Religious & Spiritual Life

Goucher College is proud to be one of the top 20 schools by population for Jewish students. We strongly support our students from all branches of Judaism to practice their faith and explore their Jewish identity while they are students at Goucher. Our dining hall boast a wonderful Kosher Section that is open to all students. We seek to respect religious observances and host a Shabbat meal and service every Friday. We also hold High Holiday services in our Chapel during the year with support from our campus Rabbi Josh Snyder.

Hillel

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Goucher partners with Hillel International along with our campus Rabbi and Director of Jewish Life Josh Snyder, along with the rest of the Hillel team. More information about Goucher Hillel can be found here.

Chabad

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Goucher seeks to be a campus supportive of all Jewish students. To that end, we also partner with Towson University to bring a Chabad Rabbi Mendy Rivkin to our campus to support our Orthodox students. More information about Chabad can be found here.

Goucher College has a small but vibrant Muslim Student Association (MSA). The MSA meets regularly and offers weekly Jummah Prayer on Friday afternoons in the Sacred Space (Upper-Level of the Chapel). Prayer rugs and Prayer books are provided. Important holidays and Eid celebrations are supported by the Chaplain’s Office as well as extra support and accommodations from the dining hall during the holy month of Ramadan (see our recorded information session here). Students requiring specific needs around their particular branch of Islam should reach out to Rev. Maeba Jonas for support.

Christianity is widely practiced amongst Goucher students and there are opportunities for worship, fellowship and connection both on campus and close by. Our college Chaplain, Rev. Maeba Jonas, is an ordained Christian Minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and is always more than happy to speak with students about their Christian faith.

In addition, we are partnered with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and have a part-time campus minister who meets with students weekly for Bible Study and special events.

Campus Ministers

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Local Places of Worship

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Roman Catholic

• Carmelite Monastery (transportation provided from campus)
• Newman Center at Towson University
• Immaculate Conception Church

Protestant Christian

• Mt. Calvery AME Church
• Calvery Baptist Church (ABC)
• Ascension Lutheran Church (ELCA)
• Towson Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)
• First & Stephen's United Church of Christ (UCC)

Orthodox Christian

• Ethiopian Orthodox
• Greek Orthodox
• Russian Orthodox

Goucher is also home to students from a variety of APIDA identifies (Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi Americans) and as such we have a number of students who identify either religiously, or culturally, as Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist or another similar tradition. Religious & Spiritual Life works closely with the Office of Global Education and the Center for Race, Equity and Inclusion to offer events around culturally significant holidays such as Diwali, Holi, Bodhi Day, Lunar New Year and other significant occasions. Please see the Office of Student Engagement to find out how you can connect with identity-based student groups on campus.

Rev. Maeba has a background in Buddhism and Hinduism and has lived and studied in both India and Nepal. She is always excited to speak to students and support their religious and cultural development. (email: Chaplain@goucher.edu) 

The Spiritual but not Religious (SBNR) identity is a growing community on all college campuses, and Goucher is no exception. That is why Religious & Spiritual Life has always worked to support both the religious student AND the spiritual ones. More and more students are coming to college with big questions and few places to turn to for answers without a religious identity.

If you are in the process of deconstructing your faith, or questioning the beliefs you were taught, then you have come to the right place. Please reach out to Rev. Maeba, or follow our Events page for opportunities to connect with like-minded seekers.

Starting a Mindfulness

Rev. Maeba teaches a 4-part series to support students interested in learning about meditation and mindfulness. Follow the Events page for more. 

God. Welcomes. All!

We understand that many of our students who identity of as part of the LGBTQIA+ Community may have come from environments where their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression were not welcome or may have been the cause of harm.

At Goucher, we strive to offer an open and affirming space that allows you to freely explore your faith or spiritual journey without compromising who you are.

Please see our Events page for opportunities to connect with other like-minded spiritual students through our W(H)oly Queer Gatherings.

Note: If you feel you have been discriminated against by one of our religiously affiliated advisors or student groups, please contact the Rev. Maeba Jonas immediately, or file a report with our DEIJ Council here: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice page. 

Goucher College is a strong community, where members support one another, professionally as well as personally. We know that our personal situations often greatly impact our work and vice versa; it can be helpful to have ways to address these issues in the workplace. Rev. Maeba Jonas, Goucher's chaplain, is available to faculty and staff in a variety of ways:

• Individual conversations: to discuss personal and professional issues
• Prayer groups: aging parents and bereavement; other issues as requested
• Life transitions: weddings, funeral or memorial services, baptisms, hospital visits

Please contact Rev. Maeba at 410-337-6048 or chaplain@goucher.edu

• Hillel
• Chabad
• InterVarsity

Religious Accommodations

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For support around food, housing, time for holidays or prayer, or other needs to support your religious life on campus, please reach out to the Rev. Maeba Jonas. The Religious Observance Accommodation Form can used to make a formal request to the college or your instructor.

Confidential Conversations 

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Rev. Maeba is available to all members of the Goucher Community for confidential conversations. For conversations regarding gender-based violence (Title IX), discrimination, or other concerns, please do not hesitate to make an appointment or reach out (chaplain@goucher.edu).

Pearl Simon Award

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The Pearl Simon Award is a scholarship given every year to a student interested in furthering their spiritual growth through a project, trip, or experience. More information is sent to students via email during the year. For more information, click here: Pearl Simon Award