Open Menu Close Menu Open Search Close Search

Home / About Us / The University Chaplaincy for Faculty and Staff

The University Chaplaincy for Faculty and Staff

The University Chaplaincy is a dynamic hub supporting religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life for all members of the Tufts community. The entire Chaplaincy is enthused to serve the diverse religious community at Tufts and desire to fulfill its commitment to you. To that end, our chaplains and staff cooperate to provide whatever our students may need on their unique journeys. Our primary mission is to:

University Chaplaincy serves the entire Tufts community, including faculty and staff on all three campuses. Faculty and staff are welcome at all of our regular weekly gatherings. The ones below are especially for faculty and staff. If you have any questions please reach out to the chaplain listed or chaplaincy@tufts.edu.

Each of our chaplains and full-time staff people serve as liaisons to different offices. You can reach out directly to them if you have a question, would like to plan a gathering, are seeking support, or have a general inquiry about collaboration. 

Name and Title Liaison To  Email
Elyse Nelson Winger, University Chaplain

 

 Office of Equal Opportunity   

Office of Residential Life and Learning 

Religion Department

Student Life

Tisch College of Civic Life 

Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

 Elyse.Nelson_Winger@tufts.edu
Lynn Cooper, Associate Director and Catholic Chaplain 

 

 Athletics

Counseling and Mental Health Services

Office of Residential Life and Learning 

Women’s Center

 Lynn.Cooper@tufts.edu
Najiba Akbar, Muslim Chaplain 

 

 Health Sciences Campus—Wellness Office 

International Center 

 Najiba.Akbar@tufts.edu
Dan Bell, Protestant Chaplain

 

 Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine 

Health Sciences Campus—Wellness Office 

LGBT Center 

 Daniel.Bell@tufts.edu
Preeta Banerjee, Hindu Chaplain 

 

 Asian American Center

Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy

Indigenous Center 

 Preeta.Banerjee@tufts.edu
Nora Bond, Program Manager

 

 AS&E Advising Deans 

Office of Campus Life 

 Nora.Bond@tufts.edu
 

Naftali Brawer, Jewish Chaplain and Executive Director of Hillel, Tufts

 

 

 Dining Services  Naftali.Brawer@tufts.edu
Anthony Cruz Pantojas, Humanist Chaplain

 

 Africana Center

Latinx Center 

FIRST Center 

Tisch Library 

 Anthony.Cruz_Pantojas@tufts.edu
 

Ji Hyang Padma, Buddhist Chaplain

 

 

 SMFA—Student Affairs   Jihyang.Padma@tufts.edu

Faculty and Staff Offerings

The Breakfast Club: Faculty-Staff Bible Study and Prayer Group

Wednesdays, 8 a.m. - 8:50 a.m. ET

You are warmly invited to “The Breakfast Club,” a contemplative Bible study group for faculty and staff led by Tufts’ Protestant Chaplain, the Reverend Dan Bell. We gather every Wednesday morning over Zoom to check in, reflect on Scripture, and pray together. All Tufts faculty and staff are welcome to participate, regardless of faith background. Various Christian traditions are represented. Please feel free to have your breakfast as we meet, and step away when you need to. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please email Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell.

Faculty-Staff Color Insight Mindfulness Group

Coming January 2024

The Buddhist Chaplaincy will host a bimonthly Faculty-Staff Mindfulness group centered on the ColorInsight model of Rhonda Magee– a mindfulness practice circle engaged in creating the beloved community we seek to embody here at Tufts. In this group, which is exclusively for faculty and staff, we will use mindfulness and related exercises to develop our personal capacity to deal more effectively with race and to strengthen our capacity for effective collaborative social change. We will draw from the work of Rhonda Magee, Ruth King and other transformational leaders. Prior experience with mindfulness is welcome, but not required. Please connect with Buddhist Chaplain Ji Hyang Padma for more information.

Spiritual Care

Spiritual care is a type of counseling provided by professional chaplains and trained spiritual leaders. It involves nonjudgmental, compassionate listening that welcomes people to share their joys, concerns, and hopes in the context of their full humanity, and for many, their philosophy, religion, or spirituality. At Tufts, chaplains are confidential resources for faculty and staff. Chaplains are trained to support anyone in the fullness of their religious and philosophical identities, and are LGBTQIA affirming. You can find out more about spiritual care at Tufts here. Use the button below to submit a brief form if you want a chaplain to reach out to you.

