie Lou told him that she could try to make this very important connection.

But, on the night of the dance, Hugh discovered that Millie Lou had set him up with another girl. Zola had apparently already been spoken for and was attending the dance with someone else. Hugh saw Zola from across the room and remembered, “She was so close, yet so far away.”

Thankfully, Hugh, now 94 years old, persisted. Upon returning to ���ϲ����� the following semester, he climbed on the bus and immediately noticed Zola sitting next to an elderly woman. Hugh impatiently waited, hopeful, until the older woman got off the bus and he thoughtfully moved to the seat behind her. He cleverly asked, “Aren’t you one of the Jones girls?”

Zola, who often modeled for ���ϲ����� publications and local pharmacy ads, responded even more cleverly, “Aren’t you Hugh Fulmer?” It would seem this story would wrap up rather quickly after this obvious love-at-first-sight moment. However, it required an artful pursuit of Hugh making seven phone calls over a period of four months before Zola could find time for a first date with him.

On their first date, Zola wore a red dress. Hugh says, “She was a knockout. It just blew me away.” Their daughter, Kim, still has her mother’s first date dress. After that one occasion, they were “going steady” and eventually started planning their wedding.

Zola happened to be in home economics classes with Ann Noble, daughter of Hendricks Chapel’s Dean Charles Noble, who was also dating George Fulmer, Hugh’s older brother. As they planned their wedding, they realized they should be married in Hendricks Chapel. On July 12, 1952, their families and friends came together to celebrate Hugh and Zola as they exchanged vows at the spiritual heart of ���ϲ�����.

Zola and Hugh Fulmer

Zola went on to become a home economics teacher while Hugh finished his medical internship. Hugh came from a long line of ���ϲ����� Medical University graduates. His grandfather, Dr. George Price, graduated in 1888. His father, Herbert Clifford Fulmer, graduated as a general practitioner in 1917 and also served as editor of The Daily Orange. Hugh’s brother, Dr. George Price Fulmer, graduated from ���ϲ����� Medical University just before him. Hugh was disappointed when SUNY Upstate Medical University took over ���ϲ�����’s medical school, making him a graduate of SUNY Upstate, yet he continued with his career, building an impressive resumé in his decades of experience.

After graduating from medical school, Dr. Fulmer was drafted for the . He enrolled in the Air Force as a general medical officer and was further trained as a flight surgeon who cared for flying personnel families in Maine.

After the war, Hugh and Zola moved their children to Arizona to treat tuberculosis patients in the Navajo Nation through the .

They stayed in Arizona for a couple of years before Hugh returned to school, receiving a . Hugh’s dedication to public health and medicine, combined with his roots in cultural anthropology, led him and his family to Malaysia when he joined the U.S. Peace Corps.

Later, from 1960-68, Dr. Fulmer was a professor at the University of Kentucky’s new medical school, where he founded the first Department of Community Medicine in the country. Dr. Fulmer worked at the University of Massachusetts Medical School until 1983 and then concluded his last official medical position as executive director for the Center for Community Responsive Care in 2015.

Hugh and Zola, who are both 94 years old, currently live in their family cottage on Wellesley Island in the Thousand Islands. Their children and grandchildren visit frequently from across the United States.

“To learn about Hugh and Zola is an important reminder that our ���ϲ����� campus community is filled with remarkable people. Whether it is marriage, military service, public health or home economics, those who faithfully contribute to something larger than themselves truly do lead in service to our common good,” says Reverend Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “We are honored that Hugh and Zola chose Hendricks Chapel for their wedding, and grateful that they continue to shape the story of ���ϲ�����.”

For more information on Hendricks Chapel, including weddings, visit .

Stoney Douthitt

After serving for eight years as an active-duty chaplain in the U.S. Army, Chaplain Captain Stoney Douthitt G’22 came to ���ϲ����� during the summer of 2021. In the past year, he has been steadily working toward a dual master’s degree from the Whitman School of Management and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Hendricks Chapel was one of his first stops on campus, where he was warmly welcomed as a Baptist chaplain, working alongside Devon and Kate Bartholomew.

Douthitt never planned to join the military. Before going into the Army, he received a master’s degree in economics, taught in college classrooms for a while and then chose to become a minister. After attending The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, he spent time planting new churches, but he knew there was more to his path. While he was awaiting direction, his friend said, “Why don’t you join the Army as a chaplain?”

Initially, Douthitt wasn’t interested. He was pretty sure that he’d passed the age limit, but he checked into it, just in case. Stoney discovered that the age requirements had recently changed from 40 to 42. So, at age 41 and after losing 60 pounds to meet the weight requirement, Stoney went in for his physical test. “By the time I was done with that physical, I was convinced that that’s what God wanted me to do for the next season of my life,” he says.

Douthitt trained as a soldier, but never carried a weapon. He was paired with a religious affairs specialist, an enlisted soldier, who was there to protect him while in the field and assisted with chaplaincy items during downtime.

