Grace Bodnovich
Contributing Writer
A significant part of many Wooster students’ lives is Religious and Spiritual Life. Students across campus are grateful to the college’s chaplain, Alex Serna-Wallender for his wonderful service to the College community.
An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, Serna-Wallender has been with the College since the summer of 2017 and is leaving to accept a position at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. When asked about the highlights of his time here at the College, he remarked that he has had the pleasure of journeying with students, faculty and staff through their various periods of trial and loss as well as being with students in times of great joy and celebration. While working for the College, he has been involved in supporting and advocating for multiple faith-based campus groups. Serna-Wallender’s responsibilities included leading students on service trips as well as working closely to facilitate Interfaith Scholars and Worthy Questions. Interfaith Scholars is a program exclusively for 12 first-year and sophomore students who meet six times a semester to learn about other students’ faith traditions to improve their skills at interfaith dialogue. Worthy Questions is a program dedicated to helping students ask and understand vital questions about life.
During his time here, Serna-Wallender feels deeply grateful to have worked so closely with campus partners, such as the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) and Religious and Spiritual Life, to make the campus a more welcoming space as well as to better serve students during their four years at the College.
When it was announced that Serna-Wallender would be filling the position of chaplain, Dean of Students Scott Brown, commented that, “Rev. Alex has a deep passion for social justice, having done extensive work with those experiencing homelessness in his home state of Texas and developing conflict resolution strategies in New Jersey.”
This is demonstrated in the chaplain’s work, as he has devoted much time and energy into making the College an even more inclusive space for students involved in Religious and Spiritual Life.
Since there will be a vacancy of the chaplain position, the College is conducting a national search to fill the position this spring chaired by Nate Addington, director of civic and social responsibility and the interim chaplain from 2016-2017. The search for a new chaplain will include faculty, staff and students, and there will include an opportunity for campus-wide input. Dean Brown says that students interested in following the search for a new chaplain can expect to hear more following this story later in the spring.
As for the future of the College, Serna-Wallender commented that he envisions Wooster’s future as a bright one; he imagines that it will continue to be a college that brings together students from all over the world and from different backgrounds in order to continue the shared hope for what this world may be.
Serna-Wallender’s last day will be on Friday, Jan. 25. An informal open house will be held that evening to say farewell in Babcock Formal Lounge between 3-5 p.m.