April 16, 2026
A university event called “Spirit Week” might normally evoke images of pep rallies and homecoming games rather than tea ceremonies and mandala-making stations, but UChicago is no normal university.
Since 2012, UChicago’s Spiritual Life office has honored the many religious holidays observed in April with a diverse slate of interfaith programming that gives the campus community an opportunity to experience and learn about different spiritual traditions, rituals, and observances.
“The goal of Spirit Week is to provide an immersive experience in a tradition and introduce folks to different world perspectives, worldviews, and world religions,” explains Senior Associate Dean and Director of Spiritual Life Jigna Shah. “But it is also an opportunity for students to build bridges with each other.”
From April 11 through May 6, students will have opportunities to deepen their understanding of faith traditions through open dialogue and creative engagement. Events like “No Judgment, Just Curiosity” give students a chance to inquire about religions unfamiliar to them. “It’s for students to ask questions like, ‘What is this tradition’s perspective on [fill in the blank]?’” says Shah. “It’s an opportunity for them to engage with religious and spiritual advisors on campus in a free-flowing, table-fair-style atmosphere that is fun, easy, and accessible.”
One of the longest-running events associated with Spirit Week is the annual Holi Celebration. Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, is a vibrant Hindu festival that celebrates the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. Aptly, the event celebrates the Festival of Colors with face painting provided by UChicago's ArtShould.
Students can also share their own experiences with religion (good or bad) at an open mic night at the campus coffee shop, Hallowed Grounds, where this year’s theme will be “Border Crossings,” or test their knowledge at an interfaith trivia night.
Though students don’t just participate in these events, they shape them. While Spiritual Life helps with logistics, Spiritual Life Student Leaders and Student Program Coordinators are at the helm when it comes to content creation. “We have found it helpful to have students come together and do the planning,” says Shah. “We want them invested, and we want them to be comfortable. Because if they're comfortable in planning it, they'll be comfortable in facilitating, and if they're comfortable in facilitating these programs, they can take what they learned back into their living spaces and build some new bridges.”
What Shah hopes attendees take away from the events is the importance of religious literacy and its role in community building. “When you improve your religious literacy, you become a more engaged and productive global citizen, and we are more interconnected today than ever before,” she explains. At its heart, Spirit Week is a celebration of the diversity that UChicago embodies and a testament to the community’s eagerness to learn and explore new ideas, traditions, and cultures.