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Interfaith Meditation Room Undergoes Renovation


Cherry tree flowers near the Cate Center
Photo by Elinor Shelp-Peck

The Interfaith Meditation Room in Jones Chapel has recently undergone a redesign that is open for students to use now. Launa Steward, the graduate student intern, told The Herald that some changes to the room include redecorating the space and creating activities for the students.


“One of my favorite additions is an art station, where students can come in and express their spirituality by being creative,” Steward said. The room also has journals and an interfaith prayer net available to students.


Steward said she was the one who decided to redesign the Interfaith Meditation Room: “When I arrived at Meredith, I saw this space and knew it held potential.” Steward said that part of her role last semester was to make the room an “intentional space where students could come and just be for a moment.”


“I believe every college campus has and needs spaces of quiet and solitude that students can escape to when life feels busy and overwhelming,” she said. “Hopefully the Interfaith Meditation Room can be a space of restoration and peace for our students.”


Albatoul Abounouar, ‘23, President of the Muslim Student Assosciation (MSA), told The Herald that she regularly uses the Interfaith Meditation Room. Abounouar said, “In Islam we do have to pray five prayers throughout the day, and usually I do pray in between my classes the afternoon prayer called ‘Dhur’ prayer.” She said that the Interfaith Meditation Room has “room for improvement, but it is great for accommodating all students, especially Muslim commuter students.”


Abounouar said she appreciates that the space is designed for students of all backgrounds and that it is open all the time, and that the room provides Muslim prayer rugs and other supplies. “MSA is planning to add to the prayer clothes and prayer rugs so we can hold group prayers on Fridays next semester,” she said.


According to Steward, the Office of the Chaplain’s goal is “to make the chapel an inclusive space to people of all faith traditions.” The office is open to suggestions from students, and they hope that more students will take advantage of this space on campus.


By Cady Stanley, Copy Editor

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