The Elon University Truitt Center hosted its annual weekend-long Ripple Interfaith conference from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15 in Numen Lumen, where students and visitors from other colleges, such as Queens University of Charlotte and Texas Christian University, were able to participate in various activities, such as an art project and attend breakout sessions happening around Elon University’s campus.
On Friday, students and visitors were able to participate in group discussions, lunches and prayer. On Saturday, before breaking out into different breakout sessions, there was a panel with Elon Alum Rev. Miranda Koberg ‘17, who founded the conference, Dr. Pamela Runestad, an assistant professor of Anthropology at Elon, and Ben Battle, who serves as the vice president of Culinary and Community Health Education for Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.
The keynote speaker who spoke on Saturday during dinner was Michael W. Twitty. Twitty is an award-winning culinary historian, author, and independent scholar who specializes in African American food history and the culinary traditions of Africa and the Diaspora. He founded Afroculinaria.com and has taught and lectured for the Smithsonian and Oxford. On Sunday, students and visitors participated in service projects and group sessions and the conference closed with a 10th-year celebration.
Director of Multifaith Programming and Engagement and the staff adviser for the conference, Hillary Zaken, said this year’s theme represents the conference celebrating its 10th anniversary.
“So this year, our theme is a recipe for interfaith, and it's celebrating 10 years of the conference,” Zaken said. “So not only are we talking about all the different things that make interfaith possible, whether it's compassion, curiosity, respect, understanding, but also the kinds of foods that bring us together, what brings us to the table to understand that perhaps, you know, despite all our differences, there's lots of room for us to connect.”
Zaken said the energy she's seen throughout the conference is something she hopes both students and guests can bring back to their daily lives. Zaken noticed how when she came in the morning on Saturday, she noticed students reconnecting with others and how that created a lively energy.
“Students are so excited to engage with one another, to learn to connect,” Zaken said. It's just a joy to have people here who are genuinely interested in interfaith engagement, connecting with one another, learning, planning, to bring things back to their own campuses.”
Founder of the Ripple Conference, Rev. Miranda Koberg ‘17, said she decided to start the conference after attending multiple different ones around the country.
“I was very involved here at the Truitt Center, I interned a few times, and went to a couple of different interfaith conferences around the country,” Koberg said. “I thought, well, what if we brought this together, where we have learning, but also opportunities for connection, meaningful connection.”
Koberg said while she didn't see many of the in-between years of the conference’s growth, seeing it now, after 10 years, feels different.
“It's amazing to see how much it's grown, the different universities and colleges that are participating, the different students, and how many students are involved in the actual leadership,” Koberg said. “When we first started it, we had just co-directors and some interns participating. Now it's a whole team. A lot of different students are involved, and that's just amazing.”
Koberg said being at the conference for its 10th anniversary feels full circle.
“I really enjoy the opportunity to be here and participate in the Ripple Conference in a more formal role. I am a panelist this year, and so it's, it's just kind of full circle,” Koberg said. “It's been 10 years, which blows my mind, and I am loving seeing what all the students are doing nowadays, especially with just the way things are in our country right now, it's nice to see people coming together and working together.”
Zaken hopes the conference continues for another 10 years.
“I think it's a milestone year,” Zaken said. “I think anything that survives for 10 years and grows in terms of impact and student investment is worth celebrating. I'm in touch with lots of students who have graduated, who are members of the Ripple leadership team, who think that this was really the cornerstone of their college experience, a time when they were really allowed to lead in a space that they cared deeply about. And I hope the Ripple Conference continues to be that for students and generations.”
Zaken said watching the growth of this conference has been a joy to watch because it gives her hope for the future.
“Well, it's been an absolute thrill and an honor to see this conference grow,” Zaken said. “It began as a small regional conference, and now it's actually the largest student-led interfaith conference in the country, and it's just the highlight of my work. It's a joy to see student leaders doing this work because it gives me hope for tomorrow.”