News

Historic Gift Launches $3M Challenge Campaign for Hendricks Chapel

Monday, March 25, 2024, By Dara Harper

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 Syracuse University.

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.

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The Power of Faith: Fostering Community for Muslim Students With Imam Amir Durić (Podcast)

Tuesday, March 12, 2024, By John Boccacino

Check out the latest ‘Cuse Conversations featuring our imam, Amir Durić.

“With the holy month of Ramadan underway, Durić stopped by to share his thoughts on the role an Imam plays on campus, describe the core tenets of Islam and address the biggest misconceptions surrounding the religion. He also discusses his groundbreaking research on the Muslim student experiences on college campuses across the country and explains how an interfaith collaboration with Rabbi Ethan Bair brought together Muslim and Jewish students to learn more about each other’s beliefs and values.”

Seven Reasons to Attend Interfaith Exploration Week 

Hendricks Chapel of Syracuse University is celebrating religious and spiritual diversity and inclusion through Interfaith Exploration Week from Feb. 5-11, 2024. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in a series of gatherings that provide an opportunityto 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 conclude with a special Interfaith Dinner and Conversation with the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders on Sunday, February 11 from 5:00-6:00 P.M. For the full schedule and details, visit our website.   

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Hendricks Chapel Welcomes New Assistant Dean

As Hendricks Chapel continues to lead in service to our common good through religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical life, we are delighted to welcome our new Assistant Dean for Student Assistance at Hendricks Chapel, Alison C.J. Murray ’01.  

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Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders (SAIL): Building Empathy and Shared Purpose at Syracuse University

By Dara Harper

 

Twice per month, a group of students gather in Hendricks Chapel for dinner and meaningful interfaith conversation. From Muslim to Christian, Hindu to Jewish, and many others in-between, these students gather to learn and listen. The Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders’ mission includes “deepening our understanding of each other’s faiths, as this knowledge is the foundation for building bridges of unity, empathy and shared purpose.” The group chooses a variety of discussion topics to cover throughout the semester including themes like lunar & solar calendars, holidays, symbolism, food, sacred texts, religious tools & altars, myths, core values and more.

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Hendricks Chapel Welcomes New Chaplains

Hendricks Chapel is excited to welcome three new chaplains for the 2023-24 academic year.

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 chapel.syracuse.edu.

About the New Chaplains

Daren Jaime studio portrait

Daren Jaime

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

Pastor Daren C. Jaime moved to Syracuse 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 Syracuse 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.

Outdoor portrait of Rev. William Payne

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 Syracuse 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 studio portrait

Dave Schubert

Reverend Doshin David Schubert, Buddhist Chaplaincy, Zen Center of Syracuse

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 Syracuse. Schubert was born in Syracuse 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.

Hendricks Chapel Welcomes New Chaplains

 

 

Hendricks Chapel Dean, Chaplains and Students Attend Parliament of the World’s Religions

Representatives from Hendricks Chapel recently attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions, held in August in Chicago. This year’s theme was “A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom and Human Rights.” More than 7,000 participants from more than 95 countries, representing more than 210 faith traditions, attended.

The Hendricks Chapel delegates included Dean Brian Konkol; Buddhist Chaplain JoAnn Cooke; Muslim Chaplain Amir Duric; Baptist Chaplain Devon Bartholomew; Hindu Chaplain Sanjay Mathur and students Elan Fullmer ’24, Olivia Matz, Joseph Patrick Zoll G’23 and Mian Muhammad Abdul Hamid ’25, who serves as convenor of the Hendricks Chapel Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders.

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