Students, staff, and faculty at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have an innate capacity for spirituality and robust practices around religious and spiritual life.
With a diverse set of beliefs and religions to live by comes an opportunity for institutions like WPI to ensure they are creating and fostering an inclusive living and learning environment by honoring the diverse beliefs of its campus community. The Collegiate Religious Center (CRC) is led by inaugural Assistant Director for Religion and Spiritual Life Kalvin Cummings (He/Him) and WPI’s Campus Chaplains. The center and its team of Campus Chaplains, Religious Advisors, and community partners are deeply invested in the spiritual well-being, growth, and support of all members of the WPI community.
WPI’s Campus Chaplains serve as a resource for anyone who wants to explore or expand their spiritual identity. The Campus Chaplains & Religious Advisors help support community members through major life changes, challenging periods of adjustment and offer guidance in faith, spirituality, and emotionality. Additionally, the Campus Chaplains work closely with faculty and staff to educate them on spiritual resources available for students and help the community to appreciate, respect, and embrace the diverse faiths practiced here.
The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) is pleased to announce and welcome three (3) new members to our Campus Chaplaincy team:
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Pastor Rocky Hedrick (He/Him)
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Pastor Robert Mageza (He/Him)
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Priest Balarama Anuja Dasa (He/Him)
Each of our new spiritual advisors serve the Greater Worcester community in their own way. Pastor Rocky Hedrick joined the Vox Church pastoral staff in January of 2020 as the Worcester Campus Pastor. Pastor Rocky has been a member of Vox Church multi-site non-denominational Christian church since 2017 and was a part of the Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA campuses prior to joining staff to launch the Worcester campus.
Priest Balarama Anuja Dasa has been serving the mission of India Heritage Foundation since August 2017. He and his family have devoted their energy in helping the organization grow a congregation and build an exquisite Krishna Temple in very nearby Shrewsbury, MA that is about to be inaugurated this upcoming 4th of July weekend.
Pastor Robert Mageza has been in active ministry for the past 40 years and is an ordained minister and founder of Hope and Deliverance Ministries in Worcester, MA. He is also the Lead Evangelist for Forward in Faith Ministries USA, which is part of the larger organization internationally.
To no surprise, the leadership of these faith leaders has made its' reach to students at WPI. Students from Intervarsity Christian Fellowship have been nourished by Sunday morning worship and bible study with Pastor Rocky. Priest Balarama Anuja Dasa guides students weekly in on-campus study of the Bhagavad-gita Saturdays at 6:00 PM EDT with students from the Origins Club during fall and spring semesters. Weekly intercessory prayer has also been led by Pastor Robert for the spiritual guidance of youth and immigrants in the Worcester community.
A cornerstone across faith traditions is the importance of community. As faith leaders, we commit ourselves to support the spiritual life of parishes, churches, and other different spaces of communal sharing. I am overjoyed to share in the leadership of the Collegiate Religious Center with a group of clergy who answer the call to commit themselves to support the spiritual life of the WPI community. Join me in welcoming them to the Herd. Pastor Rocky, Pastor Robert, and Priest Balarama Anuja Dasa are eager to meet with members of the WPI community and will begin holding student hours during the fall.
-Kalvin Cummings (He/Him), Assistant Director for Religion and Spiritual Life
To schedule time to connect with them please email: Pastor Robert rmegeza@wpi.edu, Pastor Rocky rhedrick@wpi.edu, and Priest Balarama Anuja Dasa bnatarajan@wpi.edu
Please join us in sending a warm welcome to them as they join our WPI community! For more information about WPI's Campus Chaplains and the Collegiate Religious Center, please contact Kalvin Cummings (He/Him) at diversity@.wpi.edu.
The Collegiate Religious Center (CRC) provides a space to WPI students, faculty, staff, and community members for the purpose of religious exploration, devotions, worship, prayer, education, administration, and fellowship. Our team of Campus Chaplains serve as spiritual advisors for students, and can offer support and guidance irrespective of students' primary religious traditions. As spiritual advisors to the WPI community, Campus Chaplains counteract the inequality of varied expression(s) of religion, spirituality, and any form of meaning-making practice and support student meaning-making expression to tend with systems of oppression as well as any other stressors. This center includes several reservable spaces to suit both spiritual and non-spiritual needs, including a Multifaith Meeting Space, Islamic Prayer Room, and Multifaith Worship Space.
The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) promotes and oversees all student facing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) learning experiences, programs, services, trainings, and initiatives for WPI.