Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 40
Photo credit: University of florida
These are various rooms
within the Serenity Room.
The restroom (photo far left)
has a footwashing station.
The main room has calming
water fountains (center photo)
and comfortable seating for
meditation (photo far right).
Photo credit: University of florida
carving out Physical space for spiritual needs
Followers of Islam pray five times a day. While one of these prayers is at sunrise, and another at sundown, students
at the University of Florida reported feeling uncertain about where they would conduct their prayers during the
day while on campus. Additionally, former residence life coordinator Ayesha Rizvi Mian heard from Middle Eastern
residents that more and more of their siblings and friends were electing to attend European universities, where their
faith traditions were more easily practiced.
Prior to 2010, there was no specific space on the University of Florida campus for students of any denomination
to pray or meditate. The Serenity Room in Broward Hall, a centrally located residence hall, was built to meet this
need. Rizvi Mian visited the Prayer Room in the Marshall Student Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa
and spoke to students about what would be important to them to have in a similar space at UF. She submitted
a successful proposal to turn a 15-foot by 20-foot study room into a serenity room and with a $10,000 budget
renovated that space and its adjacent restroom.
Softer lighting, carpet, comfortable seating, a water feature, potted trees, and art depicting nature scenes were
installed in the room. A small kaaba, a symbol to identify north, painted on the corner of the wall was the only
religious feature included. The room also has prayer mats, which are stored when not in use. "There are no people, no
symbols, no reference to any specific faith tradition in any of the artwork," says Rizvi Mian. "While our campus Muslim
community helped us to identify that there was a real need for this space, we wanted to build a serenity room that
was inclusive of all."
The restroom next to the Serenity Room was also renovated to include a hand bidet, a footwashing station, and
peaceful art features. "In several traditions, ablution, the cleansing of your body before you present yourself to your
god, is an important part of prayer and meditation," says Rizvi Mian. "The bathroom renovations were an integral part
of the big picture, here."
The Serenity Room is open to any member of the University of Florida campus community between 8:00 a.m.
and 10:00 p.m. A key is signed out at the area desk, and staff keep track of usage. Six to eight students use the space
regularly, while other students and staff visit intermittently. Bible studies and Islam Friday prayer meetings are often
held in the space. Minor issues of the misuse of space have been addressed as they come up. Rizvi Mian was forced
to have a conversation with a commuter student who was found napping in the room, and a "no food" policy was
implemented shortly after the Serenity Room opened. "There have been remarkably few issues with the Serenity
Room and fantastic appropriate usage," says Rizvi Mian. "I attribute this to the space being truly religion neutral. It is
just a great place for quiet reflection, meditation and prayer."
40
TalkiNg STick
Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Contents
New Member Highlight
Vision
Just In
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Business Operations
Special Focus
Calendar
Partnerships in Programming
Mind over Matter
Conversations
First Takes
Reporting Out
New Members
Snapshot
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Talking Stick - November/December 2013
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Cover2
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 1
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 2
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 3
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - New Member Highlight
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 5
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Vision
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 7
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Just In
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 9
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 10
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 11
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 12
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Transitions
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 15
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Res Life
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 17
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 18
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 19
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Business Operations
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 21
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 22
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 23
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Special Focus
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 25
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 26
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Calendar
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Partnerships in Programming
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 29
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 30
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 31
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 32
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 33
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 34
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 35
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Mind over Matter
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 37
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 38
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 39
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 40
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 41
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 42
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 43
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Conversations
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 45
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 46
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - First Takes
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Reporting Out
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 49
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 50
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 51
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 52
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 53
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - New Members
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - 55
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Cover3
Talking Stick - November/December 2013 - Cover4
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