Students and Staff filled Seawolf Plaza on Feb. 12, from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. as Sonoma State kicked off Sacred Connections: A Fair of Faith, Spirit and Service. This event invites student organizations and promotes spiritual growth from across Sonoma County.
Hosted and organized by Student Involvement, the event welcomes all of Noma Nation, regardless of an individual’s background. Organizers say the fair’s purpose is to provide resources for students around holistic health and wellness, as well as show the importance of spiritual wellness.
This event was organized by Student Involvement, led by senior director Mo Phillips. A form of spirituality fair has been hosted at this university for 15 to 20 years. The event first took place in the residence halls when she worked in housing, and later grew campuswide after she moved to student development.
“We have been doing some sort of Spirituality Fair/Event for about the past 15-20 years off and on,” Phillips said. “When I moved into Programming and Student Involvement, we brought it to the campus-wide audience.”
Student Involvement’s mission is to maintain spirit, community, and tradition, which aligns with the fair. The department often hosts Student Success fairs promoting social and physical wellness. Sacred Connections was formed to promote spiritual health as a part of that broader approach.
“As we try to provide resources for our students around holistic health and wellness, we felt it would be important to also focus on spiritual wellness,” Phillips said.
Phillips said addressing spiritual growth could help benefit this generation in more ways than one. Often, students are stressed out trying to adapt to our rapidly changing society, but by finding a community, they can find meaning.
“I believe that by addressing students’ spiritual growth, it could help create a new generation who are more caring,” Phillips said. “Finding a community like this could also enable students to respond to the many stresses and tensions of our rapidly changing plugged-in society with a greater ability to find meaning throughout the hardships and stress.”
The fair features more than faith-based groups. Service organizations such as Girl Scouts, Petition groups, and food banks will participate. Organizers emphasize that the event is not about any single belief. Instead, it stems from people being able to express themselves and choose from the variety of options available.
“When I speak with students about the events, we are not trying to guide them toward any one faith or organization,” Phillips said. “We are trying to offer options and information. It is up to each person to take further steps.”
The fair also serves as a platform for student organizations looking to promote and engage with their peers.
Will Livingston, a second-year history major who has tabled for Phi Delta Theta, emphasizes that the event helps bring students together.
“What this event means specifically for my tabling ‘Phi Delta Theta’ is getting more involved on campus, meeting all kinds of new people, and learning about what the organizations at SSU have to offer to students,” Livingston said.
Students looking for more information regarding Sacred Connections can contact the Director of Student Involvement at [email protected] or (707) 664-2804.
