Meet our Multifaith Fellows!
If you are wondering what a “multifaith” community is, it is a group of people who create spaces for sharing and exploring identities, perspectives, convictions, and practices. At Hearth, {Pause}, or any of the programs of the Multifaith Chaplaincy, you will meet some of these student leaders and many others who bring unique stories and perspectives. These Multifaith Fellows plan all the activities of the Multifaith Chaplaincy, so you will see them around. Below, you can find a few words about what they have found in this community.
Charlie Ashley ’28- Hey! My name is Charlie Ashley and I’m a sophomore from Portland, Maine double majoring in DCS and RFSS (a mouthful). You might find me driving around the outskirts of Lewiston, antiquing after class, or camped out in Hedge on Sundays. I’m the number one Beatles fan ever, and also very passionate about movies. Ask me for my favorite song, or Letterboxd top four, they change weekly. I have been co-leading {Pause}, but I will be studying abroad for the 2026-27 academic year.
Mimi Bois ’27
Susie Butler ’28– Helloooo! I’m Susie from Bridgton, Maine! I’m majoring in environmental studies and love to spend time outdoors, practice photography, and get creative! Find me at Crossroads!
The Multifaith Chaplaincy has been a wonderful source of friendship, community, and love in my first year at Bates, and I can’t wait to do it all again this school year!
Kazumi Haag ‘28 is an Environmental Studies and Politics double major from College Park, MD. She loves to play music, cook new recipes, and be outdoors! At Bates, she is often found gardening at the PLOT, doing work by the Puddle, and drinking a matcha in the Ronj. She is thrilled to co-lead Pause this year and help bring some wonderful art to your Wednesday evenings!
“Multifaith is not just a community, it’s a family. No matter whether you see people outside of the Chaplaincy, when you are in it everyone is welcome and at home. You can walk in with a group or alone and always know you will be greeted with enthusiasm and grace. It’s a safe space and a haven away from the busy Bates hustle and bustle.”
Ahmednoor Hassan ’27
Kitana James ’29
Naomi Maloney ’28 – Hi everyone! I’m Naomi from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, double majoring in Anthropology and Africana Studies, and I’m also a Bates Kessler Scholar. Around campus, you’ll probably find me driving a golf cart as a Sports Medicine Aide for Bates Athletics or studying in Pettengill or Ladd Library. You can also usually find me cozied up watching some kind of true crime documentary. I love traveling and spending time with friends. The Multifaith Chaplaincy has become a home for me — a place where I can find peace, comfort, and time for reflection in the middle of busy college life. I’m so excited to help coordinate the Stringfellow program this year and connect with new people in the Bates community!
Fenna Oliphant-Linden ’26 is an Africana major from Bethesda, Maryland. He is a lover of spoons and sugar cubes, crackling campfires, and the 1997 Volvo 850 wagon. If you are looking for Fenna on campus, you will be sure to find him somewhere on Frye Street, enjoying a cup of tea in the Multifaith Chaplaincy or, perhaps, on the quad with a guitar. At Bates, he is also involved with Campus Life’s Equity and Inclusion team and the Village Club Series so you might get lucky and find him in uniform in the Village. He is so SO stoked to return for his third year as a Multifaith Stringfellow and do his part in helping students find where they belong at Bates!!
Multifaith is the beating heart of the Bates campus.
Angelica Paniagua ’28– Hi, my name is Angelica and I’m a Sophomore from Lawrence, Massachusetts! I love movies, books, learning about cultures through travel, canoeing, easy hikes, and dogs (especially mine). While I have yet to choose a major, I am interested in philosophy and anthropology. On campus, you will find me working on the second floor of commons, chilling on Frye Street, or taking long walks. The Multifaith Chaplaincy was an incredibly impactful part of my first-year experience, with my favorite memories being the Warm Welcome and Hearth. I’m excited to coordinate Hearth this Fall and Pause in the Winter and to meet new people :).
Hana Roggendorf ’27 is a Sociology major from West Hartford, Connecticut. She enjoys adventuring in the woods, swimming in rivers with friends, and gazing at the stars. Around Bates, she can be found admiring ducks next to the puddle, spending time in Lewiston Elementary schools, tossing a frisbee on the quad, or curled up in the Multifaith Nest. She is studying in Indonesia in the Fall and will be so excited to create new connections through Arts and Spirituality programs when she returns!
Multifaith has been a safe space to land throughout the chaos of college – it has made Bates feel like my home.
Jilly Scott-Lewis ’27 is a Biochemistry major from Portland, OR. She loves to hike, read, journal and spend time with her friends! She loves to spend time outdoors hiking, doing yoga and swimming. At Bates she loves to linger in commons and spend time lying in the sun on the quad. She is studying in Nepal this Fall and will be very excited to continue making Hearth a wonderful and warm space when she returns.
Surta Shah ’28 is a prospective Politics and Environmental Studies double major from Manhattan, New York! She is passionate about artmaking, connecting with people, and finding the right song for every occasion. She spends her days at Bates dancing with the Bollywood Team, volunteering in the Lewiston/Auburn community as a Bonner Leader, and drinking chai with the South Asian Student Association. In her free time, you can find her lounging in the quad, making jewelry, exploring Maine with her friends, and of course, attending Multifaith events! She is so excited to co-lead Crossroads this year, building on the same conversations and art that helped her find belonging and growth at Bates!
Stella Simonds ’27 is from Westchester, NY. She is a Biology and Religious Studies double major and has deeply enjoyed studying Maine and its environment so far. She can often be found chilling on the Quad, reading a book in nooks and crannies around campus, and either staring at or swimming in any body of water around her. At Bates, she is also involved in the JSU and the W-CAT program. She is very excited to co-lead Pause this year and create a peaceful and mindful space in the Chapel every Wednesday night! She also wants to pass down the kindness and community that Multifaith has shown her so far on her Bates journey. She can’t wait to see you all at Pause in the Fall! In the Winter, she’ll be off to study in Turks and Caicos.
Leif Thesen ’27 is a Sociology major and Philosophy minor from the Bay Area, California. She can be found anywhere there is nature; camping, in a tree, swimming – admiring Maine in all its wonder! Planning on becoming a physical therapist, she also loves moving and sports and is always down for disc golf, roller derby, ice skating, or just going on a hike. She super-duper loves the Multifaith community and is excited to be co-leading Crossroads!