The article from the national nonprofit highlights the work of the Spirit and Pride student interns who work with staff advisors to create programs and resources to affirm and support the spiritual lives (both religious and nonreligious) of LGBTQIA+ students. Last year, this included Instagram campaigns to educate about religious trauma and Queer spiritual leaders, the “” student podcast and hosting Blair Imani as the keynote at 黑料不打烊’s .

This fall, the “Queer and Divine” returns with more stories exploring the intersections of spirituality, sexuality and gender, and 黑料不打烊 will launch the Spirit and Pride speaker series with Transqueer activist and theologian Robyn Henderson Espinoza on Nov. 10.

Current Spirit and Pride student interns include Hayley Loftus ’23, Lily Kays ’23, Virginia Beall ’23 and Maria Guadarrama Hernandez ’24.

Spirit and Pride is advised by Director of the GLC Luis Garay, Associate University Chaplain Joel Harter and LEAF Campus Minister and Spirit and Pride Coordinator Julie Tonnesen. Spirit and Pride聽is supported by a grant from the聽E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.

The goal of the project is to use an asset-based approach to work with local organizations to address vaccine hesitancy, to amplify community outreach related to vaccine access, and to support existing vaccination sites. This includes connecting vaccine outreach efforts to the faith and values of local religious and spiritual communities.

The grant includes funding for a cohort of summer student interns, interested in working at the intersection of faith, civic life, and public health. These summer ambassadors will receive training hosted by IFYC, and they will work during the summer, remotely and in person, to support local partners in Alamance County.

This project is part of a larger IFYC effort to mobilize and curate multifaith resources on , and 黑料不打烊 is one of 50 colleges and universities participating in the program.

Sandy Gentei Stewart has joined the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life as a community affiliate supporting Buddhist Life. Steward is serving in a new role as Zen mentor advising and supporting Iron Tree Blooming, a student-led meditation club on campus founded in the Renzai Zen tradition.

Stewart has a long history with Iron Tree Blooming and 黑料不打烊. He has often led Zen mini-retreats on campus and for many years co-taught the winter term course “Zen Practice and Theory” with Anthony Weston, professor emeritus of philosophy. Sandy will work with longtime faculty advisor Barbara Gordon to provide opportunities for students and others to learn about Zen.

Stewart studied Zen and was ordained teacher (Osho) under Joshu Sasaki Roshi.聽In 1975, Stewart was appointed abbot of the Jemez Bodhi Mandala (now Bodhi Manda) in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, and he served as the abbot and teacher for the North Carolina Zen Center from 1978 to 2015.

We are horrified by the terrorist attacks against Muslims in New Zealand. Our hearts are broken and we are shaken, even more so that this massacre took place during Jum’ah (Friday prayers).

This year’s Interfaith House includes students who identify as Christian, Jewish, Zen Buddhist, Tibetan Buddhist, Yogi and secular. Already the group has learned that Zen Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism are very different traditions and practices. The students all share an interest in mindfulness, but they’re also discovering how distinct their individual mindful and spiritual practices are.  That’s the goal of authentic interfaith exploration — learning to appreciate both the differences and similarities. 

The Interfaith House started this fall with a weekend retreat on Sept. 8-10 that included sharing Shabbat dinner with students from Hillel, practicing yoga together at the Clearwater Retreat in Chapel Hill and learning about Tibetan Buddhism at the Kadampa Center in Raleigh, which included mediation and dharma or teaching. The retreat also included sharing and group bonding on the 黑料不打烊 Challenge Course. 

You can learn more about the  (formerly known as Better Together) through Residence Life. Rising juniors and seniors can apply in early February to live in the community next year. 

Tired of this election and upset with both major candidates? Our discussion will focus on larger issues, values, and policies and not on parties and personalities.  We’ll talk about what we can do when we’re upset with all candidates and how we can be part of positive social change.

Panelists include:  Fr. Peter Tremblay (associate chaplain for Catholic life), Imam Shane Atkinson (Muslim life coordinator), Carrie Seigler (multi-faith coordinator and ethical humanist), Amy Belfer ’19 (Hillel and EV!), Shannon Brits ’18 (InterVarsity), Lana Logan ’19 (Gospel Choir).  The moderator is Mark Dalhouse (director of Study USA and assistant professor).    

There will be a free taco bar at 5:15 p.m., and the discussion will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, in the McBride Gathering Space of the Numen Lumen Pavilion. Sponsored by the Truitt Center, Catholic Campus Ministry, Hillel, Muslim Life, and Protestant Life.

This worship is sponsored by the University Chaplain and will include student leadership and affiliated campus ministers. Coffee and light refreshments will be available at 10:30 a.m. and following the service. All are welcome to attend.

The Rinzai Zen service will include chanting, sitting meditation, walking meditation and dharma talk. Osho Stewart will lead the services with assistance from Barbara Gordon, Associate Professor of English and faculty advisor for Iron Tree Blooming meditation club.

The first service is Sunday, Sept. 11, and continues on Oct. 9, November 13, and Dec. 11. Each service is from 10-11:30 a.m. and will be followed by an informal tea gathering.

Osho Stewart received his training in the Rinzai Zen lineage of Joshu Sasaki, founder of Rinzai Ji in Los Angeles. Sandy Stewart was ordained as an osho in 1972 and served as abbot of Bodhi Manda Zen Center in Jemez Springs, N.M. He moved to North Carolina in 1977, serving as abbot of the North Carolina Zen Center in Pittsboro until 2014.

The new services are open to the public. Students, faculty, staff and members of the local community are all welcome.

Drop in for part of the Coffee House or stay for the whole thing.  All are welcome. The line-up consists mostly of student performers, including Lea McNamara, Chelsey Cohen, Amy Belfer and Emily DeMaioNewton, as well as Rabbi Meir and Laura Goldstein and Red Nucleus. 

The Coffee House is in McBride Gathering Space in the Numen Lumen Pavilion on Thursday, Sept. 8, from 7-8:45 p.m. Learn more about Religious and Spiritual Life at 黑料不打烊 on our  and find us on . We also invite you to fill out the  to connect with any of our groups.

Join us on Tuesday, April 19, at 5:30 p.m. in the McBride Gathering Space (Numen Lumen Pavilion) for a dinner conversation with Darden on the subject of “Gospel Music and Black Lives Matter.” All are welcome. Please RSVP at truittcenter@elon.edu or 336-278-7729.

On Monday, April 18, Darden is also giving this year’s Phi Beta Kappa Lecture on .