Spirituality Resources & Information

Campus Resources

Space for Prayer & Community Events

  • The Quiet Space on the Ground Floor of the Wellness Center is open for prayer and reflection 24/7

  • The Muslim Student Association hosts Jummah Prayers every Friday in the UCC Gallery Room from 1-2 p.m. These events are open to all Stevens community members.

  • Students, faculty and staff are invited to connect, listen, and talk about faith each semester at the Winter and Spring Interfaith Summits. These events include representatives from many student faith-based organizations on campus and invited religious leaders from the local community. 

    • Winter Interfaith Summit: Wednesday, December 4, 3-5PM in Bissinger.

    • Spring Interfaith Summit: Wednesday, April 9, 3-5PM in Bissinger.

Support for Religious Fasting

Academic Considerations

  • Give students who are fasting the option to take tests at a different time (early morning or late night vs. late afternoon)

  • Allow students to leave your class for 10 minutes for prayer if requested

Meal Options

  • Dining Services has to-go containers in Pierce to accommodate the fasting schedule for students with a meal plan and meal packs for sale.

Empathy & Understanding

  • Expressing understanding for friends, students and colleagues can make a positive impact on their experience.

  • If you are unsure about how to support students or colleagues who are fasting, don’t hesitate to ask them privately if they need anything.

Holidays and Resources

Stevens is a diverse community representing many different religious and cultural groups. Every year, Stevens publishes a list of holidays on which university offices are closed and no classes are held. However, the university will not be closed on every date on which members of our community may have religious or cultural observances.

Certain religious and cultural observances (listed below) take place during the fall and spring semesters which may affect people in the Stevens community when the university is open. While the university will be open for business and classes on these days and many classes, meetings, events, and other activities will occur, we ask that you try to avoid scheduling institutional or departmental events (i.e., events which involve large groups of people) on these days, or assigning work, quizzes, exams or class presentations that are due upon these days.

While all are asked to keep these dates in mind and share them with others who are scheduling meetings and other events, any unintentional oversight of a date listed below should not be seen as indicative of bias.

Faculty and staff who are absent from work to observe these or other religious or cultural observances should consult the vacation and personal day policies applicable to them and inform their supervisor or department chair (or dean) of any planned absences. Faculty should note such absences on their syllabus and work to make arrangements to reschedule classes and assignments.

Students who are absent from class for these or other religious or cultural observances should inform their faculty and work study supervisors in advance of their absence, preferably at the start of the semester. Faculty and supervising staff will, to the extent possible within the academic calendar, Stevens’ policies and other requirements of the course or program, work with such students to accommodate their religious or cultural observances.

2024

  • Rosh Hashanah October 2-4; begins sundown October 2

  • Yom Kippur October 11-12; begins sundown October 11

  • Mid-Autumn Festival September 17

  • Diwali November 1

2025

  • Lunar New Year January 29th

  • Holi* March 14-15; begins at sundown March 14

  • Ramadan February 28 – March 29 ; begins at sundown February 28

  • Passover April 12-20; begins at sundown April 12

  • Good Friday April 18

  • Easter Sunday April 20

  • Eid al-Fitr* March 30-31; begins at sundown April 30

  • Eid al-Adha* June 6-7, begins at sundown June 6

*Dates may vary by cultural tradition.

The Quiet Space offers a place for students, faculty and staff to meditate, pray or reflect. This space is located on the lower level of the Wellness Center and is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Retaliation against any employee or student who is absent from work or classes for a religious or cultural observance (as discussed in this memorandum) is prohibited by Stevens’ policies and should be reported to the Division of Human Resources or Division of Student Affairs, as applicable.

More Information

Questions? Email the Office of Student Culture and Belonging at [email protected].