At Babson, we believe graduate religious and spiritual life is a key part of our overall well-being. What this means can be very personal and unique to each of us. Babson is proud to support a diverse religious culture so that you can be your whole self here—while developing an inclusive and entrepreneurial mindset that opens doors to understanding and collaboration.
The Galvin Family Chapel hosts events and services for people of all faiths, cultures, and traditions, and is the home base of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. As you ascend the stone steps to this inclusive place of worship, set on a sloping hillside nearing the edge of campus, you’ll feel a sense of peace come over you.
Named to honor the family of William F. Glavin, ninth president of Babson College, the Glavin Family Chapel is a home to the diverse spiritual lives of the Babson community. At Babson, we welcome all faith traditions and spiritual groups. If your faith tradition isn’t yet represented, we can support you in building a spiritual community.
You have access to religious leaders—or “chaplains”—from the Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant faiths. These leaders serve the entire Babson Community, with the goals of strengthening individual faith and spiritual identities, providing opportunities for interfaith dialog, and addressing social challenges.
They are also Title IX Confidential Resources. A diverse team of intellectual thinkers, social influencers, and moral leaders, they are here to support you as an individual while also serving the wider Babson community.
As the Director of Religious & Spiritual Life, Denicia supports various faith communities on campus, oversees a team of Chaplains and the daily operations of the Glavin Family Chapel. With a pastoral heart and passion for justice, she is intentional about creating spaces for religious diversity and tolerance.
Denicia is also a First Year Seminar Instructor where she facilitates classroom conversations and interactions around community engagement, microagressions and privilege. Her ability to understand and teach cross culturally, combined with a sense of humor and excitement, creates an environment for students to authentically learn and thrive. Denicia join Babson in 2016 as the Assistant Director of Faith, Reflection, and Chaplaincy. She has accompanied colleagues and students on Service Learning Immersion Trips to Indian River Florida, New Orleans, and Tanzania.
Denicia graduated from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary with a MA in World Missions and Evangelism, concentrating on Cross Cultural Counseling, and a MA in Theology and Ethics. During her time in graduate school, she was the president of the Women Student Association and the Black Student Association. Denicia was a Pierce Fellow, which introduced her to contemplative practices and reflective tools. She completed her Overseas Mission Practicum in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, serving and assisting Muslim refugees from Sudan, Iraq and Turkey. This experience confirmed Denicia’s passion for cross cultural experiences and interfaith dialogue. Denicia received a BA in Human Development and Family students and a minor in African American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
In her spare time, Denicia enjoys reading historical and current research around mass incarceration and racial disparities within the Black community as well as helping women find confidence in themselves by deconstructing beauty standards and apprehensions around makeup and natural hair.
Phone: 781-239-5969
Office: Glavin Family Chapel, Room 101
Prior to entering the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry for a Master of Divinity degree, Joe enjoyed a career as a social worker in schools, with Catholic Charities, and in Fortune 500 companies as an Employee Assistance Professional. Joe has developed an appreciation for the unique gifts God gives individuals that, when shared in community, help make our world a better place. He has earlier degrees from Loyola University in Maryland (BA, English) and Tulane University in New Orleans (Master of Social Work).
Identifying and developing strengths as a path toward self-discovery and sense of purpose is a hope Joe holds for each student at Babson. As Catholic Chaplain, he brings the Ignatian concept of cura personalis—holistic formation of the entire person: physical, mental, and spiritual—together with opportunities for prayer and sacraments, service and retreat activities, spiritual accompaniment, and community building in helping students realize more fully the happiness that comes through loving relationship with God in the formation of one’s authentic self.
Phone: 781-239-5969
Location: Glavin Family Chapel
Darrell is an ordained Baptist minister. Darrell’s ministry is centered on advancing diversity, inclusion, and advocacy for the vulnerable and marginalized as aspects of the Christian tradition to inspire our world toward greater justice and love for all people. Darrell is a graduate from Wake Forest School of Divinity where he received his Masters in Divinity in 2017. Darrell also has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Darrell’s preaching, teaching, leadership, and community engagement is inspired by the principles and scholarship of James Cone, James Baldwin, Kelly Brown Douglas, and Jeremiah Wright, Jr., and the examples of Martin Luther King, Jr., William Barber, II, Otis Moss, III, and others. Darrell is the former Executive Minister for Operations and Resource Development at Middle Collegiate Church in New York. Prior he was the Pastor for Formation and Outreach at the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain, Program Director for City Mission Boston's Urban Pastoral Ministry Program, and held leadership positions with the Massachusetts Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. Darrell’s vision for ministry is to lead an intentional welcoming, affirming, and progressive Christian community, as he conspires to advance the economic, spiritual, and systemic liberation for all marginalized people.
