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Religious and Spiritual Life

The Chaplains serve as confidential spiritual counselors and provide ethical leadership to the seven schools of The Claremont Colleges. Located in the McAlister Center, our Chaplains include a Pastor, a Priest, a Rabbi, and an Imam. Each of the Chaplains encourages and supports all religious and spiritual student groups and communities on campus. The Chaplains are here to strengthen individual faith and promote interfaith relations by offering religious support and engagement opportunities and to foster a faith community for students as they pursue their education.

Contact

Phone | (909) 621-8685
Email | chaplains@claremont.edu
Hours | Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Religious and Spiritual Life
McAlister Center for Religious Activities
919 North Columbia Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711

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Religious & Spirtual Life Staff

Description about the chaplains interfaith service model, spiritual counseling, and general office support.

Continue down to learn meet our Religious and Spiritual Life staff.

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Chaplains

RSL Staff

Chaplains

Muslim Chaplain
hadi.qazwini@claremont.edu

Imam Dr. Hadi Qazwini

Imam Dr. Hadi Qazwini (pronounced haa-dee qaz-wee-nee) is an Islamic scholar, educator, and community leader with almost 20 years of experience in facilitating religious and spiritual engagement among diverse Muslim and interfaith communities and settings. He has served as an imam and educator in several communities in Southern California and across the country. He has also traveled extensively across the world, providing culturally competent and mindful spiritual and religious education and promoting holistic wellbeing.

At Claremont, Imam Dr. Qazwini is excited to work closely with a fantastic team of Interfaith Chaplains and to collaborate with other departments to promote the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual wellbeing of everyone!

Imam Dr. Qazwini grew up and attended school in Pomona. During his childhood, he often visited Claremont with his family and enjoyed taking walks in the Village and through the Claremont Colleges campuses. After high school, he started his undergraduate studies at the University of California Irvine, and following his sophomore year, decided to pursue rigorous traditional Islamic studies training in the preeminent seminary (hawza ‘ilmiyya) of Qum, Iran. After spending 6 years (2004-2010) pursuing advanced training in several Islamic studies disciplines such as Quranic studies, theology, philosophy, and law, he returned home and completed his BA in Sociology at UCI (2011). He then came to Claremont, earning his MA in Islamic Studies and Leadership at Claremont School of Theology and Bayan Islamic Graduate School (2014). Finally, Imam Dr. Qazwini earned his PhD in Religion with a focus on Islamic Studies at the University of Southern California (2022). During his PhD career, he worked closely with students at several local university campuses, providing spiritual care and counseling and assisting in developing student-facing programs.

In addition to his community-facing work, Imam Dr. Qazwini has taught several courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including World Religions courses, introductions to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and courses on Sunni-Shi’a Muslim relations. He also advises and serves on the boards of a number of non-profit institutions of higher education and international development and relief.

Imam Dr. Qazwini loves to read, play tennis (and recently, pickleball), travel, and spend time with his wife and their four children. He also loves to meet new people and engage in conversation – so please stop by his office at the McAlister Center at any time!

Protestant Chaplain
joel.daniels@claremont.edu

Reverend Dr. Joel Daniels

I’m excited to join the Claremont Colleges community as the Interfaith Protestant Chaplain! My family and I recently moved from the Washington, DC area where I was the Undergraduate Director of Religious Studies and Professorial Lecturer of East Asian religions at American University. I earned a Ph.D. in Theological and Religious Studies from Georgetown University, researching world Christianity, interreligious dialogue, interfaith communities, and religious pluralism. During my time at Georgetown, I served as a Chaplain-in-Residence, coordinating and planning events, providing interfaith counseling, and leading conversations about anti-racism, gender, mental health, and equity in a housing community of nearly 500 students. My ministry background also includes church planting and student ministry in Boston, MA and Tennessee.

Within my chaplain and academic roles, I have presented on interreligious and interfaith dialogue at conferences with organizations like Parliament of the World’s Religions, the American Academy of Religion, and the World Council of Churches. I’m grateful to be a part of the Claremont Colleges! If you need anything, my door is always open!

salomon gruenwald headshot

Interim Jewish Chaplain
salomon.gruenwald@claremont.edu

Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald

Hi, I’m Rabbi Salomon Gruenwald, and I’m honored to serve as the Interim Jewish Chaplain at The Claremont Colleges. I’m here to support Jewish students—and anyone curious about Judaism—in building meaningful community, exploring spiritual life, and navigating the joys and challenges of college with honesty, courage, and care.

I’ve spent the last 16 years serving a large, diverse synagogue in Denver, Colorado, where I helped create soulful prayer experiences, mentored teens and young adults, and walked with people through moments of celebration, grief, growth, and transformation. I care deeply about Jewish learning, music, and justice, and I love creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and connected.

I’m a first-generation American and Latino Jew—my grandparents fled Nazi Europe and found refuge in Peru, where my parents were born and raised. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, not far from Claremont. I studied sociology at UC Irvine and earned a master’s degree in anthropology and women’s studies from UC Santa Barbara. I was ordained in 2008 at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles. My life experience and education inspire my commitment to pluralism, diversity, and compassionate leadership. I’m currently training in mediation and conflict resolution.

During the school year, I travel between Claremont and Colorado. I’m always up for coffee and conversation, a walk across campus, or helping you find your place in the Jewish community—whatever that looks like for you. Please reach out and say hello!

Religous and Spiritual Life Staff

Senior Administrative Assistant
bridgette.bentley@claremont.edu

Bridgette Bentley

Please reach out to me with any questions about Room Reservations in the McAlister Center,  Chaplain Counseling Appointments, Building Swipe Access and Chaplains’ Current Events and Activities.

I believe I’m in the perfect place to fulfill my purpose.  I’m here to help students navigate their way during their college experience through practical and spiritual assistance. Seeing the student come into the knowledge of their own purpose confirms that I’m in the right place. “Serving those who service others is a calling, not just a career”.