Finding a place to reflect, meditate and pray can be difficult on a college campus, but the Office of the Chaplain has established The Quiet Place for faculty, staff and students to do just that.

The small room on the third floor of Hughes-Trigg Student Center, open to people of all religions and backgrounds, will be dedicated Friday at 10 a.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Commons. University President R. Gerald Turner, Vice President for Student Affairs Jim Caswell and University Chaplain Will Finnin are expected to speak. A reception will follow the dedication.

“Our vision for The Quiet Place responds to the need for prayerful reflection, for conversation and for meaningful encounters with God among persons of differing faith heritages,” Finnin said, who hopes it will be a place for “groups to increase their understanding of various faith traditions.”

Located near the Chaplain’s Office, The Quiet Place features a large stained-glass window, designed and created by Sierra Studios’ Reed and Mickie Oliver to represent themes of nature, such as water, land and air, rather than traditional religious themes or symbols.

Members of the SMU community have been using the room since it became available last spring.

“We envision it as a place where all students, faculty and staff can go to find sacred space,” Assistant Chaplain Judy Henneberger said. Henneberger plans to offer a weekly 15-minute devotional in the new space.

The Quiet Place was funded by friends and colleagues of the Office of the Chaplain as well as by a President’s Partners grant.