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In 2025-2026, the Emory University Chaplaincy continued to nurture spirituality, ethics, community, and leadership across Emory. Through worship, meditation, educational and musical programs, holiday observances, retreats, service projects, pastoral care, interfaith programming, and community building -- from the local to the international levels -- the University Chaplaincy supported students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, and community partners over a full and meaningful year.
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The year was one of many transitions, and we were honored to provide stability, constancy, and care while also innovating and adding services in important new ways. We were delighted to welcome new and interim leaders across Emory and to help them get to know our many spiritual communities.
- We launched MindfulEmory as a significant new outreach to the many who identify as Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR) or who otherwise are seeing contemplative practices to nurture compassion, resilience, and grounding. This also built new bridges with partners such as the Emory Compassion Center, Emory Spiritual Health and the Centers for Wellbeing.
- We rekindled relationships with Religions and Health Programs at Emory (RHPE) and were asked to become its institutional home, providing a multireligious context for supporting and promoting academic and grant-funded cocurricular initiatives on religions and health.
- We more fully launched the Interfaith Speakers Series, an occasional series of programs lifting up scholars and practitioners working at the intersections of faiths and philosophies, to support the academic mission of the Candler School of Theology and many others interested in interfaith work on campus. Events included Younus Mirza on his book "The Islamic Mary," Michael McKay of Brigham Young University on "Interfaith Education," Rabbi Ellen Nemhauser of Interfaith Atlanta, alumnus Codi Norred of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, and Francis Clooney on his book "Hindu and Catholic, Priest and Scholar: A Love Story."
- We established new relationships with the Department of Religion and the Center for Ethics to help facilitate collaborative educational and programmatic initiatives.
- And we continued to lead on the board of Interfaith Atlanta, in our work with Interfaith America, and on the board of the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education (IACHE), and Emory was chosen to host the IACHE Global Conference of Chaplains in Higher Education in June 2030.
All of these initiatives and collaborations added to and enhanced our spiritual care work for students, faculty, and staff, and will open new opportunities for academic and community engagement.
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August 2025
We began the year with the fifth iteration of the WISE Interfaith Pre-Orientation Program, welcoming approximately 40 students for learning visits to Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Sikh communities across Atlanta, including Ebenezer Baptist Church, Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, and more.
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We also resumed our popular student worker program, welcoming a diverse group of student leaders who help run the Interfaith Center and our programs and outreach. We also hosted two Graduate Assistants from the Candler School of Theology and a Beloved Community Chaplaincy Intern.
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September 2025
In September, the Emory Interfaith Center hosted a Student Spiritual Life Leader Dinner, gathering more than 35 student leaders who serve as officers in over 20 undergraduate spiritual communities to meet with one another, build collaborations, and share their goals for the year ahead.
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We also resumed the Emory Inter-Religious Council (IRC) for its thirty-third year, with 26 student members representing 18 traditions and organizations. This year we had the highest attendance in the past seven years at the IRC, and we capped the fall semester with a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden for Garden Lights, Holiday Nights to celebrate.
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We opened a new and first Prayer and Meditation Room at Emory School of Law, in partnership with the Center for the Study of Law and Religion, helping to extend our efforts to make every Emory school accessible for spiritual practice.
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Highlights in Jewish Life included vibrant, well-attended campus gatherings for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, culminating in joyful community celebrations, meals, and classes held inside our large campus Sukkah outside of the Dobbs Common Table.
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October 2025
This year, the University Chaplaincy decided to host an Emory Diwali Puja and Dinner that was attended by over 250 students, faculty, and staff, and included prayers, learning, and sacred dance.
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During Homecoming and Family Weekend, we offered worship, prayer, meditation, tabling, meals, and receptions to welcome families and alumni. A significant highlight was celebrating the 40th Anniversary Reunion of the Voices of Inner Strength Gospel Choir, which brought together more than 100 alumni and friends for a time of sharing music, prayers, memories, and celebration.
