Religious Life Advisers
Religious Life Advisers are local faith leaders who partner with The Office of Religious Life to ensure that students are supported in their diverse traditions and practices. While they are not staff members of the university, our advisers nonetheless play a deeply meaningful role within our community. They offer support during times of celebration, crisis, and everyday life, expanding the university’s unique network of care. Recognized student groups may work with our office to assess student needs, consider potential advisers, and complete an official application process that may lead toward recognition for the academic year.
Religious Groups at Columbia University
Rev. Doyeon Park
108 Earl Hall, MC 2008
Email: [email protected]
Web: CUBA Facebook Page
Weekly Meditation: Thursdays, 7:30–8:30 p.m.
Location: Earl Hall, Dodge Room
Rev. Doyeon Park is a Kyomunim, literally meaning one who devotes oneself to teach Buddha dharma in the Won Buddhist tradition. She has served as the Buddhist Religious Life Advisor at Columbia University since 2011. She is also the Buddhist chaplain at New York University and a minister at the Manhattan Won Buddhist Temple.
Inspired by the Buddhist idea of inner freedom and happiness, Rev. Park started her monastic training in 1998. She graduated from Dept. of Won Buddhism, Won Kwang University, Iksan, Korea and earned an M.A. in Won Buddhist Studies from Won Institute of Graduate Studies, Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA. She received full ordination in 2007.
Rabbi Yehuda Drizin
Email: [email protected]
Naomi Drizin
Web: www.chabadstudentcenter.com
Shabbat Meals and Services: Friday and Saturday Nights
Location: 625 West 113th Street
New York, NY 10025
Rabbi Yuda Drizin grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. He studied in yeshiva abroad in Paris, Israel and Argentina before returning to New York to receive his rabbinical ordination. He loves to connect with people of all ages, stages and backgrounds to discuss Jewish thought, share inspiration and best of all to just schmooze over coffee.
Naomi Drizin was raised in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. After completing her schooling, she taught for three years at Beth Rivkah girls high school before beginning a masters program at Wurzweiler School of Social Work. She ensures that everyone who walks through the door at Chabad feels comfortable and welcome with her enthusiasm and warm smile.
Father Roger Landry
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.columbia-catholic.org
Catholic Mass: Monday–Friday, 12:15–1:00 p.m., Sundays, 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Location: Notre Dame Church
Father Roger J. Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, was appointed Catholic Chaplain to Columbia University in 2022 by Cardinal Timothy Dolan. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the Pontifical North American College in Rome. From 2015-22, he served as Attaché to the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York and previously had been pastor of two parishes, executive editor of the Fall River diocese’s weekly newspaper, and a high school chaplain. He is the inaugural chaplain of the Thomas Merton Institute for Catholic Life (which supports the Columbia Catholic chaplaincy), Ecclesiastical Assistant (national chaplain) to Aid to the Church in Need USA, a Papal Missionary of Mercy, a National Eucharistic Preacher for the USCCB’s National Eucharistic Revival, Chaplain to the New York Chapter of the Leonine Forum, and a Member of the Board of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Martyrs in Auriesville, New York. He writes for many publications, appears regularly on television and radio, was a color commentator for EWTN’s onsite coverage during the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, and is the author of Plan of Life: Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God (Pauline Books and Media 2018).
Rabbi Yonah Hain
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.columbiabarnardhillel.org
Office Hours: Sign up to schedule a meeting with Rabbi Hain.
Prayer Schedule:
Conservative Jewish
Shabbat: Sundown on Fridays; Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.
Orthodox Jewish
Daily 7:45 a.m. and sundown
Shabbat: Sundown on Fridays; Saturdays, 9:15 a.m.
Reform Jewish
Shabbat: Fridays, 6:15 p.m.
Location: The Kraft Center
606 West 115th Street
New York, NY 10027
As campus rabbi of Columbia University, Yonah Hain guides the educational, interfaith and religious initiatives of Columbia/Barnard Hillel’s robust Jewish community. Yonah is passionate about Jewish thought, and specializes in text study and religious law in particular. He started at Columbia in 2007 and also worked for three years downtown at New York University. Yonah received his B.A. in Talmudic Literature and ordination from Jerusalem’s rabbinic court. He currently lives on the Upper West Side with his wife, Elana, and their two children, Azzan and Navon. Yonah is on campus full-time with an office at the Kraft Center.
Rev. Daniel Lee
Email: [email protected]
Web: facebook.com/cck.cu
Bible Study: Fridays, 7:30 p.m.
Location: Lerner 302
Pastor Daniel Lee has served as Religious Life Advisor at the Columbia/Barnard Compass Christian Koinonia for over twelve years, and also pastors a local Baptist Church. He received degrees from UC Berkeley, UC Hastings Law School, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. His religious interests include constructive theology and the integration of faith/work.
Vicky Samaritano
Email: [email protected]
Website: nycfacultyroundtable.org
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/groups/columbiakccc/
Vicky works with Cru, an interdenominational Christian organization for students and other segments of society around the world. She’s been working with undergrad and grad students at Columbia since 2004 and in 2018 began investing in the faculty community through an initiative called The Faculty Roundtable. She loves coming alongside students and faculty serving as a safe place to listen, process, and support them in their spiritual and academic journeys. She also enjoys working alongside her fellow Cru staff at Columbia who lead an arm of our global organization called Soon Movement (KCCC). She is available to meet by appointment throughout the week.
