Although perhaps less publicized than academia, athletics or social life, spirituality at Dartmouth is no less important to the College, especially for the many students who engage in active lives of worship through the wide variety of religious organizations and services offered on campus.
At its founding, the College required its students to perform daily worship. This practice ended in 1925.
In its place, a multitude of religious groups cater to the diverse spiritual and cultural needs of the community.
Religious organizations, which were formed mostly under the guidance of the Tucker Foundation, provide a supportive and nourishing center for students who are interested in pursuing or continuing a life of worship.
The Tucker Foundation boasts nearly 20 religious organizations, in addition to others that meet privately.
Students who face a lack of organizational support for their beliefs can contact the Tucker Foundation to start a group of their own.
Christian organizations
More than 10 active Christian organizations give students the opportunity to develop and explore their faith.
These organizations provide a welcoming environment for a host of different denominations.
Catholic students regularly gather at Aquinas House, located at the corner of Webster Avenue and Occom Ridge.
Home to intimate discussions about personal experiences and opportunities to help out in the community, Aquinas House also provides recreational facilities 24-hours a day, offering social options outside of Collis Center and the Greek system.
Meetings are held weekly and led by a priest and student discussion leaders.
Aquinas House also coordinates such outreach programs as Good Beginnings, a volunteer baby-sitting service for poor working families, excursions to the Hanover Terrace nursing home and Chore Core, a program to help disabled people fix up their homes.
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults program dispenses information for students who are interested in the Catholic religion.
Navigators Christian Fellowship, Campus Crusade for Christ, Christian Impact and Asian Christian Fellowship are a few examples of other religious networks.
These groups hold weekly meetings for Bible study and organize retreats.
Vox Clamantium is a student organization that fosters discussion of Christian issues by inviting speakers to campus. Last year, they invited Yvette Schneider -- a self desribed former lesbian who left her homosexual lifestyle and becme Christian -- to campus igniting campus-wide debate and controversy over the issue.
Jewish campus groups
Hillel, located at the Roth Center for Jewish Life, provides a home for students interested in the Jewish faith.
One of the most active student organizations on campus, Hillel sponsors a range of social, cultural, intellectual and religious events.
Shabbat services and home- cooked dinners are held at 6 p.m. every Friday evening during the regular school term. Every other Saturday morning students can attend a Torah reading, discussion and potluck lunch. Regular activities include Sunday bagel brunches, trips and movies, as well as holiday celebrations throughout the year.
The Roth Center, which opened in 1997, houses a library, kitchen and lounges for meeting and entertainment. It is located near the Choates residential cluster on the West side of campus.
Muslim organizations
Students of the Islamic faith can participate in weekly meetings held in the Tucker Foundation and Friday prayers at Rollins Chapel on campus.
The organizations hosts social activities and discussions at Tucker with groups of other faiths.
Last spring, Al-Nur sponsored a very successful donation drive to help allievate the famine in Ethiopia. The "Candles for Ethiopia" program collected pledges from students and placed candles on the Green representing each donation on the last day, forming a brilliant and beautiful image of giving for the entire campus.
Al-Nur hosts regular Jumaa prayers at Rollins Chapel every Friday afternoon. The last Thursday of every month, Muslim families in the Hanover region also host a community a a dinner.
Al-Nur convenes to celebrate the coming of the holiest month, the month of Ramadan.
Celebrations are also held for Eid-el-Fitar at the end of the month of fasting and for Eid-el-Adah.