Of Particular Interest to Faculty and Staff

Multifaith Gathering for Peace hosted by the University Chaplaincy
Wednesdays starting September 20, 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m., Goddard Chapel

Please join the University Chaplaincy in our weekly Multifaith Gathering for Peace. All members of the Tufts community—students, staff and faculty—are welcome to join members of the University Chaplaincy team for a weekly 30-minute multifaith gathering for peace. Our time together will include silence, candle lighting, music, reflections, and meditations from our different traditions. We look forward to sharing this space together as we navigate ongoing national and global crises and lift-up our individual and shared hopes for peace in ourselves, others and our world. Please contact the University Chaplaincy if you have any questions or concerns.

Voices for Peace and Light Choir sponsored by the University Chaplaincy
Thursdays, 12:10 PM- 1:10 PM at Goddard Chapel
First Meeting -- Thursday, September 21, 2023 // Last meeting -- Thursday, November 2, 2023
Do you love to sing? Spend your Thursday lunch hours this fall singing with colleagues in our new Voices for Peace and Light Choir. All are welcome; no experience is necessary! The Choir is an interfaith, intergenerational choir whose membership is drawn from the entire Tufts community – graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, staff, alumni/ae, and neighbors. We welcome experienced choral singers and people who are brand new to choral music. Supported by 4 strong choral scholars, we will rehearse weekly and perform a few pieces for the Goddard Chapel’s In Living Memory celebration in November. Director Suzie Cartreine is the Music Director of the University Chaplaincy, and has years of experience conducting choirs of all ages and abilities. If you can talk, you can sing! Bring your friends and colleagues and come check it out. For more information, or to sign up please contact Suzie: chaplaincymusic@tufts.edu First rehearsal is Thursday Sept. 21, 12:10 – 1:10 PM, in Goddard Chapel.

Monday Mindfulness with the Tufts Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha hosted by the Buddhist Chaplaincy
Mondays 12:00 p.m. - 1: 00 p.m. at the Interfaith Center

Weekly Meditation hosted by the Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha. Through meditation we develop clarity, concentration, compassion and resiliency. All are welcome. Please connect with Buddhist Chaplain Ji Hyang Padma for more information

Weekly Meditation and Buddhist Studies with the Tufts Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha hosted by the Buddhist Chaplaincy
Wednesdays 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.  at Goddard Chapel

Weekly Meditation and Buddhist Studies on a range of topics. Please connect with Buddhist Chaplain Ji Hyang Padma for more information.

Dharma Dialogue with the Tufts Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha hosted by the Buddhist Chaplaincy

Fridays 12:00 p.m. - 1: 30 p.m. at Goddard Chapel

Dharma Dialogue: Meditation followed by dialogue centered upon a Dharma text, led by the Tufts Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha. Meditation will generally take place 12- 12:30 PM, with dialogue running from 12:30- 1:30 PM.  All are welcome. Please connect with Buddhist Chaplain Ji Hyang Padma for more information.

Roman Catholic Mass hosted by the Catholic Chaplaincy
Sundays 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., at Goddard Chapel

All are welcome and as always, come as you are. Confession before or after mass. Contact Catholic Chaplain Lynn Cooper if you are interested or have any questions.

“Pathways to Joy" Reading and Discussion Group Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 hosted by the Hindu Chaplaincy
Fridays, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m, see dates below, at Interfaith Center
Dates for the 11 Sessions --
Fall 2023 -- 9/15, 10/13, 10/20, 11/3, 11/17
Spring 2024 -- 1/26, 2/9, 4/8, 5/5, 5/19

Undergraduate, graduate, faculty, staff and alumni are welcome in person and remotely. Our discussions of the book "Pathways to Joy" will explore the fullness of yoga (beyond the asana practice found in most Western Yoga studios) where the root “yog” means to align/to unite. Please email Hindu Chaplain Preeta Banerjee  to receive access to the book.

Jummah Prayers hosted by the Muslim Chaplaincy

Fridays, 1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Interfaith Center

Jummah Prayers Fridays, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Interfaith Center Please join us for the Friday Prayer Service, open to all. The sermon begins at 1:15 followed by the prayer. Please reach out to Muslim Chaplain Najiba Akbar with any questions. Please reach out to Muslim Chaplain Najiba Akbar with any questions.

Protestant Evening Worship (P.E.W.) hosted by the Protestant Chaplaincy
Sundays, 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Goddard Chapel

Chaplain Dan, a variety of guest preachers from different denominations, and students offer weekly messages to inspire and challenge one’s faith. We celebrate Communion once a month; all are welcome to receive. We also have "Dinner Church" programs on occasion and other special services throughout the year. After each service, we we invite you to stay for snacks and community time.  If you have questions or would like to learn more, please email Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell.