Throughout the month of November, Albion College students have had the opportunity to learn about spirituality through an array of spiritual and religious events. These different events make up the office of the chaplain’s ‘Celebration of Faith,’ Nov. 1-19. Since its creation in 2004, the aim of the celebration has been to give students interested in interfaith programs a way of exploring spirituality.

"The festival is all about what it says: celebration and helping people have fun participating in spiritual events," said chaplain Dan McQuown. "Spirit and religion get a rap of being serious, this is about enjoying yourself."

McQuown says that any student is welcome to attend, even students who don’t consider themselves to be spiritual or religious. He also believes the events are great for students interested in one day becoming global leaders.

"Our motto is to become prepared religious citizens," McQuown said.

One of the celebration’s eight events took place on Nov. 7, involving Joe Lewis, the secretary of the Ford Interfaith Network, speaking on behalf of the Ford Motor Company.

"I hope interfaith activities can create the goodwill and understanding that there isn’t just one path to spiritual fulfillment," Lewis said to Albion student and faculty members.

Lewis also spoke about faith becoming more acceptable and prevalent in the workplace in corporate America. He encouraged students to express their faith and not hold back when entering the workplace.

McQuown hoped that students would be able to come to share the same belief as Lewis by attending the event.

"I hope they’ll see [that they] can practice spirituality in [a] workplace," McQuown said.

According to McQuown, due to the warm response the ‘Celebration of Faiths’ has received so far, he expects it to continue to take place in coming years.

"I think the college has taken on the right attitude for promoting tolerance," said Dan Moilanen, Fenton sophomore and co-president of the Secular Humanist Group at Albion College. "I think that it is essential in any interfaith movement."

According to Rasleen Saluja, Chicago, Ill. sophomore, one thing that sets Albion College apart in her eyes is its ability to fund these types of events, being that it is a private and religiously affiliated institution.

"It is part of the appeal for liberal arts schools," Saluja said. "You just don’t see that same kind of funding at large public schools."

Saluja and Moilanen are two students that are a part of an interfaith counsel known as The Bridge. They were each invited by McQuown to take part in The Bridge and engage in dialogue with other advisory members with differing beliefs. The purpose of The Bridge is to serve as a link between students, administration, and spiritual organizations on campus.

"His work with the atheists has given them a voice and opened up a healthy dialogue between theists and atheists," Moilanen said, regarding McQuown.

Yet another opportunity for students to explore their spirituality on campus is to take yoga with instructor Launda Wheatley. Wheatley encourages her students to realize their spirituality by having them meditate at the end of each session. According to Wheatley, focusing on the present allows them to make a mind-body connection.

"I think we are all spiritual beings," Wheatley said. "Some of us just haven’t realized it yet. Once you do you will realize we are all connected."

Wheatley teaches her students to use breathing techniques in order to put thoughts of the past and future aside and focus on the present.

"Ninety percent of the time you are thinking about something else," Wheatley said.

Wheatley says she is now able to realize that each person is equal and that people are all interconnected, having discovered her spirituality after experiences with multiple different faiths over her lifetime. This is why she sees the Celebration of Faith in a positive light.