Rowan students gather at new Interfaith Center to break bread

In the corner of a residence hall at Rowan University, students of various faiths gathered Thursday night around sandwiches, salad, and mac and cheese suitable under religious dietary practices at the campus' new Interfaith Center.

This was the second year that Rowan Hillel and the Muslim Student Association had met together for "Rowan United," this year inviting the Catholic Campus Ministry in an effort to bridge the gaps among faith organizations on the Glassboro campus and let students get to know one another.

But what made this event special was that students of various faiths now all have a place to call home.

The Interfaith and Spiritual Exploration Center, part of Rowan's Office of Social Justice, Inclusion, and Conflict Resolutions, held a soft opening last week. It offers gathering spaces, lounges, kitchens, and a place to pray.

Gardy Guiteau, director of the Office of Social Justice, said an interfaith prayer space was previously located inside the organization's office in Hawthorn Hall. The campus Interfaith Council, comprised of student leaders and advisers, pushed for creation of the Interfaith Center.

The space the Interfaith Center now has in Evergreen Hall had been empty for some time. Members of the Division of Student Affairs realized that using it would be an opportunity to fulfill the university president's vision of a "space where folks of different creeds can come together, break bread … and get to know each other beyond what we perceive someone to be," he said.

"Rowan United" was held last year in the nearby Hollybush mansion, which served as the home of the university president until 1998.

"That was amazing, it was fun — but the one thing is, it was a little crowded, and our idea was to first hold this event in the [Eynon] Ballroom," said Shakwat Chowdhury, president of the Muslim Student Association. "But once we heard this idea, the kitchen being open, we thought, this is great, this is what this is here for, for us to use it and utilize it so everyone knows it exists."

With the name Rowan United in mind, Ally Wasdick, a junior and president of Rowan Hillel, suggested growing the event and invited the Catholic ministry.

"Hillel and the Muslim Student Association created this event last year because we wanted to get to know each other better, and it was kind of in light of a lot of the political turmoil that was going on," she said. "So we did it again this year, but I decided, because it's called Rowan United, we should invite the Catholic association to further get to know other religious clubs. … There's no other way to do that if you don't reach out."

For Denisha Lucio, a member of the Catholic Campus Ministry and co-leader of the Spiritual Diversity Group on campus, the Interfaith Center and events like Rowan United offered a place to explore her religious identity,

"A lot of students who I've listened to said that they started to strip away from their family traditions, and they wanted to know who they are, what they truly believe in," she said. "Having this type of community allows them to engage in dialogue that opens their mind to different traditions, different views, and allows them to know really who they are."

In a setting like this, she said, people are bridged together.

"A community like this really gets you to engage with others, and share ideas and build friendships," she said. "It's a way for us to be together and connect and share community together. That's very important within a college setting."