Vocabulary Lessons

Every community has its own jargon, words that serve as shorthand for commonly discussed ideas, places, etc. But as with any jargon, it takes some time getting used to, and can be very confusing at first. By now, you should realize there are a lot of specific terms thrown about: Refectory, GPSCY, Divvies, Marquand, BTFO. To give y'all a leg up, here are some key words or phrases that you'll hear said a lot around the Divinity School that we haven't really touched upon already.

Do read this carefully, there will be quiz.

SDQ

the Quad/SDQ — the Sterling Divinity Quadrangle, the buildings and lawn that comprise Yale Divinity School. The Quad doesn't just refer to the green space in between the buildings, but the whole complex. You can see this in YDS's newsletter, "Around the Quad."

the Hill — specifically, Prospect Hill. The div school is in many ways a "city on a hill." It is designed after Thomas Jefferson's "academical village" at the University of Virginia, and is one of the highest points in the city. You can  see the steeple on Marquand Chapel throughout East Rock and parts of New Haven, even from Lighthouse Point across the New Haven Harbor and from several look-out points on Sleeping Giant. Further down the hill, towards the rest of campus, lie the Kline Biology Tower, physics and chemistry labs, and the School of Forestry and Environmental Science (FES)—leading to the area also being known as "Science Hill."

Downtown — the part of Yale's campus down the Hill from the div school, particularly in the actual downtown area of New Haven, where Yale College and the Hall of Graduate Studies are, but often Divvies will sometimes use the term to refer to anything other than the div school. This is most often used in conjunction with the idea of "taking a class downtown," specifically classes through the Graduate School, perhaps in the Departments of Religion or Sociology. Sometimes courses taken at the Schools of Management, Drama, or Forestry will be referred to as "downtown" classes as well, which can be confusing since their buildings are not located in the geographical downtown of New Haven. Other schools do not use this terminology, so expect some blanks stares if you use it with students from other parts of the university.

the Candy Bowl — if you are reading this blog, you have already encountered this term. The Candy Bowl sits at the end of the cluster of offices on the north wing of the Quad right past Niebuhr Hall (this will mean nothing to you until you're here). What's important about the Candy Bowl, other than that it is full of candy for when you need it, is that it sits outside of Dale Peterson's office, and is surrounded by the offices of other important student support staff (i.e. Julie Kelsey, Lisa Huck, Doreen Generoso, and their assistants).

PWG, the "cathedral of sweat"

PWG — Payne Whitney Gymnasium, or the "Cathedral of Sweat." Yes, that huge neo-Gothic cathedral-looking building is a gym. In fact, it is the second largest gymnasium in the world, after the Olympic Gym in Moscow. PWG is a somewhat confusing building to navigate, especially with all of its half-floors that allowed it to get around building codes that limited the height of buildings in New Haven.

CPE — Clinical Pastoral Education; this is a requirement in a great many denominations for ordination. This is either a summer- or year-long program that places divinity school and seminary students in hospitals as chaplains. The program is known for its intensity and the ways it challenges and develops those who go through it. Many 2nd and 3rd year students will often speak about how things have changed, "since I went through CPE."

Dale Mail — the all-school listserv, moderated by Dale Peterson. Lots of things go out over Dale Mail, from important official announcements, to advertisements about free furniture, to reports of lost sunglasses. You can expect on average 10-15 Dale Mails a day, leading some people to opt for a daily digest instead of receiving each email separately. If you want to know when free food pops up across campus, you should keep a sharp eye on Dale Mail in the afternoons.

ISM — the Institute of Sacred Music, one of our "partners on the Quad." The ISM is a joint venture of the Divinity School and the School of Music, which provides an opportunity for emphasis on the religion and arts in curriculum and community life. ISM students themselves are a mix of students from the div school and the School of Music, but courses offered by the ISM are open to all. The ISM also provides much of the support behind Marquand Chapel services, as well as offering artist receptions, talks, and concerts throughout the year.

SML/Sterling — the Sterling Memorial Library, Yale's main library. Lots of people use "Sterling," but the Sterling family have been Yale's largest donors through time, so there are approximately 8 billion things on campus with "Sterling" in the name, which can get confusing. You will often find SML listed on Orbis, the library's card catalog.

Berkeley, or BDS — Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. Berkeley is an Episcopal seminary attached to YDS. The exact divisions are somewhat difficult to discern, as all Berkeley faculty are YDS faculty, and all Berkeley students are YDS students. Berkeley offers formation for students seeking ordination in the Episcopal/Anglican traditions, as well as programs available to all, including a weekly community Eucharist and dinner on Wednesday nights, Morning Prayer every morning, and the Annand Program for spiritual direction. Berkeley is also the name of one of the undergraduate residential colleges.

the Whale — known by many names other than the Whale (Esther thinks it looks like a Viking helmet, which is probably the closest to reality, given that a Swedish dude designed it), the Ingalls Rink is home to Yale Ice Hockey (who have had amazing seasons recently), but also is the location of the food carts closest to the div school. This location is often just called "the Carts," which adds to the confusion.


Have you heard us toss around a phrase or two that you don't understand? Let us know, and we'll make an addition!

