Student Religious Organizations

Student Religious Organizations are registered with the Student Activities Office. They have filed formal constitutions and submitted budgets to the Finance Committee of the Student Government Association. Officers and contact people for these organizations are listed in the College Directory. New groups occasionally emerge; please contact the Chaplain’s Office if you are interested in forming a new group.

We list all the currently active student religious organizations below, with a brief description of the group, a contact person, and a link to the group’s website (if they have one). 

Obviously not every faith community is currently represented. If you would like help finding representatives of faith communities and resources which are not listed, please contact the Office of the Chaplain at 802-443-5626 and we will do our best to address your concerns.

Religious Life Council

The Religious Life Council brings together the leaders of all student religious groups on campus for shared programming, conversation, and friendship. The group works with Scott Center staff to oversee religious life on campus, to advise the Chaplains, to facilitate communication and cooperation between student religious organizations, and offer speakers and events on spiritual and religious topics. We meet for monthly lunchtime meetings on Tuesdays.

The Religious Life Council works to create a framework that allows students who value the life of the spirit to join together as a force on campus, within the context of their differing faiths, to effectively address the moral issues which face them and their peers.  If you are interested in learning more about the Religious Life Council, contact the Office of the Chaplain, 46 South Street, or email Ellen McKay Jewett, Program Coordinator, at emckay@middlebury.edu

Buddhist Student Association

To provide members of the Buddhist faith community, as well as people interested in Buddhist philosophy, with an outlet that enables them to safely discuss Buddhism and its relevance to their lives and to Middlebury in a group setting.  Please note that this group is not yet an official student organization.

Contact Aren Lau ‘27, elau@middlebury.edu

Christian Orthodox Association

The Christian Orthodox Association connects the Christian Orthodox students of Middlebury College with their tradition by enabling them to celebrate regular liturgies on campus, to hold spiritual discussions, and to pay regular visits to Orthodox churches and monasteries in New England. 

Contact Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life Mark R. Orten, orten@middlebury.edu

Christian Science Organization

The Christian Science Organization, when active, offers the College Community the opportunity to learn about Christian Science by holding regular meetings for reading, testimony, and discussion. They have sponsored Christian Science lectures and have supported the spiritual growth of individual members. The Christian Science Organization welcomes students and members of the College community who are interested in sharing and growing in Christian Science or simply learning more about it. 

Contact Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life Mark R. Orten, orten@middlebury.edu.

Gather

Gather is a community of progressive Christians and friends—non-Christian and Christian alike—grounded in tradition but hoping to break cycles of oppression and injustice by promoting the values of compassion, justice, mercy, tolerance, and radical inclusivity as Jesus taught. Our goal is to explore multiple expressions of faith in community by holding student-led worship services; providing opportunities for personal reflection, service, and activism; and facilitating discussions of modern Christian life, social issues, and more.

Contact Prof. Mary Jane Simpson, facilitator, msimpson@middlebury.edu

Hillel

Hillel is a social and cultural, as well as religious, organization committed to a pluralistic vision of Judaism that embraces all movements.  Hillel provides leadership opportunities for developing Jewish life and identity on campus.  The organization holds a weekly lunchtime business meeting and conducts a weekly Friday evening Shabbat service and dinner in Freeman International Center.

Visit Hillel’s blog

Contact Evie Happel ‘26 and Shayah Kosak ‘27, Co-Presidents, hillel@middlebury.edu

Hindu Student Organization

The Hindu Students Association serves to create a safe space for students identifying as Hindu as well as other students who are curious about the Hindu tradition to congregate, converse, and celebrate the cultural, religious, and philosophical dimensions of the tradition.

Contact Vyas Nagaswaran ‘26, President.  hsa@middlebury.edu

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

IVCF provides worship and small group experiences to support the personal discipleship of Christian students on campus. They sponsor study groups, prayer groups, visiting lecturers and opportunities for service to the wider community. The purpose of this club is to engage the campus with the gospel, to help students find a personal relationship with God, to develop the faith of the members, and to bring related programs to campus. The Fellowship also welcomes students who want to learn more about the Christian faith in the context of a believing community.

Contact Zoe Wang ‘25 and Peter Shellhaas ‘26, Co-Presidents. cf@middlebury.edu

Joyful Noise

Joyful Noise is an informal group of students who meet for Christian worship and singing on Sunday evenings. Look for signs on campus bulletin boards announcing their meetings.

Contact Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life Mark Orten, orten@middlebury.edu

Latter-Day Saints Student Association

The Latter-Day Saints Student Association exists to unite Mormon students, making available worship, social, and learning opportunities for them and for those interested in learning about Mormonism.

Contact Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life Mark R. Orten, orten@middlebury.edu

Midd Humanists

Midd Humanists is a non-theistic, inquiry-based, and action-centered community gathering space led by Affiliate Humanist Chaplain Professor Bill Vitek at the Scott Center for Spiritual & Religious Life. Conversation, community and celebration are its goals. All are welcome! Come share a meal at the Scott Center and engage with others around questions and issues large and small, local and global, with compassion, reason, humility, grief, and joy.  (Please note that this group is not yet an official student organization.)

Contact Prof. Bill Vitek, wvitek@middlebury.edu

Middlebury Student Quakers

Middlebury Student Quakers is the group for students who want to experience Quaker worship, meet other spiritually-engaged students, and take a little time out of their busy schedules to center and reflect.

We meet every Sunday to worship in the traditional manner of Quakers. We encourage you to join us, whether you consider yourself Quaker or not.

Normally we meet at 4:00 p.m. on Sundays in the Scott Center for Religious Life. Every third Sunday of the month we join the Quaker community in town for their worship off campus.

It is also our goal to bring speakers to campus on topics relevant to the Quaker testimonies, and to share Quaker principles with the College.

Contact Catherine Bergland ‘26 and Audrey Park ‘25, Co-Presidents, msq@middlebury.edu

Muslim Student Association

The Muslim Student Association was founded to provide a forum for people interested in Islam and Islamic issues.  Simultaneously, the Society is intended to create a conducive environment for all the Muslim students at Middlebury College to practice and maintain their religion.

Contact Yahya Rahhawi ‘26, President,  muslim@middlebury.edu

Newman Catholic Student Organization

This Roman Catholic community on campus is involved in religious, social and volunteer activities.  Catholic students are currently attending masses at St. Mary’s Church, adjacent to campus. 

Contact Brian Lee ‘24.5 and Abby Govea ‘25, Co-Presidents, newmancl@middlebury.edu

Prajna

Prajna is an informal group that gathers on Monday evenings at The Scott Center for guided meditation from teachers representing a variety of traditions. Students who have meditation experience, as well as those who are just curious, are always welcome.

Contact Mark Orten, orten@middlebury.edu

Unitarian-Universalists of Middlebury

Unitarian Universalism is a non-creedal, liberal religious tradition based on a celebration of religious pluralism and respecting these principles: the inherent worth and dignity of each person, justice and compassion in human relations, acceptance and affirmation of one another’s spiritual growth, a free search for truth and meaning, and respect for the interdependent web of all life. Middlebury College UU’s provides a place for connection and a forum for exploration of these principles by students, faculty and staff. Their meetings and events are open to all.

Contact Dean of Spiritual & Religious Life Mark R. Orten, orten@middlebury.edu