All these people are happy to hear from you, answer your questions or just say hi.  They are listed in alphabetical order by last name (if someone's name is highlighted you can click to find a full profile of that person).

Hi, I'm Barak Ben-Amots and my spiritual path has been influenced heavily by my Jewish upbringing. It has led me to question and explore all levels of faith and religion and Beloit has provided many venues for my exploration through the mindfulness meditation workshops, Hillel and Interfaith Club, and personal meetings with Bill Conover, the SLP Director. I'm fascinated in how spirituality affects the writing and analysis of literature in overt and subtle ways. Please feel free to get in touch with me at benb@beloit.edu if you're interested in Judaism, faith exploration, or anything else!

Email Barak Ben-Amots at benb@beloit.edu

"I am a senior in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, the largest Christian club on campus. I love being involved in IV as it is a great community for Christians to come together. I come from a Christian upbringing and have definitely grown my faith since being at Beloit. It is not always easy being here but relying on God for strength makes things much easier!" 

Email Abigail Bohstedt at bohstedta@beloit.edu

"Hey, I'm Mike Collis, Class of 2013.  I am a practicing Roman Catholic.  Along my Christian spiritual journey I have also found many Eastern techniques helpful in my spiritual life.  I am a practicing yogi and I practice zen and mindfulness meditation. Contact me if you would like to discuss how the Catholic faith can be compatible with college life, how eastern practices can aid in one's spiritual journey, or how the two can intertwine to help cleanse the mind, body, and soul."

Email Mike Collis at collism@beloit.edu

“I’m Bill Conover.  I direct Beloit’s Spiritual Life Program, so of course I try to serve and support people of every faith here.  But the tradition I personally practice is Shambhala Buddhism.  I’d be happy to talk with you about mindfulness meditation, compassion practice, and active nonviolence."

Email Bill Conover at conoverw@beloit.edu

Hey, I am Hope Doucet, a potential Creative Writing and Religious Studies double-major (definitely subject to change). I am proud to identify myself as both a follower of God and a Beloiter, an intersection that is difficult at times but one that I chose intentionally. While I was raised in Christian education and in the non-denominational church my entire life, I sought a community where I would be in the religious minority in order to test my faith and practice my faith language. I am a resident of InterFaith house. Religion and spirituality need to be discussed on campus because it is an integral part of life, and although it is not always visible, it often impacts important decisions that people make in their lives--relationally, spiritually, physically, and so on. Please feel free to talk to me anytime or to stop by InterFaith. I love conversation, having coffee, and am open to talking about . . . pretty much anything. Blessings!

Email Hope Doucet at douceth@beloit.edu

"Hey there, I'm Debbie and I believe most importantly that faith is a never-ending journey of learning and growing. If I were to label my faith, liberal/progressive Christianity would fit best. It's not a perfect description, but it hopefully gives you an idea of who I am. At Beloit, I've found meaningful community in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (which has nothing to do with athletics, by the way), InterFaith Club, and Live the Questions. If you want to know more about my faith, have questions, or want to talk about spirituality/religion, please don't hesitate to contact me."

Contact Debbie Dyslin at dyslind@beloit.edu

"Hi, I'm Emily.  College is a great place to experiment and grow in many ways, one of them being spiritually. I know for me Beloit has helped me grow as a Unitarian Universalist by making it so easy to get involved with a lot of different religious organizations.  Feel free to contact me about religion at Beloit College."

Email Emily Evans at evanse@beloit.edu 

“Hi, I'm Kate Finman, class of 2013. I'm a conservative evangelical Protestant, worship at Rock Valley Chapel here in Beloit, and am on the leadership team of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on campus. Contact me if you want to talk prayer, the Bible, and what grace means in our lives.”

Email Kate Finman at finmank@beloit.edu

Hi, I’m Emily Fischer. I'd say "agnostic atheist" loosely defines my current position in spirituality. My ventures at Beloit so far have led me to question my previous faith in Christianity through interfaith dialogue and personal experiences. I have been able to objectively examine my views and others' views regarding faith, souls, and many of life’s big questions. My involvement in the Spiritual Life Program this year has been with mindfulness, the highlight being a 6-week-long mindfulness class taught by Bill Conover and Nick Canby. The class helped me learn to be more accepting and observant of things around and within me. If you're interested in learning more about my experiences with mindfulness or what it is like to question faith at Beloit, feel free to email me

Email Emily Fischer at fischered@beloit.edu. 

"Hi, I'm Jordan Friedman, class of 2013.  I was raised in a traditional Jewish home, but I now practice an unusual, ultra-liberal flavor of Reform Judaism known as Classical Reform Judaism.  I am very passionate about exploring life's questions through Judaism, and I also draw from other traditions for insight and wisdom.  I am adamant that a modern, responsible, intellectually-honest lifestyle grounded in science and reason is totally compatible with religion in general, with Judaism in particular, and yes, even with belief in a personal God.  I love to discuss all of these things with people of all backgrounds, and would enjoy hearing from you, wherever you are on your journey.  I'm currently co-president of Am Yisrael/Hillel, the Jewish club on campus, and am also active in InterFaith Club.   Can't wait to hear from you!"

