Students Organize First-Ever "Faith Fair"

By Eliza Jessen ’26
Photos by Charlie Li '28

On Feb. 13, the Interfaith Council hosted the first Faith Fair, an event inviting members of the NMH community to learn about different religions and engage in meaningful interfaith discussions. 

For the council, interfaith leadership means creating a community where people of all religious, spiritual, or nonreligious backgrounds feel seen, respected, and able to share who they are. It’s about building understanding and connecting through each other’s stories, beliefs, and customs.  To accomplish this, we decided to put together an event in the hope that it would be a good opportunity for students to learn, ask questions, and share perspectives. 

The event itself resembled a club fair, hence the name “Faith Fair.” Representatives from different spiritual groups around campus set up stands in the Blake Atrium. Tea lights were sprinkled throughout the room and the interfaith center, giving the space a cozy and intimate feeling. All the tables were positioned in a circle along the perimeter of the Atrium, housing six groups and, of course, a big box of pizza. As people started to come in, they could loop around the room gathering information as they went. 

Each group prepared a brief presentation and then shared personal experiences relating to their journey and why that faith is important to them. Some also brought some treats to share! The Jewish Students Association made hamantaschen, and the Catholic Students Association brought king cake for Mardi Gras. The room was buzzing with conversation and curiosity. It was amazing to see everyone so engaged in dialogue and the exchange of culture. 

We’re so pleased with how the event turned out. We plan to continue doing it yearly, and in the future, we’d like to open up the Faith Fair to even more groups, so that everyone who would like to participate has the chance. A common understanding and educated respect towards one another regarding spiritual diversity is imperative to a strong community, and we’d like to strengthen the NMH body even more through just that. 

Eliza Jessen is a senior from Chicago and a member of the NMH Interfaith Council.
Charlie Li is a sophomore from Vancouver whose workjob is in the NMH communications office.