Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life Marks One Year of Building Community across Beliefs

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One year since opening its doors, the George Washington University's Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life(CISL) continues to establish itself as a hub for dialogue, reflection and belonging-and is now doing so in its new space designed to bring people together across traditions, beliefs and practices.

Launchedprior to the 2024-2025 academic year to advance the university's plan to strengthen community through a renewed focus on interfaith programming, CISL spent much of its first year building its infrastructure, thanks in large part to full support from the university. Now with established pieces such as a multifaith-based chaplaincy that includes a Council of Chaplains and Chaplain-in-Residence program, a Student Advisory Board and interfaith programming, the center is operating from a place of growth as it aims to serve a diverse spiritual community at GW.

The center will soon be spearheading one of its biggest programs of the year, Interfaith Week,starting Sunday and running through Saturday, Nov. 8. Hosted by CISL along with staff, faculty and student organizations from across the community, this year's robust schedule explores the theme "The ties that connect us: Woven from many strands, stronger together."

"We have to practice coming together as these distinct communities working together so that we know how to do that in the world. It takes practice," said University Chaplain Kristen Glass Perez. "The establishment of the Council of Chaplains, the Chaplains-in-Residence who are living on campus, the Student Advisory Board and then being part of the regular life at the university have all been very good."

Programming over the past year has included the weekly Chaplains' Corner, Spiritual Bites and Interfaith Insightsand the reintroduction of the Interfaith Baccalaureateat Commencement, held last May for the first time since 2019. The center has also established a partnership with the Textile Museum and hosts programming on the Mount Vernon Campus, where CISL has also established a prayer and meditation space. In addition, GW Dining has partnered with the center on incorporating various dietary traditions and celebrations into its food halls.

The Council of Chaplains and Chaplains-in-Residence partnerships sprung from existing and newly created relationships throughout the capital region.

These elements have provided members of the GW community-CISL is open to students, faculty and staff-with resources and a place of belonging to practice their own beliefs and gain perspective and understanding of others.

"Coming to GW, I didn't really have a space to express my spiritual views," said junior psychological and brain sciences and marketing double major and CISL Student Advisory Board member Garima Khatiwada. "CISL has been a really good space for me to express my own values, learn about myself and learn about other people at the same time."

In September, CISL moved from the lower level of the University Student Center-where the old GW Campus Store was-to the second floor of USC, where it is connected with the Division for Student Affairs' central offices. The prominent new location has allowed for some of these initiatives to take place, including space for prayer and meditation rooms.

The openness of it also enables more drop-ins, community building and interfaith gatherings. Students have also utilized the new space, which includes a large conference center, a prayer and meditation space, and a lounge out front, to engage in informal but meaningful dialogue.

"The whole point of being at GW is to create spaces where we can have dialogue," said sophomore international affairs major Ranyeli Rodriguez, who is also on the CISL Student Advisory Board. "A lot of our meetings consist of: how do we show up and have difficult conversations? How do we mediate them? Having those foundational skills is super important."

There will be ample opportunity to build those during Interfaith Week, where more than 40 programs from 35 different community proposals will be offered. The Interfaith Dinneron Thursday is a marquee event, with other highlights of the week including a Blessing of the Animals, Mediate with a Monk, Rel-X-Talksand a Sound Bath.

Glass Perez remains grateful for the university's effort and commitment to the center's focus. Because of that structural support, she feels that the center is set up well structurally and positioned to perform its mission to deepen relationships, increase understandings and build up the full person at GW. CISL's work, she feels, is just getting started.

"It just feels like we're in a place now where this work is authentic," she said. "Here, it feels like a truly robust engagement across all levels of the university, with room to keep growing."