Marsh Chapel 75th Anniversary & Collecting Stories Project
Marsh Chapel provides a point of connection and pride for Boston University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members near and far. Beginning this summer with the “Marsh Voices” Summer Preaching Series and continuing through Alumni Weekend and Lessons & Carols we will celebrate and uplift our community’s legacy.
Alumni Weekend 2025 Celebration
We will honor and celebrate our diverse connections and historic legacy by bringing the community together, virtually and in person, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the dedication of Marsh Chapel.
Saturday, September 27
Time TBD Marsh Chapel student staff and intern program alumni gathering at Cornwall’s
Time TBD Marsh Chapel Choir alumni gathering at Marsh Chapel
Sunday, September 28
11:00AM Worship service with special music (Live-streamed and Recorded) at Marsh Chapel
12:30PM Award banquet luncheon honoring our Marsh Chapel alumni, location TBD
Sustaining our Legacy
Since our opening in 1950, Marsh Chapel has built a legacy as one of the leading liberal university pulpits in the United States. Shaped by the innovative aspirations and progressive ideals of Boston University President Daniel L. Marsh (1926–1951), the Chapel stands at the center of Boston University’s tradition of inclusive excellence. The Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, Dean of Marsh Chapel from 1953 to 1965, was a seminal civil rights advocate and spiritual leader, whose non-violent activism and concern for common ground deeply influenced his most prominent protégée, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (BU PhD ‘55). The current Dean, the Rev. Dr. Robert Allan Hill, upholds and promotes the significance of this legacy as a preacher, theologian, educator, and religious leader.
Our 75th anniversary fundraising goal of 4 million dollars will fully endow the Deanship of Marsh Chapel through the Emma Speare Huntington Endowment, ensuring a future of excellence at the highest level of religious leadership at Boston University. We ask for your prayerful and material support.
Share your story in honor of Marsh Chapel’s 75th Anniversary!
Marsh Chapel is the heart of the Boston University community. We are a point of connection and pride for Boston University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members near and far.
We invite you to share your personal stories about how the community at Marsh Chapel has made a positive impact on your life. Capturing your stories will inspire and shape the future of our work and ministry.
Beginning March 1st, 2025, Marsh Chapel will begin collecting stories from our community members, alumni, current and former choir members and other from across our far-reaching community. These stories will be submitted in a series of ways: through our forthcoming video message platform called ThankView (details will be available soon!), by making an appointment to film your story with our media team, in writing, or through a telephone voicemail service. Further explanation of the story prompt and instructions for participation will be available soon. In the meantime, please reach out via email (chapel@bu.edu) or phone (617-353-3560) to let us know that you are interested in sharing your story and we will add you to our contact list for this project!
How will my story be used?
Submitted stories will be share in a variety of ways. Some will be used for promotional materials on Marsh Chapel’s social media and website. Others will be included in some kind of video montage that will be shown at one or more of the events associated with the 75th Anniversary Celebration. All submissions are subject to editing for length and clarity.