Our campus celebrity is the Director of Spiritual Life, Maria DiLorenzo! She is a Texas native, but has been living in Boston for over 10 years. Bentley has been blessed with her services for almost six years now! Maria was previously a campus minister at Regis College, and she is currently working to bring awareness about the value of spirituality to the Bentley community.
1. How did you become involved in the spiritual life center?
Before I came to Bentley in 2007, I had been working in college campus ministry for several years at Boston College and Regis College. Not unlike most people, my professional life took a few (unexpected) different roads as new opportunities came to me. I soon was drawn to work in Student Activities, which eventually brought me to Bentley. In 2011, the Director of the Spiritual Life Center position became available, and I found myself attracted to the work I had done once before…and here I am!
2. What does your job entail?
I have a team of faith-based advisers, all chaplains in their respective traditions, and we collaborate on bringing further education and awareness to our community about religion and spirituality. I work closely with students in the faith-based organizations in advising and planning for their various programs and events. I partner with Counseling and Student Development and the Health & Wellness Center to assist students and families during various crisis situations. Mostly, I am an additional resource for our community regarding spirituality and how one might like to practice spirituality while at Bentley.
3. What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Hearing people’s stories- I am entrusted with all kinds of things happening in their lives, and I value that I am trusted enough to hear what they have to tell me. I also love learning about religious practices and traditions that are not my own. Our students are incredibly informative and helpful!
4. Could you tell us your favorite memory thus far as the Director of the Spiritual Life Staff?
Once a month, I co-host a program called “Spot o Tea” with Emily Rosenfield from the Residential Center,.I absolutely love the conversations that we have with students, faculty and staff. The topics vary in nature, always connecting to spirituality somehow, but the relationships built and the learning among everyone is really fantastic.
5. What do you look forward to next semester?
I am looking forward to helping collaborate with our faith based student organizational leaders on a joint community service project. I think many people often start thinking about spirituality when they participate in service, so I am excited to see what we can put together to benefit our community.