Meet Colin Britt: Director of Music for Marquand Chapel

Whether you are someone who will attend Marquand Chapel on a regular basis, someone who attends every once in a while for special occasions, or someone who only ever attends by accidentally wandering in, there is one thing that cannot be denied about Marquand: the music is phenomenal. Partly due to the abundance of talented musicians studying in the Institute of Sacred Music and Yale Divinity School, and partly due to the fervor with which YDS students seem to engage with the music, chapel music is impressive. Colin Britt, better known as the man Dale Peterson would like to be for a day, is the Director of Music for Marquand Chapel, and since he will undoubtedly have some influence over your chapel experience, we wanted to give him a chance to introduce himself before y'all arrive. This will also offer a glimpse at what daily services in Marquand are like, something you can experience and explore further during BTFO.

Colin Britt, bringing music and tuxedos
to the students of Yale Divinity
School 5 days a week.

Q: Who are you? What are you doing here? How would you describe your role(s) on campus?

A: My name is Colin Britt, and I am the Director of Music for Marquand Chapel. My role on campus (and basically, in chapel) is part song-leader, part cantor, part accompanist, part composer, part conductor, and part liturgist. In other words, I'm usually either leading or coordinating music in chapel services, or planning upcoming liturgies with the other members of the Chapel Team.

Q: In the simplest way possible, what is Marquand Chapel all about?

A: We strive to create and sustain a worshipping community in which everyone has a voice, and where everyone is able to participate and learn something about various faith traditions, perhaps including their own. It's always a learning experience (especially for those who are planning or leading worship), and we are always trying to find new ways to open up liturgies and traditions to people who may not be familiar with them. Most importantly, it's a place where we endeavor to make everyone feel welcome.

Q: If you were going to describe the daily Marquand experience in terms of its music, what would you say?

A: Lots and lots of singing! We're SO incredibly blessed to have a community that loves to sing, and is willing to try new ideas. Beyond that, I would say that over the course of a few days, we always aim to feature music from a wide variety of cultures, traditions, and styles. Our regular musical repertoire draws from the work of my predecessor, the incomparable Patrick Evans, who introduced our community to hymns and songs from across the globe. We are proudly continuing his work on a daily basis.

Q: What do you find to be the best and the most difficult parts of your position as Director of Chapel Music?

A: When planning a service, the main question we always ask ourselves is, "Whose voice is missing?" We're always trying to find the right balance of diversity, authenticity, and universality, and finding that mix is a continual challenge, but a very rewarding one.

I'd say that, from a musical standpoint, my biggest challenge is making sure that we are honoring the authenticity of a tradition from which we're drawing, while making sure that the whole congregation is able to participate. This especially means bringing in the talents of our student body, which possesses such a wealth of gifts. We're very lucky to have several wonderful singers and instrumentalists who are willing to share their talents regularly in chapel. For me, that's definitely the most exciting part of my job—handing over leadership to a student who is then able to invite the community into song, far more effectively than I could hope to!

Q: What is the best way for incoming students to get involved in daily chapel? 

A: Show up! Come as often as you can. Every day truly is a different experience, and the only way to learn from and shape the worshipping environment we have is to be present.

Every year I send out an email inviting students to share their musical talents in chapel. I try to rotate through a list of all interested people so that everyone has a chance to play or sing as often as they like—though sometimes I may ask at the last minute!

There are other ways to be involved, including reading scripture, poetry, or prayers, serving communion, baking bread, dancing, helping with setup, and even washing communion linens. There are signup sheets in the hallway outside the chapel for anyone who would like to be involved in these ways. Christa Swenson is our liturgical coordinator and does a wonderful job of recruiting people for these jobs.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice for incoming students as someone who has been a part of several BTFOs, what would it be?

A: DON'T be overwhelmed by the massive amount of information being thrown your way. Take advantage of the great advice you're given, and then choose just a few things you'd like to explore. Sign up for at least one student organization or activity, as you will certainly need an outlet from the studying you'll be doing. And try all of the food! New Haven is a great place to eat.

Q: You were recently named the person that Dale would most like to be for a day! Congratulations! So now the real question is, if YOU could be anyone else on the YDS campus for one day, who would you choose and why?

A: Dale Peterson is certainly high on my list—I'm pretty sure he could wave his arms and candy would magically appear! Not to mention that he is one of the most generous and kind-hearted people I have ever met.

I think, however, my number one person to be is probably Mark Miller. He's a prolific and talented composer and performer, and he works miracles with choirs of any size. I've known him to arrive on a Monday night with no anthem in hand, and he will literally write the music in his head and teach it to a choir at the same time; by 10:30 the next morning, he'll have a thing of beauty no one could have dreamed of. He's also a rock star.

Q: What is your favorite spot in New Haven?

A: It varies somewhat on the time of year, but aside from my neighborhood coffee place (Café Romeo), it's probably that little stretch of trees along St. Ronan St. (at the bottom of the hill behind the quad) on my walk to work. There's something incredibly peaceful and yet invigorating about that stretch of sidewalk for me; it helps me find my center as I begin each day. And the cherry blossoms in spring are breathtaking!

Q: What do you do when you're not directing the chapel music?

A: I wish I could give you a simple answer, other than "I live on I-91." I teach part-time at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, I'm the assistant music director of the Hartford Chorale, I work at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, and I frequently direct music for theater productions at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford; somewhere in the midst of all that I try to find time to write music. And I'm planning a wedding in November with my fianceé!

Congratulations! We're that at the very least, the music will be outstanding.

And now for the tough questions:

Q: Where do you go for pizza in New Haven, and what do you get?

A: It's kind of a "love the one you're with" situation for me and New Haven pizza, but my top pick is usually Modern. I love just about everything there, but my go-to choice is a pizza (sauce and all) with pepperoni, salami, and garlic.