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We also proudly supported the annual Emory Muscogee Teach-in, with our partners in Native American and Indigenous Studies, helping to continue our commitment to honoring and learning from Indigenous histories and communities.
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A highlight of November was the Voices of Inner Strength Gospel Choir's annual Fall Concert, offering an evening of music, worship, and community celebration. The concert continued VOIS’ long-standing role blessing Emory’s spiritual and cultural life, bringing students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends together for gospel music and solidarity.
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We also helped host the United Methodist Church University Senate decennial review committee, with representatives from Methodist Theological School of Ohio, Wofford College, and Wesley Theological Seminary, who visited to learn how Emory supports religious and spiritual life and interfaith engagement on campus as part of a successful UMC decennial accreditation process.
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December 2025
December was marked by holidays and celebrations across many of our spiritual communities.
We hosted our annual Bodhi Day Celebration, creating space for Buddhist students and community members and interfaith friends to gather in reflection and fellowship honoring the life and teachings of the Buddha and the shared values of nonviolence, compassion, and peace.
We also offered our first organized trip to the Jain Temple of Atlanta for a guided tour and lunch with Candler's postdoctoral fellow in Jain studies Dhruv Raj Nagar, expanding opportunities for Jain students to connect with this holy place and for others to learn. Our Hindu community closed the semester with their annual Saraswati Puja, expressing gratitude at the end of term, and blessing their books and laptops for the exam period. Muslim Life similarly ended the semester with a festive Jumu’ah and Ummah gathering in partnership with the Women’s Refugee Network, a new collaboration we developed over the year to support local refugees and immigrants.
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We hosted our annual campuswide Emory Chanukah Celebration in Kaldi's in the Emory Student Center, spreading light and sharing joy as we ended the semester, and our Christian communities gathered to celebrate Advent and Christmas in many ways, including the annual Lessons and Carols at Glenn Memorial Church and our Ecumenical Christmas Party at the Emory Interfaith Center.
To close the fall, we hosted Interfaith Atlanta's annual Winter Lights Celebration in Cannon Chapel, welcoming friends from across the city for a time of music, poetry, and storytelling, followed by a community-wide interfaith reception and a food drive to support the Eagle Food Pantry.
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January 2026
The University Chaplaincy began the new year and the spring semester with the annual Emory King Week, including MLK Sunday in Beloved Community Worship. More than 70 participants joined to hear Candler alumna Rev. Cassandra Henderson of the Interfaith Children's Movement preaching. As always, King Week invited the Emory community to begin the new year by recommitting to the work of human dignity, justice, and service in the enduring legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.
In keeping with this goal, the University Chaplaincy team held our spring retreat at Atlanta’s National Center for Civil and Human Rights, engaging its exhibitions as an opportunity for shared learning on the connections between faith and social change.
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Also in January, we brought an interfaith group of 16 students, chaplains, staff, and affiliates to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C. as part of their Interfaith Groups Program, to study the history of Antisemitism and to forge bonds to address many forms of bias today. Two weeks later, in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we hosted our annual IHRD lecture, inviting a Holocaust survivor to speak for the second time, and drawing more than 150 attendees.
As part of our Interfaith Speaker Series, we also hosted two Episcopal priests and chaplains for a lunch and learn on Military, Veterans, and Prison Chaplaincy. This gathering introduced students to the work of chaplaincy in different public and institutional settings, and we offered it on Thursday after Candler Chapel Worship to help make it accessible to Candler and the whole university.
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February 2026
In February, in honor of Black History Month, we hosted our annual Soul Food Gospel Fest, welcoming choral, dance, and spoken word performers from across campus and the state of Georgia and approximately 300 friends and guests for a joyful celebration of gospel music and community.
As part of our new MindfulEmory Initiative, we also hosted an inaugural faculty and staff retreat with more than 30 participants, creating space for meditation, yoga, a sound bath, and other contemplative practices to support Emory employees seeking rest and renewal.
