Connecting with Your Religion: NYU and the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life

The Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life is where four major religious centers find their home at NYU: the Bronfman Center (home to NYU Hillel), the Hindu Center, the Catholic Center, and the Islamic Center. All of these religious communities host activities, learning opportunities, traditional services, and worship sessions. Additionally, they offer general guidance for students’ religious life and the necessary facilities for each religious practice. For instance, spaces include the ablution rooms in the Islamic Center (4th floor), the chapel in the Catholic Center (1st floor), and multiple prayer and meditation rooms both in GCASL and all around campus.

To give you an idea of what it’s like to be part of a religious community on campus, I will share my experience as part of the Catholic Center at NYU. In my first year on campus, I joined the Catholic Center and immediately became involved with all the activities they offer. Usually, I go to the center three or four times a week to participate in different projects they have going on.

On Mondays I go to bible studies and enjoy an hour with my friends discussing scripture. Then, on Thursday we have a community dinner. There, all the members of the Catholic Center get to know each other by cooking a delicious meal. Finally, on Sundays we all go to mass together and have breakfast after. Additionally, throughout the semester we have one or two spiritual retreats that take place on the weekends. In fact, the Fall Retreat is just around the corner. We will be going to the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Long Island. It will be a weekend of nature, meditation, prayer, and friends.

GCASL is also home to Mindful NYU, described on their homepage as an “award-winning meditation, mindfulness, and contemplative life initiative that promotes wisdom, compassion, and well-being on campus—and beyond.” They offer a variety of services to help students balance their academic life with well-being practices. These include group meditations, daily yoga classes, mindfulness workshops, and online resources. Mindful NYU resources are available to the whole NYU community. Plus, they can work hand in hand with the spiritual life journey of each student on campus. GCASL also hosts more than 70 spiritual life advisers, who represent more than 35 faith traditions and other mindful practices. They provide guidance and support to the NYU community while helping them embrace their spirituality.

Last but not least, GCASL is also home to the Of Many Institute, an initiative to foster and inspire multifaith dialogue, positive social change, and educational programming. Many professors and faculty are part of the Of Many Institute. Their goal is to cultivate cross-cultural leadership through service learning trips, training sessions, and workshops on campus. They even have a podcast and film discussing the impact of religious diversity on spiritual identities!