Spirituality and Religious Life
A place where you belong!
Spirituality and Religious Life at RIT cultivates engaged and vibrant religious, secular, and spiritual communities that explore deep questions of purpose, meaning, and value.
We work directly with faith-based organizations and collaborate with student-led clubs that support the spiritual and religious community at RIT. No matter what your spiritual, religious, or secular identity may be, all of our chaplains and program staff can provide you with support and guidance.
Our vision is for every member of our campus to experience the welcoming, caring, and fun atmosphere of a supportive community that enables them to grow into their best selves and put their values to work in the world.
Faith Communities
Please contact Spirituality and Religious Life for more information on additional off-campus faith communities and resources.
Student Clubs and Organizations
Spirituality and Religious Life is committed to providing diverse communities for students to explore deep questions of purpose, meaning, and value by serving as a resource and guide to a wide variety of spiritual, religious, and secular student-sponsored clubs, in addition to the partner organizations above.
Observances and Accommodations
Spiritual holidays and observances are important events for valuable members of the RIT community. Students may request accommodations to observe these holidays. RIT policy D04.0 Attendance states: "Absences, for whatever reason, do not relieve students of their responsibility for fulfilling normal requirements in any course. In particular, it is the student's responsibility to make individual arrangements in advance of missing class due to personal obligations such as religious holidays...in order that he or she may meet his or her obligations without penalty for missing class."
*Please note that some of the observances below dictate that no work be completed on a particular date or set of dates. Regarding assignments, papers, quizzes, and exams, please make every effort to work with students to accommodate these observant requests within reason.
Additionally, employees of the university are also able to request accommodations in writing, alluding to the following statement within the Employee Attendance Religious Accommodation Policy: “RIT respects the religious beliefs and/or practices of all employees and will make reasonable accommodations where such beliefs or practices conflict with an employee’s job requirements in order to eliminate that conflict.”
The list of observances below is not meant to be exhaustive. There are many others based upon the myriad of spiritual and/or religious traditions throughout the world. For descriptions of many of these observances, please visit Harvard Divinity School's Multifaith Calendar. To learn more about many of these traditions, please visit The Pluralism Project from Harvard University.
Team
Chaplains
Chaplains are trained to listen, care, and have deep conversations about difficult topics in places where people are often stressed or distressed. Some of these may include the meaning of life, our purpose in the world, personal values and relationships, ethical dilemmas, and many other common human problems, regardless of whether you think of these things spiritually, religiously, or secularly.
Imam Abdur Rauf Bawany, MD
Muslim Student Life Chaplain
rxbcpm@rit.edu
585-281-7941
SMT-2406
*Confidential Resource
Associate Director, Spirituality and Religious Life, and University Chaplain
ancccl@rit.edu
585-475-2137
SMT-1402
*Confidential Resource
#Schedule a Time to Meet In Person or Virtually
Rabbi Yossef Cohen
Chabad at RIT Co-Director
ycccl@rit.edu
347-546-3860
SMT-2410
*Confidential Resource
Rev. Brian C. Cool, Ed.D.
Catholic Newman Community at RIT Director
bcool@admin.rochester.edu
585-275-8523
SMT-1412
*Confidential Resource
Nichiren Buddhist Community Chaplain
clgfaa@rit.edu
716-535-7342
BOO-3446
*Confidential Resource
Rev. Robert Kennedy
Catholic Newman Community at RIT Minister
fr.robert.kennedy@dor.org
SMT-1412
*Confidential Resource
Rev. Sam Kinsman, MFA
RIT Progressive Chapel Community Chaplain
skinsman@ur.rochester.edu
714-299-8420
SMT-1408
*Confidential Resource
#Schedule a Time to Meet In Person or Virtually
Daron Ladson
Hands of Fire Team Member
djlsrl@rit.edu
SMT-1404
*Confidential Resource
^ASL Fluent
Sanjay Mathur
Hindu Student Association Chaplain
sjmccl@rit.edu
201-757-2278
SMT-2406
*Confidential Resource
#Schedule a Time to Meet In Person or Virtually
Rauncie Reynolds
Pagan Student Life Chaplain
lrrsrl@rit.edu
585-953-1957
SMT-1406
*Confidential Resource
Rev. Shūdō Brian Schroeder, Ph.D.
Idunno Zen Buddhist Community Chaplain
bxsgla@rit.edu
585-773-8606
LBR-3110
*Confidential Resource
Pastor Craig Swanson
The TABLE Lutheran-Episcopal Campus Ministry Chaplain
cbscpm@rit.edu
614-477-7699
SMT-1408
*Confidential Resource
Michael Vernarelli, Ph.D.
Catholic Newman Community at RIT Campus Minister
mjvgss@rit.edu
585-750-4821
SMT-1412
*Confidential Resource
Program Staff
Program staff have experience working with young adults, particularly in relation to programming, mentoring, and leadership in spiritual and religious community. They support programs and student leaders within their own religious communities, but do not provide inter-religious spiritual counseling.
Jileen Carter
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Campus Minister
jlhccl@rit.edu
585-747-0699
SMT-2412
Leah Cohen
Chabad at RIT Co-Director
lcccl@rit.edu
862-222-4859
SMT-2410
Mercy Gbenjo
Cru Team Leader
mgbccl@rit.edu
775-762-7995
SMT-1404
Darlene Giardina
Catholic Newman Community at RIT Business Manager
dsgsrl@rit.edu
SMT-2404
Jewish Student Life Engagement Coordinator
mxgrla@rit.edu
585-475-6833
SMT-2408
#Schedule a Time to Meet In Person or Virtually
Karthik Krishnan
Hindu Student Life Team Member
kxksrl@rit.edu
SMT-2406
Catherine Mast
Cru Team Member
ctmccl@rit.edu
317-777-9076
SMT-1404
^ASL Fluent
Allen Pinkins
Glory House International THE PLUG College Ministry Team Member
ampsrl@rit.edu
585-362-3499
SMT-2412
Sikha Rani
Hindu Student Life Team Member
sxrsrl@rit.edu
SMT-2406
Kristen Smith
Catholic Newman Community at RIT Campus Minister
krlccl@rit.edu
SMT-2404
Dakota Tiger
Hands of Fire Team Leader
dtsrl@rit.edu
217-721-6605
SMT-1404
^ASL Fluent
Heidi Tiger
Hands of Fire Team Member
hatsrl@rit.edu
SMT-1404
^ASL Fluent
Alix Zanibbi
The TABLE Lutheran-Episcopal Campus Ministry Musician
afzsrl@rit.edu
SMT-1408
Support Us
Spirituality and Religious Life’s pastoral care, events, and offerings are critical for student success—academically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
85% of our staff and programs are supported by donors, foundations, and religious organizations outside RIT. We rely heavily on the generosity of alumni, parents, the local community, and volunteers to provide over 1,200 events and activities for over 17,000 students in ~25 different religious communities on campus every year.
To make a gift to a specific faith community or organization, please use the search function under "Additional Designations."