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March 2026
In March, as part of a new series of Dharmic Life programs led by our Hindu Chaplain Pandit Rajeev Persaud, the University Chaplaincy hosted a panel on Dharma and Ecology, lifting up Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain theological, legal, and ethical perspectives to illuminate themes of spiritual awareness, ecological care, and right action.
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As always, the University Chaplaincy and our partners were delighted to offer 15 weeknight iftar dinners throughout the month of Ramadan, making space for prayer, delicious food, and meaningful fellowship during this sacred season. Hundreds of students were fed daily, and these festivities reaffirmed the Emory's deep commitment to our Muslim community. Catered breakfast suhur bags were also provided daily for students on meal plans throughout the month of Ramadan.
Our team also undertook an important advanced professional development session on grief counseling with educator Linda Dyson from Atlanta's Roman Catholic Cathedral of Christ the King.
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April 2026
In April, our first-ever South Asian Sacred Arts Showcase featured student performances of Indian vocal music and classical and folk dance, with participating groups including the Hindu Students Association, Emory Karma Bhangra, Suri, and Savera. This moment was intended to bring together many of the spiritual and artistic traditions of South Asia for a night of interfaith sharing and solidarity, and we look forward to doing it again next year.
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The Emory Eid Celebration was one of our largest events of the year, marking the culmination of the month of Ramadan, and it included prayers, remarks by the Muslim Chaplain, student leaders, and alumni, along with community activities, charitable giving, and a shared meal.
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As always, the University Chaplaincy supported Holy Week and Easter services (with Candler alumnus Dr. Brandon Harris from the Forum for Theological Education preaching on Easter Sunday), Passover Seders and daily Passover meals, and the Voices of Inner Strength Gospel Choir's Spring Concert.
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We also hosted the annual Buddha Day Celebration, which included reflections on the year, chanting, meditation, ritual, and a communal meal.
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One of our most enriching experiences of the spring was a learning visit with our 35 Religious Life Affiliates (RLA), who support various spiritual communities on campus, to the Oxford College Farm. The Oxford Farm grows food served in Emory's dining halls and is used as a learning lab by faculty and students, making it one of Emory's many important sustainability initiatives. Our RLA professional development sessions over the year also welcomed colleagues Keiko Price Carter, Soren Hessler, Ellen Idler, Molly McGehee, Devin Stewart, Jonathan Strom, and Miriam Udel.
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As part of our service initiatives, we also supported an interfaith campus clothing swap, which was organized by members of the Emory Buddhist Club, Hillel at Emory, and others, promoting sustainability and service by redistributing used clothing on campus and donating the remaining items to local nonprofits and Emory Healthcare.
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We also offered a first MindfulEmory Student Retreat, including compassion meditation, yoga, a bonsai workshop, journaling, and a mindful lunch. The retreat offered students space to slow down, reflect, and cultivate practices for wellbeing, mindfulness, and resilience amid the demands of university life on the eve of finals.
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We hosted a U.S. State Department International Visitor Leadership Program delegation with participants from Algeria, Iraq, and Morocco to learn about our interfaith work at Emory. The visit focused on how to promote peaceful coexistence, and included joining in Friday prayers and lunch.
The University Chaplaincy also applied for and received a $10,000 Faith and Health Pipeline Grant from Interfaith America, the second such grant we have received, which will support a program of student interns to work with faith leaders and communities on public health education and access.
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May 2026
As we concluded the year, our Baccalaureate Celebration honored graduating student leaders in spiritual, religious, and interfaith life. We gave 26 Dean's Spiritual Life Leadership Awards, honoring the service and contributions of students toward spiritual and interfaith life and sending them forth with blessings, including reflections by Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Professor Pearl Dowe.
