The George Washington University has hired the first university chaplain and director to lead a newly launched Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life, an office based out of the Division for Student Affairs that aims to enhance interfaith and spiritual efforts at GW by promoting and supporting spiritual development, theological reflections, religious expression, social justice and social awareness.
Kristen Glass Perez will serve as the university chaplain and is charged with leading the center by championing a multifaith chaplaincy program drawing on GW and D.C. resources. Simran Kaur-Colbert will be its inaugural director who will oversee the center’s day-to-day operations, programming, communications and outreach.
The center, which will be located inside the University Student Center, is scheduled to open sometime within the current academic year.
“I am delighted for Kristen Glass Perez and Dr. Simran Kaur-Colbert to join the Division for Student Affairs as development of the Center for interfaith and Spiritual Life moves forward,” said Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Colette Coleman. “Individually, the expertise they each possess will help make them key resources for our students and university community as a whole. I look forward to working closely with them both to enhance our interfaith programming and nurture understanding of our community members' diverse religious and spiritual identities.”
Glass Perez comes to GW after serving as the university chaplain and executive director of religious and spiritual life at Northwestern University. Much of her professional work has focused on integrating religious and spiritual life programs and university chaplaincy into the broad life of the institution through collaboration with many different campus partners. In addition to Northwestern, she has also served as college/university chaplain at Augustana College in Illinois and Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania.
In addition to her graduate work in theology, Glass Perez holds certificates in leading change from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and in emerging ministries from Wartburg Theological Seminary. She also served as the founding director for young adult ministry for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the denomination in which she is an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament. Glass Perez received her bachelor’s degree in speech communications with minors in French and women’s studies from Gustavus Adolphus College.
At Northwestern, she supervised and created a multifaith team of chaplains, faculty and staff who serve people of various religious and spiritual perspectives, including those without defined religious identities, and looks forward to incorporating that mindset with students at GW.
“One core principle I emphasize is that a university chaplain serves everyone, regardless of their specific beliefs,” said Glass Perez. “Chaplains are trained in emotional and spiritual care for all, so in that framework I’m a chaplain to all, and a pastor to some.”
Her early impression of the people at GW have been overwhelmingly positive, and she looks forward to contributing to and learning from the university’s vibrant community as she focuses on building a culture of inclusivity within the center.
“There’s a rich history of student groups and community partners at GW,” Glass Perez said. “The D.C. area also serves as an incredible living laboratory for identity, practice and engagement. I believe in fostering an environment where we can challenge ideas without canceling people.”
Kaur-Colbert arrives to GW from the Earlham College in Indiana, where she was the director of student engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion. She also served as special assistant to the interim vice president for institutional diversity at Miami University, Ohio, where she earned a Ph.D. in student affairs in high education.
She also holds a master’s degree in diplomacy and international commerce from the University of Kentucky and a bachelor’s degree in business administration and international affairs from the University of Mary Washington, where she was honored as an Outstanding Alumna.
Kaur-Colbert, who also has extensive experience in nonprofit work, was honored as a Contemplative Social Justice Fellow by the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education in 2019.
Born in New Delhi, India, before growing up in the Mid-Atlantic region, Kaur-Colbert said she didn’t necessarily encounter others who shared her Sikh identity until graduate school, which made her realize how important it is for students to have the freedom to express their beliefs and identities.
“When students feel they can share their perspectives—whether they are religious, secular or anything in between—their sense of belonging increases,” she said.
Like Glass Perez, Kaur-Colbert was impressed with the diverse group of GW students she met during her interview, especially their expressed desire for connection and positive engagement, and as director she hopes students from all backgrounds reach out to the center and take advantage of the resources it plans to provide.
“We aim to offer intentional programming that supports student leadership and helps develop the capacity for constructive dialogue,” Kaur-Colbert said. “We want to create spaces for both interfaith debate and dialogue, ensuring that students can express their deeply held beliefs while also engaging with others respectfully.”
Glass Perez and Kaur-Colbert are tasked with leading a center that advances the goals of GW's “Strengthening Our Community” plan. The center is part of a university-wide initiative to enhance supportive campus environments and interfaith engagement through religious, secular, spiritual identity development guided by the foundational principles of free inquiry, intellectual rigor, open dialogue, honest debate and mutual respect.
“As the new Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life begins to take shape, the hiring of our university chaplain and director of interfaith and spiritual life marks important progress toward fulfilling our commitment to fostering a more supportive and inclusive campus environment,” said President Ellen M. Granberg. “It is a pleasure to welcome Reverend Glass Perez and Dr. Kaur-Colbert to the GW family, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have on our community.”
With the hires of Glass Perez and Kaur-Colbert, the hiring focus will now shift to an affiliate-based council of chaplains who will serve as spiritual mentors and offer guidance on religious and spiritual matters. DSA has worked to connect with many faith and religious organizations on campus and throughout the region to engage them in their participation to lead faith-related topics and provide pastoral care or other support through the center.