Q: Aaaand since it's getting to the end of the summer and we could use a lil' boost - what's your favorite thing about Esther and Patrick?

A: How could I possibly choose just one thing? They're both fun-loving, outgoing people who truly care about this community. And they address just about every email with y'all. What's not to love?

Happy Hours and Late Nights: New Haven's Bar Scene

We have already discussed GPSCY in great detail, and for many of you this may be on the only bar you ever attend (if you ever attend) because it has great social events, excellent prices, and delightful clientele. However, for those nights when you are hankering for something a little different, a little less Yale, perhaps you would like to check out some of these fine establishments. This is only a snapshot of bars we love in New Haven, as this post would be several pages otherwise.

Anna Liffey's (17 Whitney Avenue)
Good for: Pub Atmosphere, Happy Hour
While no one would go so far as to say that Anna Liffey's is an authentic Irish pub, it succeeds with that particular vibe better than most. They always have a decent selection of beer on tap, including some Irish staples like Smithwick's and a rotating selection of seasonal options. They also carry local brews, which are often on special. In general, the happy hour specials are good and ever-changing, and while the bar can get pretty crowded, there is always enough space to spread out just enough. The food is pretty good on the pub food scale, and we've heard excellent things bout their burgers. They host weekly events, including Tuesday night Trivia which is quite popular and draws a few teams from among YDS students and employees—Esther even won once, and if she can do it, well...

Black Bear Saloon (124 Temple Street)
Good for: Dancing, Happy Hour
Black Bear is a restaurant and bar in downtown New Haven that sometimes can't decide if it wants to be a nightclub, a sports bar, or a pub. There are numerous televisions usually set to sports, and every weekend (Thurs-Sat) there are DJs who take over and turn the whole place into a big dance party. Black Bear has great specials and happy hour deals, although the price you pay is that it's probably the bar with the biggest "college town" feel out of all the bars on this list. They are constantly putting on events for different local businesses, private groups, charity benefits, sports fans, and local bands, so there could just be something for everyone.

116 Crown (116 Crown Street)
Good for: Fancy cocktails
116 Crown began in the wave of "craft cocktail" bars that sprung up throughout the country several years back, especially in New York. As such, it has the most expensive drinks in town, but also the strongest. They offer all of the great IBA classics from Manhattans to Pimm's cups (served with ginger ale—Patrick's preferred method of Pimm's-ery) to off-kilter options like the Prescott (bourbon, St.-Germain, crème de mûre). The food is very interesting, but also outrageously expensive. The clientele and décor fit a young urban professional atmosphere. Overall, 116 is a great place to go for a cocktail or for a splurge.

Firehouse 12 (45 Crown Street)
Good for: Cocktails, Music
If you want to go somewhere with a little more swank, check out Firehouse 12. The drink menu is small in size but great in spirit (get it?!). The atmosphere ranges from incredibly chill to mildly crazy, depending on when you show up, and it's always an interesting mix of people from all over New Haven. The drinks can be a bit pricey, but they are also delicious and unusual, all named after local landmarks. They have a Jazz series that will be starting in mid-September, and they have live music events throughout the year that are often worth checking out.

Archie Moore's (188 Willow Street)
Good for: Wings Enthusiasts, Happy Hour
There are two great things about Archie's, and they are wings and vegetarian chili. This is a popular happy hour spot for YDS students, in part because of its relative proximity to campus and the East Rock neighborhood. There are good happy hour deals on food and drink, which can often mean that the modestly sized bar can get pretty crowded during those times. If you can grab a table, it's a great place to share a pitcher with friends, celebrate achievements, or host club meetings off campus.

The Cask Republic (179 Crown Street)
Good for: Beer Selection, Whiskey Lovers
This is without a doubt the best place for real beer lovers, since they have a selection of artisan and craft brews from around the world. You can always try something new since they cycle through specials regularly, and they bottle and age beer on site, so the staff is knowledgeable and full of recommendations. If beer isn't your thing but you happen to love whiskey, you will also find a haven here, with one of the widest whiskey selections in New Haven. Because of its tavern vibe it's rarely too loud or crowded to sit with friend and really enjoy your drink. The food is also great (if small), and so it's definitely a place you could hit for dinner and stay for drinks.

Prime 16 (172 Temple Street)
Good for: Happy Hour, Beer Selection, Burgers
Prime 16 combines the best qualities of other bars together into one shiny package. Their beer and whiskey selections are not as extensive as Cask's, their Happy Hour isn't necessarily as great as Liffey's, their atmosphere is not as interesting as 116's. But they consistently do all three well. But really, the huge draw for food here are their burgers; everything is top quality, whether 100% angus burgers, ground lamb, or house-made veggie burger. Their specials are a real draw: Happy Hour with 1/2 price on most of their 20 taps, $5 burgers between 2-4pm Tuesday-Friday, $3 pints of a craft brew on Mondays after 7pm, and tap-takeovers by different breweries with free tastings after 9pm on Wednesdays. The free tastings on Wednesday actually puts regular Prime-goers a leg-up over Cask: you can sample more offerings by more breweries, and do so for free, if you go consistently.

Rudy's (1227 Chapel Street)
Good for: Fries, Beer Selection
Rudy's is one of the oldest establishments in New Haven, but has recently moved and undergone a massive overhaul from its previously dive bar feel—though traces of those roots still shine through. Rudy's is a Belgian haven, from a sizable Belgian selection on tap (including Kwak in its funny glasses) to delicious fries with almost 20 different sauce selections, mostly based on mayonnaise. The scene is casual and a little hipster-y; definitely the kind of place to have a few beers, rather than "going out."

