Maintaining your wellness is an aspect of life that some college students struggle with during their freshman year. For some students, it’s there first time away from home, coping with certain feelings and having an uncertainty of yourself is a common feeling at this point in life. The importance of spiritual growth in order to learn about yourself can help navigate a student’s feelings. The Center For Spirituality encourages the Nazareth community to create an environment where students, staff and faculty, can practice their own religious/spiritual traditions. CFS offers different opportunities of discovery and interfaith dialogue. There are different spots affiliated with CFS on campus that students can use, or attend an event being hosted.
One place you can visit on campus is the Linehan Chapel located in the Golisano Academic Center (GAC). The Linehan Chapel is a place of worship open to everyone. Different performances, worship, and even yoga take place in there and these events are open to all students, regardless of their religious background. Attending events in the Linehan Chapel gives students with different backgrounds a chance to talk and collaborate with others on campus.
Another cool space on campus is the Sulam Center. The Sulam Center was just established in 2016, and it is a joint Muslim-Jewish prayer space located in Elizabeth George Hall. It is affiliated with both the Muslim Student Association and Nazareth’s Hillel, but everyone in the community is welcome to enjoy the space! The Muslim Student Association uses this space every Friday to offer their weekly Jummah Prayers, while Nazareth’s Hillel has held several “Hillel Hangouts,” which are a way for Nazareth’s Hillel to communicate future events with the Nazareth College community and all are welcome to attend. The Sulam Center is a place where different communities within Nazareth can come together in worship and create dialogue in spirituality.
If any student at Naz is ever in need of more privacy while worshiping, or discovering their spirituality, they may use a meditation space. There are many meditation spaces around campus, with one of the most commonly used one being in GAC (Golisano Academic Center). You may use the meditation space yourself, or grab a couple of friends and use one together. Each space contains a sign stating “meditation space currently in use” whenever students would like to experience the space privately. The meditation spaces contain different couches, mats, prayer rugs, and religious scriptures from different religions. It’s definitely one of the best places on campus to take care of your Spiritual Wellness!
Nazareth College provides many amazing opportunities for students and faculty to gain a better understanding of their own spirituality. I believe spiritual wellness guides you in life decisions and choices. Our campus community is lucky to have these resources and places available for our use.
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