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We also led our Journey of Reconciliation to Vietnam, a two-week interfaith travel-learning experience with 12 Emory students and 4 faculty, staff, and alumni to explore peacemaking and reconciliation and mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Students visited Buddhist monasteries, a Catholic cathedral, a mosque, an ancient Hindu sanctuary complex, the War Remnants Museum, the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, and many other sites, engaging faith and nonprofit leaders, alumni, and local communities while reflecting on religion’s potential for healing, bridge-building, and peacemaking.
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University Chaplaincy Team Milestones
This year brought significant academic, professional, and institutional milestones for members of our team.
Our Chief of Staff Dr. Zachary Cole earned his Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Georgia, marking the completion of an important academic achievement alongside his leadership of the office’s operations and strategic initiatives.
The Rev. Maddie Herlong, Emory's Christian Chaplain, received the Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe Keeping the Faith Award at the annual Emory Pride Awards, recognizing meaningful work to foster solidarity between LGBTQ+ and spiritual communities and create welcoming spaces of faith.
Muslim Chaplain Dr. Rahimjon Abdugafurov deepened our academic contributions and partnerships across the university, teaching courses in both Candler School of Theology and the School of Law.
Jewish Chaplain Rabbi Jordan Braunig and Buddhist Chaplain Venerable Priya Rakkhit Sraman both continued their doctoral studies at Candler School of Theology, further integrating advanced theological scholarship with their work in spiritual life and chaplaincy. And our Music Director Mr. Maury Allums continued in Candler's Master of Arts in Religion and Leadership program as well.
The Rev. Dr. Gregory W. McGonigle, Emory's Dean of Religious Life and University Chaplain, presented invited lectures at six universities and conferences during the year, and also had three scholarly articles accepted for publication. He was inducted into the Morehouse College Collegium of Scholars, recognizing his contributions to scholarship, chaplaincy, and inter-religious leadership.
The University Chaplaincy team also received the Emory Office of Sustainability's highest-scoring Green Office Award, recognizing the team’s commitment to incorporating environmentally sustainable practices into its operations, programs, and efficient use of university resources.
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Throughout the Year
Throughout the year the University Chaplaincy continued to offer regular worship, education, pastoral care, and community gatherings across campus every week, including:
- Christian worship, fellowship, and Bible study across 18 Christian student organizations
- Muslim Jumu’ah Prayers, ummah lunches, weekly halaqas, and other programs
- Hindu Arti and Hinduism Roundtable
- Buddhist meditation and Mindfulness Circle and semesterly retreats
- Jewish Shabbat, weekly Torah study, and holiday observances
- Daily chaplain pastoral care office hours in our Alumni Memorial University Center suite
- Inter-Religious Council meetings
- Flourishing Fellows trainings and outreach
- International Community Friday Lunches
- Anatomy Lab Chaplaincy Program offerings
- Our weekly e-newsletter and social media presence
- Support for students, faculty, and staff with religious accommodations
- And advising for more 40 undergraduate and graduate religious, spiritual, and philosophical communities.
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Thank You
We are grateful to the students, faculty, staff, alumni, families, friends, and donors who have helped make this year possible through your prayers, participation, and gifts.
Thank you for joining us in supporting spiritual life, interfaith engagement, student and employee flourishing, and the building of communities of meaning and purpose across Emory and beyond.
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Looking Ahead
Please save the date for these exciting upcoming events this fall:
- WISE Pre-Orientation Program: Monday-Friday, August 17-21
- Emory University Fall Convocation: Saturday, August 22, 3 p.m.
- Spiritual Life Resource Fair: Tuesday, August 25, 12-2 p.m., ESC Promenade
- Interfaith Speaker Series: Lobsang Negi, Engaged Compassion: Thursday, September 3, Noon, Brooks Commons
- Interfaith Speaker Series: Rima Vesely-Flad, The Fire Inside: Thursday, November 19, TBD
- Homecoming Beloved Community Sunday Worship with Alumnus Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, President of Sojourners: Sunday, October 25, 11 a.m, Cannon Chapel
- Interfaith Atlanta Winter Lights: Saturday, December 12, 4 p.m., Cannon Chapel
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