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar (74 Church Street)
Good for: Sports Fans, Wings Enthusiasts
Because they have roughly a babiillion televisions, Buffalo Wild Wings is quite a popular place to watch big games, or currently the Olympics. If you love wings, sliders, and other pub food, you won't be disappointed. They also have a wide beer selection and decent happy hour specials for both drinks and food. Plus, free refills on soft drinks - what?! Too good.

C.O. Jones  (969 State Street)
Good for: Margaritas
C.O. Jones (so-called because the City of New Haven wouldn't approve the name in its original form, the Spanish cojones) is a fusion Mexican restaurant and tequila bar with a definite streak to it. Their happy hour is 1/2 off, like a lot of places, and includes a free burrito bar. People come for their margaritas, which range from standard fare to blood orange, cocoa, and jalapeño flavored varieties. Best of all, it's in the Upper State Street area of East Rock, so is close by to where many YDS students live. Watch out on the chips & salsa: they charge for refills!

J.P. Dempsey's (974 State Street)
Good for: Sports Fans, Wings Enthusiasts, Dive Bar Aficionados
We couldn't go without listing everyone's favorite dive bar, Dempsey's. It is exactly what you would expect: cheap draft domestic beer, low-lighting, TVs, wood paneling, lots of neon bar signs, and pails of peanuts on every table and shells littering the floor. Because of its location in East Rock and cheap beer, you'll find lots of grad students and recent college grads hanging around. It's a dive, there's not much more to say.

Annand Program for Spiritual Direction

Those of who you are seeking ordination or who are excited to come to YDS for its commitment not only to rigorous academics but also spiritual development may be interested in joining the Annand Program for your first semester. The Annand Program for Spiritual Formation provides spiritual direction for first year students through small groups, retreats, and other events. If you decide to enroll in the Annand program, you will meet with a small group of fellow first-year students led by a mentor on a weekly basis, and explore different opportunities for prayer, spiritual guidance, practice, and worship. It is also sometimes possible for students to have individual sessions with their mentor. The program is focused on spiritual formation, but in an individual rather than a denominational sense. 

This program is open to all first year students, although it is only required of those students seeking ordination and a certificate in Anglican Studies. Many students find these small groups to be a welcome rest from the stress of the first semester, where common experiences of life on campus can be shared. They provide the opportunity to refocus and practice different styles of meditation and prayer, sometimes including adventures off-campus of one sort or another. There will be an opportunity to learn more about the program during BTFO, but we want to take the time now to introduce you to the small group mentors, as well as provide some important information about getting involved in the program.

Each student interested in Annand will need to have an intake interview with Jane Stickney, who is the coordinator for the Annand Program. These interviews will allow you to select the mentor that you would like to work with for the semester. All students interested in participating must meet with Jane during the first week of classes, and you can actually sign for a time slot already by completing this survey. For additional information and clarification about the Annand progrm and whether or not it is something you are interested in pursuing, please contact Annand@yale.edu. Below, you will find brief introductions to the many mentors who will be a part of the program this year.

Bari Dworken

Bari S. Dworken is a lay leader serving in numerous roles at Congregation B'nai Israel in Bridgeport where she has been active for more than twenty five years. Bari has completed the Para Rabbinic Program of the Union of Reform Judaism and has been awarded a Keva certificate for continual advanced learning. A graduate of the first class of the two year Lev Shomea Spiritual Direction Program, she has served as a spiritual director for several years with individuals and groups and at YDS. She completed two units of CPE, worked as a part time On Call Chaplain at Bridgeport Hospital for 10 years, currently is a member of the CPE Consultation  Committee, and has published in the "Journal of Pastoral Care". Bari holds a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts and works as an Educational Consultant in Organization Development with not for profit groups and community organizations concentrating in the areas of team building, conflict resolution, diversity awareness and strategic planning. She recently retired from the faculty of the University of Connecticut and worked part time as a Hospice Chaplain.  Bari is passionate about social action issues, interfaith study and involvement, learning from the natural world, traveling and "walking" with others on their spiritual journey.

Julie Kelsey

Julie Kelsey is an Episcopal priest ordained in 1997. She has served churches in urban and suburban settings, most recently as Rector of Grace and St. Peter's Church in Hamden and currently as Associated Clergy at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church on Whitney Ave. in New Haven.  She beginning her fifth year as

Assistant Dean of Students at Yale Divinity School where she is also a lecturer in the Practices and Principles of Preaching course and a mentor with the Annand Program. Having provided spiritual direction for years, she has a special interest in translating psychological

language into theological language, and connecting Sunday worship with daily life.

Julie is also one of the founders of Chapel on the Green where she serves on Sundays.  COG is a ministry designed especially for those who are temporarily displaced and/or without a job or home.  It features an outdoor worship service every Sunday at 2 pm on the New Haven Green (regardless of the weather) followed by a bag lunch.  The drumming circle in preparation for worship begins at 1:30.  ALL are welcome.

 Julie has led bereavement groups for adults and for children ages 6-12. She is a mother and grandmother who loves hiking, reading, writing, theatre and music. You will also be hearing more about her quite soon in another post.

Matthew Calkins

Matthew Calkins is an Episcopal priest currently serving as rector of a parish in Fairfield, CT (St. Timothy's). He has served in parish ministry for thirteen years following graduation in 1998 from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Prior to seminary Fr. Calkins worked for twelve years as a carpenter and general contractor, and before that as a teacher of English as a second language and student of Chinese language and philosophy in Taiwan.  

