Collegeville Institute makes staffing changes

In the white apartments on the shore of Stumpf Lake, west of the Seton Apartments of SJU’s Flynntown, is a theological, cultural and philosophical community known as the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research.

Called the Collegeville Institute for short, it was founded in 1967 as the Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research by Rev. Kilian McDonnell. It has served as an academic and philosophical center to promote a myriad of different faith and cultural ideas across the Christian world.

Now, it is undergoing a period of leadership transition.

The Collegeville Institute recently hired a new director of communications and is undergoing the process of hiring a new executive director.

Andrew McNeil is the newest director of communications at the Collegeville Institute. McNeil previously served in the U.S. Army working with media relations and public affairs before working in recruiting and marketing for St. Cloud Technical & Community College, then in marketing for Alexandria Technical & Community College.

“Now that I’m here, I am just trying to meet with everybody, learn who to put in the network, who I need to communicate, who I need to use for resources, just get into the community as much as possible,” McNeil said. “I am learning there is a huge community here…it’s quite the unique atmosphere.”

McNeil was hired to promote the Collegeville Institute to the public by updating and perfecting already existing digital infrastructure.

“What I am trying to do is to get the message of the Collegeville Institute and what we are doing out,” McNeil said. “I am intending on doing that [through] our digital outlets, [like] cleaning up the website [and] using social media.”

Today, the Collegeville Institute is a hub for inner-faith research and dialogue between Christians and non-Christians in an attempt to foster a connection between the religious and non-religious. The Collegeville Institute offers programs and initiatives such as the Residential Scholar Program, CI Seminar and the Ecclesial Literature Project, which focuses on ecumenical and cultural research and writing workshops for writers on faith.

The Collegeville Institute’s publications focus on bringing people of different faiths and cultural backgrounds together;, addressing social issues such as racial justice and LGBTQ+ inclusion in faith communities; and examining the role of religion in public life.

Many scholars and academics have studied rat the Collegeville Institute, such as journalist Krista Tippett, who was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama in 2014.

Even though the Collegeville Institute is an independent organization outside of St. John’s Abbey and University, it has hosted many alumni and faculty from CSB+SJU, like professor of theology Jennifer Beste and visiting assistant professor of theology Ben Durheim, SJU ‘07.

Some alumni of CSB+SJU who attended Collegeville Institute programs include Eric LeCompte SJU ‘99, George Maurer SJU ‘88 and Sam Thomas SJU ‘94.

Bennies and Johnnies are unable to be directly involved with the Collegeville Institute; however, publications by the Collegeville Institute are used by professors for multiple courses offered at CSB+SJU.

McNeil said he hopes his workat the Collegeville Institute will helpspread their values and purpose to alarger audience.

“It is an honor to be able to help contribute to the mission of what the Collegeville Institute has done and what it continues to do in the context of using writing, religious ideas and theology to engage people and [get them] to think about faith…as a tool for healing,” McNeil said.