Georgetown Faith Leaders Welcome New Medical Students
Posted in News Stories | Tagged interreligious event, interreligious understanding, spiritual care, student experience
(August 4, 2024) — Faith leaders from Georgetown’s Office of Campus Ministry greeted medical students as they gathered on campus for a special luncheon during new student orientation.
Georgetown University Medical Center Chaplain Jim Shea, SJ, said the goal of the August 1 luncheon was to express Georgetown’s commitment to the students’ spiritual care.
“It was a great opportunity to begin the journey to create community and to learn about services, activities, and service opportunities offered by campus ministry,” Shea said. “We wanted to meet the students personally and let them know of the many opportunities to deepen their faith and find community.”
Leaders from Jewish, Muslim, Dharmic, Catholic and Protestant faith communities were invited to demonstrate the spirit of Georgetown, which was founded on the principle that “serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures and beliefs promotes intellectual, ethical and spiritual understanding.”
Abigail Escobar (M’27) and John DiBello (M’26) organized members of student faith-based clubs to participate in the luncheon welcoming their new classmates. They included members of the Maimonides Society, Muslim Student Association, MAGIS and students affiliated with the Hindu Student Association, in addition to representatives from Georgetown’s Initiative of Catholic Social Thought and Public Life.
“The beginning of M1 can be overwhelming with various academic and social demands,” said Escobar, a member of MAGIS, a club for Catholic medical students. “It is so important that students are connected early on to our wonderful faith leaders and student groups that understand their experience and are eager to support their spiritual and professional formation at Georgetown.”
DiBello said the luncheon demonstrates that Georgetown cares about the spiritual dimension of cura personalis, which he says isn’t emphasized at most other medical schools.
“My hope is that the lunch will springboard participation into more activities focused on spirituality — both developing one’s own as well as understanding others’,” he said. “This could be through coursework and retreats led by Fr. Shea as well as the other chaplains and faith groups run by students.”
“It is our intention for incoming M1s to experience a renewed sense of purpose and excitement as their journey into medicine begins to flourish,” Escobar said.
Scenes from the Luncheon
The luncheon was intended to help foster community.
Students enjoyed a buffet of food, picked up Class of 2028 T-shirts and more during the event.
Rabbi Ilana Zietman (left), director for Jewish life, and Brahmacharini Shweta Chaitanya (second from left), director for Dharmic life, spoke about resources offered by Campus Ministry.
Abigail Escobar (M’26) (right) spoke to new medical students about MAGIS, a club for Catholic medical students.
(Left to right) Norman Beauchamp Jr., MD, GUMC’s executive vice president and the School of Medicine’s executive dean, and Rev. Mark Bosco, SJ, PhD, Georgetown’s vice president for mission & ministry
Rev. Ebony Grisom, director of Protestant life, (left) introduced herself to the new students during the event.
Lee Jones, MD, dean for medical education, talked with students during the luncheon.
Event organizers John DiBello (M’26) and Abigail Escobar (M’26) spoke with Norman Beauchamp Jr., MD, GUMC’s executive vice president and the School of Medicine’s executive dean.
Rev. Mark Bosco, SJ, PhD, mingled with students during the event.