His experience with spiritual direction began under Ken Swanson, now of Christ Cathedral, Tennessee, and continued with Margaret Guenther and others. He has been a mentor in the Annand Program since 2000 and is currently completing his doctorate in ministry degree from Hartford Seminary. His thesis is on the development of a congregational rule of life as a means of clarifying congregational identity and promoting Christian practices. He is pictured in front of the log Chapel of Quiet Joy he recently built on the grounds of St. Timothy's.

Judy Stone

Judy Stone is a 1970 graduate of Yale Divinity School. She has been an active lifelong member of the Episcopal Church. Judy was a member of a Spirituality Group that met weekly for 25 years, reading classics of Christian and other religious traditions. She has been part of a church choir for a number of years and preaches occasionally. For about ten years she coordinated the adult education for her local New Haven Church and served on it's Vestry and several search committees.
Judy recently retired from her career in social work, working with children and families. Midway in her career she earned a master’s in Social Work from UCONN in 1993 with a focus on casework and group work. She finds groups especially helpful personally and professionally,and is intrigued with the connection between some of the therapeutic approaches from her social work  training and traditional spiritual exercises. Judy enjoys hiking, travel, cooking and art work. During the summer she coordinates a local certified organic community garden.

Oscar Brockmeyer

Oscar Brockmeyer is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC). He has pastored churches in northeast CT since 1993. For five years, he chaired an ecclesial Committee on Ministry, providing support and guidance to people discerning calls to ordination. Oscar provides spiritual direction to individuals and groups.  He also trains new directors, and supervises experienced ones, for the Spiritual Life Center (West Hartford, CT).

 Oscar resides with his wife, Bethany, in Pomfret, CT.  He enjoys gardening, painting, and ministry with children. He is grateful to all those who have had a part in his own formation. These include the Roman Catholic teachers of his youth, those who shared Zen perspectives with him in young adulthood, the warm-hearted members of a Baptist church who welcomed him back to Christianity, and those who called forth his gifts for ministry in the United Church of Christ.  Not surprisingly, Oscar enjoys companioning people of diverse faith traditions as they explore and encounter the Sacred in their lives.

Barbara Cheney

Barbara Cheney is an Episcopal priest ordained in 1980. She served as assistant Rector at St. John’s Royal Oak MI and Rector of St. Gabriel’s East Detroit MI. She and her husband, the Rev. K. Dexter Cheney moved to CT in 1993 when she was called to be Rector of St. Paul’s New Haven where she served for seventeen years and oversaw its merger with St. James Episcopal Church in Westville. The St. Paul and St. James congregation, affectionately known as St. PJ’s, has a history of diversity, social outreach, and advocacy for the marginalized. During her time as Rector she and Associate Rector, the Rev. Harlon Dalton, began St. PJ’s Jazz Vespers leading to that congregation’s present Sunday morning focus on jazz music. In 2010 she retired from active parish ministry and is currently working in a newly created Companion Priest relationship with St. James Episcopal Church in Fair Haven Heights. For 7 years she was a Practicum lecturer with the Supervised Ministries program at YDS.
This is her second year working with the Annand program in spiritual formation. Her heart is one for social justice and a concern for the well-being of all people, along with bringing people together in faith communities that reflect the wide, inclusive embrace of God’s love. Her personal discipline of spirituality is nurtured not only through prayer and worship, but also through relationships of intentional prayer and accountability, a focus on health and creative expression through the arts, and delight in God’s gracious gift to us of the natural world around us. She is both a dancer and drummer.

Jane Stickney

Jane Stickney was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1987. She began her ministry in 1972 as a pastor in the United Church of Christ. She understands and is open to working with students from reformed and liturgical traditions. She has served in large and small parishes and was a Christian Education consultant for the Connecticut Conference of the UCC. Jane received an STM in Spiritual Direction in 1987 from the Center for Christian Spirituality at General Theological Seminary, and served on the GTS Summers staff as a small group supervisor between 1991 and 1997. Jane has served as an Annand Mentor since 1994 and became the coordinator of the program in 2005. Her husband is a retired UCC pastor and interim ministry specialist.  They have a married daughter and a grandson and granddaughter.  Jane is a weaver and has taught in the Graduate Liberal Studies Program at Wesleyan University: Psychology, Spirituality, and Celtic Art.  She is interested in the value of creativity in a healthy spiritual life.

Susan Fowler

Susan Fowler has served the community in a number of richly diverse ministries, holding leadership positions in pastoral and healthcare ministries, in higher education and in human services organizations.  She holds ordained ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ..         

Teaching, mentoring and social justice ministries have been her passions throughout her career.  She founded or led several nonprofit agencies focusing on social justice work – i.e. grassroots empowerment efforts that included working to ensure access to services and full participation in the life of the community. Her passions came together during her tenures, first as Executive Director of Dwight Hall at Yale, training and mentoring student volunteers and activists, and later when she co-founded the Community Leadership Program at the Graustein Memorial Fund, and trained and mentored community leaders in the art and practice of transformational leadership. 

