Dean of Hendricks Chapel

Dean of Hendricks Chapel

Syracuse University invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for a visionary, collaborative, and inclusive leader to guide religious and spiritual life at the university and to serve as the eighth dean of Hendricks Chapel. Reporting to the chancellor, the dean of Hendricks Chapel serves as the principal leader of religious and spiritual life at Syracuse University. The dean nurtures and safeguards the spiritual well-being of the campus community, strengthening connection and relationship-building across all faith traditions while advancing the university's commitment to a welcoming environment.

Hendricks Chapel is firmly woven into the daily life of the university, serving students, faculty, and staff across a broad spectrum of identities and beliefs. The university seeks a dean who can build upon this strong foundation extending the chapel's reach, influence, and impact; deepening its engagement with the full campus community; and shaping an aspirational and forward-looking vision for the chapel and its leadership team. The dean provides strategic guidance for chapel staff in programming, community engagement, and the arts; oversees the Chaplains Council; and offers administrative support to all affiliated religious organizations. The chapel leads an acclaimed suite of music programs anchored by the nationally recognized Hendricks Chapel Choir and hosts a robust calendar of major university ceremonies and signature events.

The dean collaborates extensively across the university with students, faculty, staff, and administrators, while also engaging meaningfully with the greater Syracuse community. Beyond supporting the chaplains, the dean plays a vital role in fostering students' religious, spiritual, and ethical development. As complex issues emergewhether globally or on campusthe dean is uniquely positioned to convene multiple perspectives and help the community find common ground. The dean leads a team of approximately 13 administrative staff, 15 chaplaincies, and 25 affiliated religious groups and manages an operating budget of roughly $1.6 million. Some travel is required for donor cultivation, professional conferences, and university representation.

Education and experience: Ordination or equivalent professional standing within a recognized faith tradition. A theological degree (seminary degree required; advanced degree preferred). Significant professional experience in ministry, chaplaincy, spiritual leadership, or religious life roles, ideally with exposure to higher education settings; experience connecting religious and spiritual life to the academic mission of a research university is a distinct asset.

Responsibilities: The next dean of Hendricks Chapel steps into a role shaped by extraordinary momentum, deep student engagement, and a campus-wide recognition of the chapel as a unifying center of spiritual, religious, and communal life. At the same time, the university is entering a period of leadership transition, rising expectations for transparency, accountability, and innovation, and a dynamic resource environment that calls for entrepreneurial and strategic thinking. The new dean will be asked to honor Hendricks' historic mission while expanding its reach, strengthening its infrastructure, and guiding a highly committed community into a new decade marked by the chapel's approaching 100th anniversary in 2030.