Email Jordan Friedman at friedmanj@beloit.edu

My name is Yaffa Grossman. I’m a faculty member in the Biology Department and Director of the Sustainability Fellows Program.  I’m also involved in the Environmental Studies program, participate in Jewish community events, and enjoy the outdoors.  You may find me in my office (SC332), the Botany lab (SC147), or one of the native species plantings on campus.

Email Yaffa Grossman at grossman@beloit.edu

“I like to think of myself as ever-evolving on my spiritual path, from my Episcopalian upbringing to my interest in Paganism and Native American spiritual practices.  I have been a solitary, practicing Wiccan for four years but readily incorporate new insights from multiple ways of life like Buddhism.  At Beloit, I have been a member of Pagan Fellowship, attended several Interfaith meetings, and enjoyed meditation with Bill Conover as well as other SLP events. I would love to talk with you about the twists and turns or the steady strength of your own spiritual experience!"

Email Carrie Hatcher at hatcherc@beloit.edu

Hi! I’m Hannah McNamee. I'm part of the class of 2015 and I’m a Jew. Though I grew up in a predominantly Lutheran community, I always had plenty of religious guidance and experiences through Sunday school and Jewish summer camp. Email me if you want to talk about being Jewish at Beloit, or being Jewish anywhere!

Email Hannah McNamee at mcnameeh@beloit.edu

"My name is Alice Mitchell and I'm a member of the class of 2013.  I am an eclectic Pagan and am involved in the Interfaith Club and Pagan Fellowship, but please feel free to contact me regardless of any path you may follow about anything at all!  I would love to hear from you about your path and any questions you may have about spirituality and religion at Beloit."

Email Alice Mitchell at mitchella@beloit.edu

Hi, my name is Alondra Olvera. I am a transfer student graduating in 2013 and the 2012 Beloit Student Congress president. I was raised Catholic and let myself wander away from the faith. I have been on a continuous journey back to Catholicism and have found that it is where I want and need to be. The Spiritual Life Program has given me the strength and courage to continue my journey and has offered a great support system for me. The Place at the Table retreat was one of the best events I have gone to and truly helped me. Please contact me with any questions regardless of what you believe I would love to hear from you and learn about what you believe in and see if I can help out! I would love to go get coffee or a smoothie and talk about anything!

Email Alondra Olvera at olveraa@beloit.edu

"I'm Dawn Redd, the Head Volleyball and Assistant Track & Field coach here.  I live and worship in the Rockford, IL area (only about a 30 minute drive!) where  I attend a multicultural, non-denominational Christian church.  If you're interested in a church where you can look around and see a diverse crowd of Hispanic, White, Black, and Asian believers, please contact me."

Email Dawn Redd at redd@beloit.edu

I’m Kelsey, I am a Presbyterian. I come from a family that has a long history with a Presbyterian church back home. Coming to a liberal arts college with a somewhat secular environment was intimidating at first. I was able to connect to my faith and other people who share similar faiths through A Place at the Table, God Talk and the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. I go to church every Sunday at Rock Valley Chapel, it is a nice community that has gone out of its way to welcome me with open arms. If you have any questions about being Presbyterian at Beloit feel free to contact me.

Email Kelsey Rettke at rettkek@beloit.edu.

"Hey, I’m Krista, and my spiritual faith is a very important part of
who I am. My beliefs blend my strong Catholic background, my socially liberal views, and my personal struggles and experiences. I prefer not to label my faith because it is always growing. I have a passion for learning about different religious practices and would be happy to talk to you about your own faith.  Feel free to contact me anytime."

Email Krista Robbins at robbinsk@beloit.edu

"Hi! I'm Hadley Sibon, an Anthropology and Creative Writing major from the class of 2014. I'm involved in Live the Questions here at Beloit, and I live in the Interfaith House. I don't really fit a specific faith 'label,' but if I had to pick something, I'd call myself a 'Rational Empiricist.' I suppose it's more agnostic than anything else, but not quite. If you'd like to chat about the Spiritual Life Program, or if my strange definitions have confused the living daylights out of you and you'd like a more extended explanation, feel free to contact me."

Email Hadley Sibon at sibonh@beloit.edu

Hi, I’m Jessica Vogel, class of 2015. I’ve only recently begun my spiritual journey as a non-denominational Christian. While I continuously question my own faith, I enjoy attending a variety of churches and exploring the intersection of religion and life. Feel free to contact me to talk about spiritual exploration, God’s love, and share your spiritual experiences.

Email Jessica Vogel at vogelj@beloit.edu

"My name is Carol and I'm a faculty member in the department of Sociology, director of Community-Based Learning, and coordinator of the Duffy Partnership.  I'm also an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church.  If you would like to learn more about any of these things, check out the links above or contact me."

Email Carol Wickersham at wickersh@beloit.edu