Rev. Fowler holds the  MDiv degree  in pastoral counseling and an STM in Ethics, both from YDS.  For her PhD work, she served as principal investigator on a five year research study that explored the relationship between individual transformation, transformational leadership and social change.  This study led to the publication of her book, Leading with Spirit: Transforming Leadership for Social Change. Rev. Fowler completed advanced spiritual direction training and received her certification from Sacred Heart University. She served as a spiritual director at Fairfield University, providing direction in the Ignatian spiritual tradition.  She currently serves on the spiritual direction team in the Annand Program at YDS and is an adjunct professor at Quinnipiac University, where she teaches philosophy and ethics and served as Interfaith Chaplain.   

Merle Marie Troeger (not pictured) is a spiritual director, retreat facilitator and Bible study mentor.  She serves as a part-time Associate for Spiritual Life at Christ Episcopal Church in Bethany, CT and also offers retreats and spiritual direction beyond the parish.   She accompanies and guide individuals, groups and congregations as they reflect on the Spirit’s action in their lives, gain fresh language to express their experiences and discern faithful ways to respond to their discoveries.  She is a former lawyer and a recent YDS graduate.  

What to Expect During BTFO

Everyone will receive a complete and up-to-date schedule of BTFO via email the week before BTFO. However, since there are many incoming students who will be taking some or all of the time off from work, or have partners and families who are debating attending BTFO, we wanted to give everyone a glimpse at what you can expect during the week of orientation. Unfortunately, this is about as much specific detail regarding the schedule that we can provide at this time.

Please note that there are several events each day that are not included in this glimpse of BTFO. The BTFO schedule is packed, which is why we have said and will continue to say that you need not attempt to attend everything. 

Monday will begin in the morning with International Student orientation, as well as several offerings of campus tours, both of YDS and Yale University. Starting at midday there will be registration and lots and lots of welcome, with many opportunities to meet fellow incoming students, your small group, the deans, and the many returning students will be helping out with orientation. It will be a fun day of get-to-know-you, before the information overload.

Tuesday is going to (probably) be the most important day for you as an incoming student, as it is when we cover academic integrity and culture, as well as the specifics of each degree program and requirements. Tuesday afternoon is also when we will be holding our inclusivity talk, which is an essential introduction to community life at YDS. 

Wednesday will have a talk on self-care, an introduction to Marquand Chapel, lunch with local clergy and spiritual leaders in numerous denominations, the activities fair, and several shorter sessions on topics like financial aid, second-career students, etc. Wednesday is probably the busiest day, because it has sessions on much of the nuts and bolts of student life, New Haven, etc. Wednesday evening will also be your opportunity to have dinner with a member of faculty or the administration, either in their home or at a local restaurant, while Partners and families can enjoy a picnic dinner on the quad with the families of returning students.

Thursday includes a morning of service with local organizations (that we hope everyone will attend, even if it rains!), followed by a lunch debrief at the Carts (Esther's favorite! You've been hearing about them all summer and this is your chance to partake in the greatness!) and an afternoon of excursions outside of New Haven (hiking, a trip to the beach, etc.).

Friday will include the talk on safety and security in New Haven, community Eucharist, a panel with YDS alumni followed by a Best of New Haven pizza taste test. Marquand will be set up with a labyrinth that will be open all afternoon for students to explore at their leisure. Friday will also have a chamber music event with the ISM and will end in a festive cook-out for dinner.

Each day will also include a short scheduled time with your assigned small group, where you can debrief the day's events, ask questions that were not answered in sessions, or just pick the brains of a couple of lovely returning students. Each evening will also include a couple of different options for social outings, which often make up some of the most memorable parts of BTFO.

Second-Career Students

Yale Divinity School has quite a mix of students, coming from all over and with all kinds of backgrounds. Many of our students come to YDS after years of working, raising a family, or just not being in school to pursue other interests. Since neither of us can speak specifically to these "second-career" students, we have called upon two of our BTFO small group leaders who can: Cheryl Bundy and Sierra-Marie Gerfao. Both of these women will be a big part of your BTFO experience, and they will also be part of a panel specifically geared towards anyone returning to school after a break from school, or experiencing a career shift. For now, they have agreed to answer some basic questions about their experiences and what y'all can look forward to as you begin your new academic careers with us!

Q: Who are you, what are you studying, what did you do before you came to YDS?

C: I am Cheryl Bundy and I am an M.Div candidate.  I am discerning  ordination to the Episcopal  Diaconate.  I am a part-time commuting student because I am also the mother of three children, ages 8-14. 

Sierra-Marie Gerfao

S-M: I'm Sierra-Marie, about to start the second year studying for my Master of Divinity.  I've been on the "turtle track," so don't be surprised if you see me finishing up five years from now. I have a wife and two young kids, and I am the primary income-earner in my family, so I quickly learned in my first semester that rushing through school just wasn't going to be a possibility for me.  My tag-line has become, "If I wasn't doing this, I'd only be doing something else."  I don't relate when people have anxiety about the turtle track.  It was better for my family for me to go slow, but now that I'm doing it, I think it is better for me too.  Not only am I a big believer in trying to have a balanced, semi-sane life, but I'm a big believer in the value of fully experiencing whatever adventures one chooses in life.  If I was rushing, I would be getting ready to leave just as soon as I started to feel settled.  Instead, I've really thrown myself into life here at YDS, not just academically, but also all the other great things about being in this community and being a student.  I hope when I graduate, people will have felt that not only I but my whole family has been a positive and meaningful part of the community. 

Q: What made you decide to return to school?

C:  Prior to YDS, I had a 20 year career working in both the for- profit and non-profit worlds and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from New York University.  Two years ago, as my youngest child entered first grade, I began to contemplate what my professional and personal life would look like in the years to come.  My heart kept leading me back to the work I had done as the Director of Stewardship for St James' Church in New York City.  This vocational call inspired  me to apply to YDS.  