Ryan Kuratko
101 Earl Hall, MC 2008
Email: [email protected]
Web: Facebook.com/ColumbiaCanterbury and canterburynyc.org/uptown-home
Eucharist: Sundays, 6:15 p.m.
Location: St. Paul’s Chapel
Noonday Prayer: Once a week
Office Hours: Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Location: Room 101 Earl Hall
The Rev. Ryan Kuratko is fascinated by the multi-dimensional formation of higher education. Ordained an Episcopal priest in 2006, he has more than 12 years of experience leading, teaching, and shaping Christian communities interested in compassion and justice. He is drawn to the generous Episcopal traditions that value everyday spirituality, rich diversity, and humor.
Ryan received a BA in philosophy from Northwestern University, an MDiv from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a PhD from Emory University in religion, with an added concentration in the study of religious practices.
Dr. Nori Rost
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Nori Rost is the Leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture and a Humanist LA here at Columbia. She was a minister with Metropolitan Community Church (a queer Christian denomination) for almost 20 years before expanding beyond Christianity. She was then a Unitarian Universalist minister for 13 years in Colorado Springs, CO before coming to New York in August 2022 to take on the role of Leader at NYSEC.
Nori calls herself an “optimistic humanist” and believes we each have within us something that calls us to our highest selves. Whether that’s the evolutionary impulse that first led us ashore, the universal innate experience of love or something else, she’s still following that call and is always in awe of the miracles and mysteries of life in its most common forms.
She is passionate about social justice and has been involved in social rights activism since she was 17. She is an outspoken advocate for justice and equity and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work.
Nori holds a Master of Divinity from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado, and a Doctor of Ministry from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition, she holds a Certificate for Spiritual Direction from the Benet Hill Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado and is also a Certified Life Mastery Consultant with Brave Thinking Institute.
Hon Eng — Graduate Students
101 Earl Hall, MC 2003
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.columbia.edu/cu/ivcfg
Phone: 646-715-6079
Hon Eng did his undergraduate studies at Drew University. He received his Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and his Master of Theology in New Testament Studies from McMaster Divinity College. He has served InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Columbia for 20 years. Currently, his ministry focuses on graduate students and faculty. He is available for appointments from 12:00 noon to 10:00 pm from Monday to Friday.
Becca Seely
Email: [email protected]
The Rev. Becca Seely is a campus pastor who works with college and graduate students throughout New York City. Locally, she serves as pastor of LaMP (Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians & Friends), a progressive Protestant campus ministry in Morningside Heights. She was not raised in church and first began to explore questions of faith when she was in college. As a result, Becca is particularly passionate about working with young adults who are asking questions about God and what gives our lives meaning and purpose. She love hearing people's stories, learning new things and discovering the unexpected ways God is working in the world around us. In her free time, she enjoys running and biking in Central Park, hanging out with her wife, Abby, and planning elaborate theme parties. Becca is an active member of Proclaim, the professional community for LGBTQ Lutheran clergy. She holds a BA from Wesleyan University and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School and is ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Rabbi Zach Horwitz
Email: [email protected]
Zach Horwitz born and raised in New York, went to SUNY Albany to study journalism. During his time at SUNY Albany, Zach began a digital marketing business called Pelos Digital. For seven years, Zach has assisted his clients in achieving public recognition on social media in their respective fields. Two years after graduating college, Zach spent five years in yeshivas and kollels in Jerusalem. Now he joins Meor Columbia as an a campus educator.
Ebad Rahman
Muslim Life Coordinator
Phone: (347) 266-1425
Office Address: 110 Earl Hall
Mailing Address: 2980 Broadway, MC 2008, NY, NY 10027
Email: [email protected]
Web: msa.studentgroups.columbia.edu
Salat (Daily Prayer): 110 Earl Hall
Jumua (Friday Prayers) 1:15–2:00 p.m.
Location: Earl Hall Auditorium
Halaqa
Thursdays 7:00–8:30 p.m.
Location: Earl Hall Auditorium
Eric Lipscomb
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804-363-4333
Web: www.columbiaruf.org
Meetings: Thursdays, 8:00 p.m.
Location: Varies by week, email [email protected] for location.
Rev. Eric Lipscomb received a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia, and his Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America, and has served as the RUF Campus Minister at Columbia since 2014. He enjoys processing questions of life and faith with students, and is available to meet by appointment throughout the week.
Stephen Erich
Email: [email protected]
Stephen Erich is a college chaplain for students in New York City. In May ’21, Stephen graduated with an MA in Religion from Yale Divinity School, where he organized a conference on mass incarceration and was an editor for the Yale Journal of International Affairs. Prior to Yale, Stephen studied international business and received an MBA from Andrews University. Stephen has worked on religious and human rights issues in over 15 states and 5 countries. He currently attends a Seventh-day Adventist Church on the Upper East Side and enjoys hosting friends at his home in Lincoln Square.