When new soldiers joined the squad, they would ask, “Hey, where’s the chapel?” and one of the troops would point to Douthitt and say, “He’s over there!” While he is an ordained Baptist minister, Army chaplains are called upon to serve all enlisted soldiers. The Army hires one chaplain for each battalion, so the chaplain could identify as Catholic, Buddhist, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish or Hindu. Therefore, he felt right at home in Hendricks Chapel, the spiritual heart of ���ϲ����� known as a home for all faiths and a place for all people.

As a protestant chaplain in the Army, Douthitt was authorized to perform a wide range of religious services, but his main role was to ensure that the soldiers could exercise their right to worship or to choose not to worship at all. When soldiers sought a worship service outside of Douthitt’s Protestant tradition, he ensured that the respective religious representative could visit the troops.

Douthitt speaks during a service at Hendricks Chapel.

Other times, the soldiers joined whatever service was offered without compromising their religious tenets. “It’s better to do it together than to not do anything at all,” Douthitt says. “Everybody in my unit knows that I’m Protestant, but that really doesn’t matter because I’m there, as we say, ‘To bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God.’”

There are approximately 3,000 Army chaplains, of all faiths, at any one time. After serving for eight years, some Army chaplains choose to become hospital chaplains, congregational preachers, counselors, professors—and sometimes defense comptrollers. Very few are chosen to become defense comptrollers. Each year, just one or two Army chaplains are sent to the (DCP), a cooperative endeavor between ���ϲ����� and the U.S. Department of Defense, to achieve dual degrees: a master of business administration (MBA) through the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and an executive master of public administration (E.M.P.A.) through the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

���ϲ����� is the only institution in the U.S. that offers this program. From his background in economics, Douthitt’s new role fits perfectly. “I’ll function as the liaison between Congress and our Army branches to make sure the chaplaincy money is spent correctly,” he says. “I’ll make sure that every dollar allocated from Congress will go straight to Army ministries.”

Douthitt enjoyed his time at ���ϲ�����, finding the Maxwell School to be very complementary to his pastoral work. “At Maxwell, I learned so much about communication styles and I became introspective about my own communication styles and motivations,” he says. His new knowledge of interest-based negotiation and arbitration, paired with the heart strengths of a chaplain, will serve his work in both the office and as a pastor.

“A lot of what I do is walk into a room with people at different ranks and different jobs, and they all have a stake in the game,” Douthitt says. “They each want to steer the meeting and I’m there to help everyone thrive; sometimes it feels like that’s not possible. Like if one person thrives, he believes the other person must fail, you know? I feel like I’m in the middle all the time. I have gained so many tools from the Maxwell School to help me thrive so that I can help others thrive too.”

Soon, Douthitt will graduate from ���ϲ����� and begin his new position in San Antonio, Texas, where his wife and family will join him from Kentucky. He’ll be missed by many students and the University’s other Baptist chaplains, like Devon Bartholomew, who says, “Stoney has been a true blessing to ���ϲ����� and the Baptist Chaplaincy. He has served in many ways, from preaching at Campus Church to cheering on our students and staff. Stoney is a true friend who fully understands what it means to walk alongside others and to be a blessing in midst of the highs and lows of life.”

If you’d like to keep in touch with Douthitt, you can reach him at joseph.s.douthitt.mil@army.mil. For more information about Hendricks Chapel’s chaplaincies and religious communities, visit .

This ancient traditional welcoming occurred whenever visitors appeared in Haudenosaunee villages. “Our ancestors sent singers to welcome visitors, then they spent the evening celebrating with song, dance and food to nourish them for their journeys,” says Schenandoah. “We gathered to show the Creator that we are grateful to be a part of all creation here on Mother Earth.”

The Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering is a new annual event held on campus to welcome all students, faculty and staff into Haudenosuanee territory. Schenandoah is a citizen of the Oneida Nation and a Wolf Clan Faithkeeper. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is comprised of the Six Nations: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and the Tuscarora.

“It’s important to acknowledge and recognize that there are indigenous peoples still here and that we are all standing in the capital of the Haudenosaunee territory,” says Schenandoah. “This land is sacred. We welcome visitors to be part of this sacred place. Part of our teaching is that no one can own the land, so it’s important to remember that ���ϲ����� is part of a much bigger picture.”

When she started as the University community’s first Honwadiyenawa’sek—One who helps them—Schenandoah shared cultural beliefs through the Full Moon Ceremony and . Schenandoah says she is excited to share more teachings of the Haudenosaunee, the ways of her ancestors and relatives, and the little known fact that . Through these teachings, Schenandoah hopes to offer awareness, acknowledgement and forgiveness.

At the gathering, speakers and dancers will set the stage for the new academic year. Hot scones and traditional strawberry drink will be offered. The hot scones are derived from traditional breads and the strawberry drink consists of strawberries, maple syrup and water. “This is significant because strawberries are the leaders of the plants and maples are the leaders of the trees. In this way we honor them,” says Schenandoah.

Schenandoah encourages students, faculty and staff to participate in the Haudenosaunee Welcome Gathering. “We are sharing our culture because the Earth is calling to us to pay attention, we require collective healing, and most importantly, we are inviting our community to live in gratitude,” she says.

For more information on this and other Hendricks Chapel events, visit .