S-M: I am seeking ordination in the Unitarian Universalist Association.  I have spent the last ten years or so working in family ministries and lifespan ministries of faith development.  I decided to come back to school for my Masters in Divinity because I wanted to seek ordination, partly in order to have more flexibility in the future of my ministries.  I continue to work in a ministry on a half-time basis, for a small congregation in a shoreline town less than a half-hour from YDS, where I am Director of Lifespan Religious Education.  Serendipitously, they were looking for a Director at the exact moment that I was looking for part-time work to do while I was in school.  It is a fun and unique opportunity to bounce between study and practical application for a while. 

Q: What was the biggest surprise about returning to school? What posed the greatest challenge?

C: While technology has transformed the educational world since I graduated from Smith College in 1988, perhaps the biggest surprise I encountered in my return to graduate education was that exams were still written in the blue books!   The second biggest surprise was how much my wrist hurt after writing a 2 hour exam since it had been many years since I hand wrote more than a simple letter! The greatest challenge, without a doubt, is being able to fit in so many wonderful opportunities.  The amount of amazing events, lectures, cultural events and social opportunities just at YDS is phenomenal.  When you combine these events with the happenings in the wider Yale community and the City of New Haven, there simply aren't enough hours in a day.


S-M: The biggest surprise is sort of silly, but its true.  I was surprised to feel as old as I do at school, where there is a good mix of ages but so many people are so very, very young.  In my field of work, I had been a part of the younger crowd of professionals even though I started to notice two or three years ago that I was no longer the youngest of the spring chickens.  When I came to school, however, I looked around and realized that I wasn't even in the league of the spring chickens.  After the initial shock, though, I have adjusted to life as a hen. The greatest challenges have fortunately been the exact things I would have predicted.  For example, re-learning how to write an academic paper after years of writing sermons is taking a little time.  No surprise there. 

I try to keep in mind something we were told a few times at my own BTFO; that is, if you are here, there is a reason.  We are not here by accident but were all selected to be here, to study at this time at this school.  If we are here, there is a whole group of people who have considered all the evidence and determined that we can do the specific work of divinity school.  Just keep working at it!

Q: How did you find your BTFO experience?

C: BTFO was a great introduction to YDS.  I felt like I had a quick opportunity to meet new people, have a whole host of familiar faces to say hi to, meet people, sample New Haven Restaurants.

S-M: BTFO was wonderful!  I knew there was only a week before classes would start, so I made a really conscious decision to spend the week relaxing into life in the YDS community. I took the full week off of work, even though I had just started my job and could have really used the money, and we used the BTFO childcare so that my wife could have time to both do more unpacking at our apartment and to walk over to YDS and participate in all the activities.  By the way, I think she made as many friends as I did.  In the end, ditching work and fully enjoying BTFO was a wise decision. 

 I do have a couple pieces of advice, based on my BTFO experiences. First, if you have a partner and/or children, pay whatever the extra cost is so that they can participate during the week.  If nothing else, it is well worth having someone else make your meals for a while. Second, don't worry too much about retaining all the information given to you. No one expects that you will memorize everything said even if you are able to attend every activity, so breathe deeply and have fun instead of stressing. 

Q: How have you become involved in the YDS community during your first year?

The Gerfaos are active and enthusiastic members of the
YDS community garden!

C: Given my academic schedule and demands of three school aged children, I was unable to do more "extracurricular" events at YDS.  However, I did make it a a priority to attend Berkeley's Wednesday Evening Eucharist.  This was a great way to meet people outside my classes, and then Eucharist and subsequent supper every Wednesday were my favorite places.

S-M: For younger students straight out of college, I think the big challenge is often getting off campus and getting involved in New Haven and not just at school.  But for those of us who are returning to school, especially those of us with families and demanding jobs, I think it can be equally challenging to get us on campus.  In undergrad, I only came to school for my classes, and I didn't spend much time hanging out with folks from school on a social basis.  For graduate school, I decided to have a different experience.  I decided I want something of a student-life, even while I have a full life off-campus.  For this reason, my family and I live across the street from YDS, and I have arranged my work schedule so that I telecommute all but two days of the week.  This means that I eat most of my lunches with friends here at school, do most of my work in the YDS computer lab, work out at the Yale gym, regularly take advantage of the Yale shuttle, attend many of the school's social events, and generally have a place in the community.

Aside from that, I love to be a friendly, helpful hand when people need it, so whenever there is an opportunity, I volunteer to help with ushering, greeting, or registration for events on campus.  I hope I am getting a reputation around here as the world's best greeter!  For a couple events, my whole family has volunteered. I am looking to put together a Unitarian Universalist student group at YDS for next year if there are enough of us UUs.  And, of course, all my friends know that my secret wish is that I will get to serve on the admissions committee the year that I graduate :).   

Q: If you could offer one bit of advice for incoming students - second career or otherwise - what would it be?

C: If I could offer advice it would be to  find study groups for exams.  Don't be shy about starting one and certainly don't be shy about joining one.  My best advice to anyone entering YDS, especially second career students, is to be flexible, be open to asking new questions and discerning new answers and to welcome the surprises and challenges that come your way. It is advice that I still want to take, too!  All best wishes for an incredible year at YDS! And a great BTFO. I look forward to meeting you!