Phone: 781-239-5969
Location: Glavin Family Chapel
With years of experience working as a Youth Director for a Muslim community, Saddam has a strong passion for supporting young adults in their spiritual journey. In addition to his experience working as a Youth Director for a Muslim community, he has also taught several business courses such as Entrepreneurship, Principles of Marketing, as well as Islamic Studies for both high school and undergraduate students. Saddam’s diverse teaching background has allowed him to develop strong communication and mentorship skills.
His educational background includes a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Human Resources and Marketing Management, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Jordan. Saddam also had successful career as a Business Analyst, Project Consultant and Coordinator. This combination of education and professional experience has equipped him with the skills necessary to understand the unique challenges faced by students in a business setting.
As a chaplain, he is eager to provide support and guidance to the Muslim students at Babson and to create a welcoming and inclusive community. Saddam believes in making himself accessible and available to all students and finding ways to help and support them and their needs. With a deep love for my faith and a commitment to serving others, Saddam is excited to be working at Babson and making an impact on the community.
Saddam is a well-rounded individual with a variety of interests and experiences. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, swimming, and reading books. He also loves to go camping and explore the outdoors.
Phone: 781-239-5969
Location: Glavin Family Chapel
Craig (he, him, his) is so happy to join you in all the fun at Babson College and its Office for Religious and Spiritual Life. To serve a creative community of emerging adults and young entrepreneurs is truly a blessing—as is working alongside a very fine and attentive chaplain team.
A native of Los Angeles, Craig is married to Betsy, and they have two children, Cara and Jared, both in college, plus a fun pup named Zeus—who really wishes he was in college.
Craig counts it as one as his greatest joys to impact life as a rabbi—to serve God and people; to live, teach, and learn Torah; to grapple with faith; to bring healing to the world, to be a force for good. Craig is a kind, caring and flexible leader with 21st-century vision and a hearing, empathic heart. Over the years, he has implemented innovative approaches to participation, helping Jewish folks—together with their families, friends, and allies—in all sorts of varied pursuits: sacred community, prayer and ritual practice, lifelong learning, youth, teen & emerging adult engagement, social justice, shared leadership, and most recently, spiritual entrepreneurship.
Ordained in 1999 from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City, Craig also has a Master’s degree in Education from Stanford University and a Bachelor’s degree in History from UCLA.
Craig has served as a congregational rabbi, educator, and summer camp professional for over two decades. And, currently, in addition to his service at Babson, Craig is also the rabbi at Sha’arei Shalom in Ashland, MA and a Junior Varsity baseball coach at Brookline HS.
Phone: 781-239-5969
Location: Glavin Family Chapel
Meet us wherever you are in your graduate religious and spiritual life for connection and reflection in a variety of ways.
Celebrate your identity and find support for the challenges you may face. Faith groups at Babson provide a community for spiritual connection, as well as programs that engage the community and encourage interfaith dialogue. Current faith groups include:
Looking for something more? You can also create a new faith group with the support of the Director of Religious and Spiritual Life.
Babson offers a range of vibrant and inclusive multifaith programs to enrich graduate religious and spiritual life, including Catholic Mass and Breaking Bread nights, Jewish Ethics and Shabbat Services and Dinners, Jumu’ah Prayers and Pizza Nights with the Muslim Chaplain, and Interfaith Meditations and Peace Circles.
Multi-Faith Programs
Looking to connect with the wider community? Want to build family friends within your faith tradition? There are a range of Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Catholic, and Chrisitan communities and services available throughout the Greater Boston area.
Off-campus Religious ServicesWondering about the community and resources available for your faith tradition? Not seeing your faith represented? Please reach out to us for support.
Glavin Chapel, Room 101
781-239-5969
dratley@babson.edu