Chaplains, Staff, and Spiritual Advisors
We’d love to connect – email us, call us, or drop by!
We are located at 163 Wood St., next to the Admissions Office and in the same building as the Harward Center.
Chaplains and Staff
Brittany Longsdorf
Multifaith Chaplain
blongsdo@bates.edu
207-786-6125
Brittany enjoys creating open spaces for multifaith meaning-making, creative spiritual expression, deep one-on-one conversations, and interfaith dialogue. Alongside her chaplaincy work, she is a local artist and teaches a Bates First Year Seminar (FYS) in Arts & Spirituality. Brittany has been in higher education chaplaincy for over a decade, and prior to Bates she worked in religious and spiritual life at Princeton University and Boston University. She has a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, a Doctorate of Ministry from Boston University School of Theology, and is an ordained Protestant clergy member.
Raymond Clothier
Associate Multifaith Chaplain
rclothie@bates.edu
207-753-6906
Raymond is passionate about exploring meaning and purpose inside and outside the bounds of religion. He has many years of experience helping college students contemplate and explore the relationship between spirituality, meaning, and work. He has a Master of Divinity from the Vanderbilt University Divinity School, a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Doctor of Ministry from Hartford International University for Religion and Peace (formerly Hartford Seminary). Supporting students, staff, and faculty through mental health challenges is a priority for him and he is currently working towards licensure as a clinical social worker. He has ordained standing in the United Church of Christ, but loves working in an environment where many worldviews are in play.
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Samantha McCune
Program Coordinator
smccune@bates.edu
207-786-8272
Samantha has a passion for helping to create warm, safe and welcoming spaces that allow for self reflection, exploration and community building. Themes surrounding identity, meaning-making, spiritual formation, and the thresholds of life are especially important to her. Samantha was deeply involved with interfaith dialogue at Merrimack College where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Religious and Theological Studies. She also has a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology.
Rabbi Sruli Dresdner
Affiliated Chaplain
Jewish
idresdne@bates.edu
Rabbi Sruli is a native New Yorker who recently moved to Maine to become the spiritual leader of Temple Shalom in Auburn. He is a very musical Rabbi and plays the clarinet, accordion, drums and banjo (some simultaneously) as well as some wackier instruments. He and his wife, Lisa, have been featured on TV and have performed all over the world and at colleges all over the country. Rabbi Sruli is looking forward to working together with the Bates Hillel and he is always up for a good discussion on everything from Philosophy to Papa Pear. He hopes to welcome students to many special events throughout the year that combine scholarship, music, food, and, of course, Shabbat and Holiday celebrations.
Spiritual Advisors
Bates College has welcomed the following people as volunteer “Spiritual Advisors.” They serve particular religious communities on our campus. If you are looking to connect with someone from a particular religious tradition, this is a good place to start. If you do not find someone from your religious tradition, please contact the Multifaith Chaplains for assistance.
Frank Daggett
Catholic
Deacon Frank became involved with college ministry while earning his Master of Pastoral Theology degree from Saint Joseph’s College, where he received the Spirit of Mercy Award and the Xavieran Award for Service. He and his wife Barbara have served in a broad array of church ministries and community service as they lived around the USA and Canada during his career as a naval officer and after settling down in Maine. Ecumenical and multifaith engagement are both essential and mutually enriching and, Frank believes, can be an effective model for collaboration in the public sphere as well, especially in seeking solutions to problems of poverty, violence, and injustice. Volunteering with interfaith groups such as Habitat for Humanity has taken him to New York, Appalachia, Guatemala, and Haiti. Frank enjoys sailing, outdoor activities, listening to many kinds of music, and is especially active in environmental stewardship, writing and working with Catholic Charities Maine in Parish Social Ministry.
Venerable Tenzin Dasel
Buddhist
Venerable Tenzin Dasel is a teacher and meditation instructor at Tashi Gatsel Ling in Maine, USA. She graduated from Bates College in 1988, Bangor Theological Seminary in 2006, and received monastic ordination with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2017. She founded the Maine Mindfulness Project in 2008 and has served as a retreat teacher at the Thosamling Institute and Nunnery in 2017 and as a meditation leader at the Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women in Hong Kong in 2017 and Australia in 2019. She is active as a retreat leader, speaker, and moderator in the International Network of Engaged Buddhists and currently serves on the Female Sangha Leadership Committee. Ven. Dasel has taught in many venues including the Parliament of World Religions in 2015 and 2018 and continues this work as a Dharma Teacher at tenzindasella.com.
Debbie Rogers Duval
Christian
Reverend Debbie Rogers Duval (she/her/hers) is the pastor of High Street Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Auburn, Maine. Debbie has been active in ministering to the unhoused, those who are experiencing trauma and those facing food insecurity. She is a graduate of Andover Newton Theological School where she also earned certificates in pastoral care and interfaith studies. She is a lifelong learner who enjoys movies, camping, hiking, cycling, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Sarah Gillespie
Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Sarah Gillespie is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and board-certified healthcare chaplain. She works at Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice and tends to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families from a wide spectrum of faiths, including the non-religious. She grew up in New Jersey has lived, studied, and worked in DC, Boston, and western NY before finally planting roots in Lewiston (just down the street from Bates). She lives with her spouse, Adam, and their growing toddler, Luke. You’ll see them walking around the puddle or sometimes grabbing a meal at Commons. She looks forward to engaging UU students and spiritual seekers in conversations around religion, reason, meaning-making and the theology of baseball.
Mark Jones
Christian
Mark Jones is a Chrisitan minister who centers his call to ministry on athletes. Mark received his Bachelor of Arts from St.Joseph’s College in Standish in 2000 and was commissioned as a minister at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Topsham in 2018. He felt the call to ministry in 2012 after several years in TV news and manufacturing. While Mark is passionate about serving and encouraging athletes and coaches at Bates, he is equally excited to serve and encourage any who need it. Mark lives in Richmond with his wife, Denise, three children, his old cat and young dog (a real house full).