S-M: I have five short but equally important pieces of advice:

1.  Decide what kind of experience you want to have, and then make it happen!  There is no right or wrong way to do this.  With some self-awareness and intentional planning, whatever you need for your own formation at this time in your life, there is a way to build your experience around it.

2.  Don't take yourself too seriously.  You are not so important in this world that you can't learn just for the fun of it.  Be playful and enjoy yourself because at what other moment are you going to get to spend all this time with all these ideas and have so little else you are expected to do?  

3.  Keep your eye open for special opportunities for travel or other learning adventures!  There are lots of these, and for some of us, they will be once-in-a-lifetime kind of formation experiences.  I am so glad I took a risk and applied to the Fund for Theological Education this year, for example, because now I am a ministry fellow and get money for a ministry project of my very own design.

4.  Take your spiritual life seriously.  Just because you are in divinity school doesn't mean that your soul is being ministered to.  You will probably have to actively seek ways to be ministered to, both on and off of campus.  Don't neglect that. 

5.  There are lots of advantages of being part of a large university.  Don't limit yourself to life at YDS, but take advantage of all the events, opportunities, and offerings that come from the larger Yale campus.  It's worth a little time to go "downtown." 

Q: What is your favorite place in New Haven?

C: My favorite place in New Haven are the shops downtown.  From the Apple Store to J Crew (which gives a discount to Yale students) to the Yale Bookstore.

S-M: Aside from the candy bowl?  Just kidding.  I don't have a favorite place yet, but here are some "best of" choices:

• Best restaurant food for cheap: Basil on Howe street, where the prices are reasonable, and I am addicted to their curry vegetable noodle soup
• Best place to meet folks from the larger community: The public library downtown, where you can also keep your eye out for flyers advertising a ton of community events
• Best free offering for kids: The Peabody museum has free admission on Thursday afternoons
• Best free offering for adults: Try walking through the under-appreciated Marsh Botanical Gardens, just across the street from YDS, from 9-5 on weekdays
• Best camp for kids during school vacations: Common Ground High School has environmental vacation-week camps for kids of all ages, and scholarships are available for all those who need them
• Best place to bank: Connex Credit Union has fairly limited hours but is the best, friendliest, and lowest-fee credit union we could find in the area
• Best coffee shop: It has to be Blue State Coffee because even though it can get crowded when school is in session, my wife works there, and she is the world's friendliest and funniest person (and say hello when you are there because she's such a ray of sunshine!)
• Best place to grocery shop for cheap: No place can beat the prices and selection of Pricerite on Dixwell (Hamden), where you can still get 4 sticks of butter for under $2, a gallon of milk for $1.75.

Q: When you get pizza in New Haven, where do you go and what do you order?

C: Pepe's is my favorite pizza, hands down.

S-M: Forget all this talk of pizza.  I won't be the first heretic to say it out loud: New Haven pizza is over-rated. Then again, if a friend happens to talk you into mashed potato pizza at a certain particular restaurant, I have to admit it is super yummy, but don't let him/her talk you into the red sauce. White sauce is definitely the way to go when potatoes are involved! [ed. note: She is obviously referring to the famous Mashed Potato pizza, offered exclusively at Bar.]

The Giveaway Room

Deep in the recesses of YDS campus housing there is a magical land filled with memories, fantasy, and near-complete dining sets. Known as the Giveaway Room, this special place could possibly be the answer to some of your new apartment needs. The word has gotten out, and so we wanted to take this opportunity to run down some of the logistics of taking what we're giving away.

And this isn't even full.

At the end of each school year, graduating students, folks who are moving, and even  faculty/staff have the opportunity to donate furniture, small appliances, linens, clothing, and miscellany to the Giveaway Room, and they respond to the call with fervor and generosity. The only restriction is that donations have to be in clean, working condition and they have to be able to fit in the space. As the room has filled up with larger pieces of furniture, this last issue has become more significant than you might expect. The room is jam-packed, and try though we might to keep some semblance of order as the donations poured in, we have no shame telling you that it is vaguely reminiscent of a Hoarders marathon. 

There are couches, beds, dressers, bookshelves, kitchen supplies, clothing, books, and all manner of household accoutrements, all somewhat thrown into a loosely defined organizational system awaiting the arrival of the new class. During BTFO there will be designated times when the Giveaway Room will be open for new students to come and take anything they'd like for their own use. 

Before everyone gets too excited, there are some details that everyone who plans to utilize this resource needs to be aware of because they are non-negotiable:

• Regardless of when you arrive in New Haven, you will not have the opportunity to get into the Giveaway Room before the designated times.

• We do not have a system of saving items or setting particular pieces aside for individuals—everything is first come, first served. (The only exceptions are certain items passed down from international exchange students each year—these items are marked as being intended for new international exchange students). The room will be open throughout the week, but certain items will disappear quickly so if you are relying on this for furnishing your apartment you should get there as early as possible. There will still be lots of stuff left by the end of the week, however, and you might find some buried treasures overlooked by the stampeding masses on the first day.

• While the BTFO volunteers are all friendly and charming people, we do not provide any assistance getting items from the room to students' apartments. If you're hoping to grab some larger furniture you should rally some new friends and roommates to your cause. 

• The Giveaway Room is a cave of wonders, but we cannot promise that you will get what you are seeking. Please keep this in mind as you consider leaving behind necessary items in your move if you would not be able to replace them another way.

There are some really great items in there, and we're looking forward to letting you loose, come BTFO. For anyone who is not attending orientation, we will be able to open the room at some point during the following week as well.