City of Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens ’85 will serve as the featured speaker for the 41st Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in the JMA Wireless Dome at Syracuse University. This year’s theme is “The Dream Lives Here.”
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Buy Your Tickets for The Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration!
The wait is over! Tickets are now on sale for the Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration! Please read the info below, especially if you are buying a table, or two!
Continue ReadingRebecca Reed Kantrowitz Named Interim Dean of Hendricks Chapel
Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz has been officially appointed as the interim dean of Hendricks Chapel! Hendricks staff and chaplains have appreciated Rebecca’s support and gentle guidance for years and now we can officially call her Dean Kantrowitz! Please join me in congratulating Rebecca on this appointment and supporting her as she assumes these interim responsibilities. A search for a permanent Dean will begin during the spring semester.
More about Dean Kantrowitz:
Kantrowitz brings four decades of student life experience and a deep commitment to Syracuse University to this role. She first joined the University in the 1980s as a residence hall director. She went on to hold positions at the University of California, Berkeley and Hamilton College before returning to Syracuse in 2002 as director of residence life.
Following 10 years in senior leadership in the Division of the Student Experience, Kantrowitz was appointed associate dean of Hendricks Chapel in 2018. There she has skillfully supported our chaplaincies, religious and spiritual life groups, and the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders, while overseeing critical initiatives including the Student Opportunity Fund and University food pantries.
Her leadership extends across campus through her service on the University Senate and into our broader community as a board member of InterFaith Works of Central New York. This combination of institutional knowledge, interfaith expertise and commitment to student well-being positions her to successfully guide Hendricks Chapel during this time of transition.
Valparaiso University Announces Rev. Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D., as 20th President
Vice President and dean of Hendricks Chapel, Rev. Brian E. Konkol, has been appointed as the new president at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Konkol has served as the dean of Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel since 2017 and will begin his new role at Valparaiso on Jan. 1, 2026. Congratulations to Dean Konkol and may he have many blessings in his new role!
Sacred Space, Stronger Community: Catholic Center Renovations Inspire Students
A transformational gift from Life Trustee and alumnus Daniel D’Aniello ’68, H’20 and his wife, Gayle, supported the construction of a new chapel and renovations.
Brendan Worobel ’26 and his twin sister Nicole ’26, seniors from Holmdel, New Jersey, found a home at the University’s Catholic Center. There, they found a welcoming community that helped them settle into life at Syracuse.
Brendan began attending Mass during his first year. Through the years, more of his friends, including his brothers from Theta Chi fraternity, have joined him for Mass and activities each week.
Call for Unsung Hero Nominations for the Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
By Dara Harper
Syracuse University is seeking nominations for the Unsung Hero Awards, which will be presented at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in the JMA Wireless Dome on January 25, 2026.
Continue ReadingA Full-Circle Moment: David Aitken ’94, G’97 Named Inaugural Chair of Hendricks Chapel Advisory Board
By Dara Harper
When David Aitken ’94, G’97 first arrived at Syracuse University over 35 years ago, he couldn’t have imagined that Hendricks Chapel would shape his life.
Now, as the inaugural chair of the Hendricks Chapel Advisory Board, Aitken brings decades of engagement with the chapel as a student employee, building coordinator, parent, board member, and devoted alumnus to a role that will help shape its future as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2030.
Continue ReadingSyracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel Receives Additional $500,000 to Expand Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Ministry
By Dara Harper
Hendricks Chapel of Syracuse University has received an additional $500,000 from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to support the Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Ministry (FELM), which offers a dynamic and distinctive setting to form area leaders who are empowered to thrive within challenging times. This new funding builds upon the initial $1 million grant awarded in 2019 and will allow the program to help leaders thrive and enhance the communities they serve.
Hendricks Chapel, the spiritual heart of Syracuse University, is the student-centered global home for religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical life. Established in 1930 as a home for all faiths and place for all people, the chapel hosts 15 chaplains, more than 25 religious and spiritual groups, and sponsors over 2,000 programs for more than one million annual attendees. As a central contributor to life and learning at Syracuse University, Hendricks Chapel helps to prepare engaged citizens, scholars, and leaders for participation in a changing global society.
Continue ReadingThe People’s (Place) Choice Awards: Vegan Pastries Ranked from Better to Best
By Georgia Hudson ’28
As a long-time vegan and brand-new Communications Associate at Hendricks Chapel, I was super excited to rank the People’s Place vegan pastries. Even though I love some more than others, they’re all amazing and great options! People’s Place receives their vegan pastry shipments from Fatcat Bakery on Tuesdays and Thursdays around 9:00 a.m. They usually sell out within the day, so make sure to head over quickly, especially for those seasonal pastries! Read the rankings below (#1 is my all-time fave) along with a drink pairing. Below the rankings, you’ll find more info about People’s Place and Fatcat Bakery.
10. Lemon Basil Scone
You can’t go wrong with any of the scones. In my opinion, this one is a little bit more geared toward an adventurous palate, like People’s Place barista Grace Stecher, who loves it! The basil is just a little too culinarily sophisticated for me in a sweet pastry, but it’s balanced out nicely with the lemon icing. This is Fatcat’s most popular flavor, though, so maybe I need to try it again!
Pairs best with: Earl Grey Tea
Continue ReadingFaith as a Bridge: Hendricks Chapel attends Interfaith America Leadership Summit
By Dara Harper
A dedicated group of chaplains, students and staff from Hendricks Chapel attended the Interfaith America Leadership Summit in Chicago from Aug. 8-10, 2025. The multifaith cohort from Syracuse University joined more than 700 participants to bridge divides and forge friendships across lines of religious and spiritual differences. Through the theme of “The Chords of Democracy,” the summit was the largest gathering of interfaith leaders in the world for 2025.
Interfaith America, which was founded as Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) in 2002, is “based on the idea that religious difference should serve as a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division.” Through a research-backed approach, Interfaith America works on college campuses, in the corporate field, and across civic spaces. The founder and president of Interfaith America, Eboo Patel, visited Syracuse University in February of 2025, where he met with campus leaders and participated in a public conversation in Hendricks Chapel with Dean Brian Konkol.
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