Contact Information
Location: Campus Center, 3rd Floor
Phone: (814) 332-2800
Email: srl@allegheny.edu
Website
Services
The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life (SRL) provides a number of resources to support students of any religion, secular, or spiritual identity, and works with other campus groups and offices to explore larger questions of meaning and life goals. While we hope to return to more normal operations in the 2021-22 academic year, some programs, services, and spaces may be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please visit our website or contact our office with questions that you or your advisees have about specific programs or services.
Resources for Religious Students
Religious clubs and services are offered on campus for many religions (see list below), and the SRL office can help connect students with religious communities in the area. The Prayer and Meditation (PAM) Retreat (red house next to Arter) offers dedicated rooms for Muslim prayer, Hindu prayer, and meditation. Students who want access should contact the SRL Office for the access code. Quiet hours in Ford Chapel provide space for any student to pray, meditate, or reflect.
In addition to supporting specific religious groups, SRL hosts programs and events for students to interact with those of other religions and to learn about religious differences. Similarly, religious groups may hold private rituals for their members, and a second, more public celebration that is open to anyone on campus as a way to both share their traditions and help educate the campus community. Examples of such public rituals are Hillel’s campus-wide Passover Seder and ICA celebrations of Eid. The annual SRL Week offers coordinated programming to the campus community around a specific theme.
Intersectionality
Many students go through religious transitions while they are in college, which may include questions about sexuality, race and ethnicity, and other identities as they relate to religious beliefs. As part of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, SRL offers space safe for them to raise any questions about such intersections. If students feel more comfortable talking with their academic advisors, SRL can be a resource for that conversation.
Religious Holidays
A calendar of religious holidays is posted on the SRL website, with guidelines for faculty, athletics, and programming units on how to facilitate and support students’ religious observance. Please note that the Islamic month of Ramadan now falls during the academic calendar (it moves forward about 11 days each year). During this time, Muslims fast from food and drink from sunup to sundown, so fasting students may need accommodations in order to perform their best on assignments, especially in classes that meet late in the day. Please contact the SRL Office if you have advisees who need assistance or have questions about what support is available..
All Students
Students who are not active in a religious tradition still seek places to connect and to talk about questions of meaning, purpose, and vocation. The SRL office is available for non-religious students, or those who consider themselves “spiritual but not religious,” and it offers programs about the spiritual aspect of nature, music, and other experiences. SRL welcomes nonreligious students who need someone to talk to and will refer students to the Counseling Center if it seems appropriate.
Mindfulness
As a part of campus wellness programs, SRL helps to provide opportunities for meditation, yoga, and other practices that can help students improve focus and balance in their busy schedules.
Vocation
The SRL office works with Career Education to help students explore the idea of being called to a specific type of work. SRL offers resources for students considering religious vocation, as well as more general resources on calling, all of which are accessible through the College Library system. Allegheny is an institutional member of NetVUE (Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education), so faculty and staff have access to online materials, workshops, conferences, and grants to help identify and nurture students’ sense of call, including resources to assist faculty advisors.
On Campus Religious Services
Visit the SRL website for any changes to this schedule
- Sun, 6:30 pm Roman Catholic Mass, Ford Chapel
- Fri, 1:00 pm, Jum’ah prayers for Muslim community, Prayer and Meditation (PAM) Retreat
- Fri, 5 pm Shabbat Service and/or Dinner, Jewish Community Center or Hillel House
Religious Clubs
Visit the SRL website for meeting times and places.
- Allegheny Christian Outreach (ACO)
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
- Hillel (Jewish)
- Islamic Cultural Association (ICA)
- Newman Catholic Campus Ministry
- Sojourners Christian Fellowship
While not defined as a religious club, South Asian Student Society (SASS) celebrates the Hindu holidays and provides support for Hindu students.
For assistance or additional information feel free to contact us:
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