Keeping the faith at Princeton

When Associate Dean of Religious Life Sue Anne Steffey Morrow interviewed for and received a job offer from the University in 1981, she was not initially going to accept.

Bringing a plethora of experience — as a United Methodist minister from western Pennsylvania and active advocate of women's rights who had been the dean of student affairs at Duke Divinity School and served parish Methodist churches of Pittsburgh and Chicago — she had decided that Princeton just was not the place for her to thrive.

After being interviewed by an all-male group, Morrow went home and wrote a letter to the University, explaining why she did not feel it was the place she should be. In the meantime, there was already a letter in the mail to her offering the position for which she had applied.

Ultimately, she accepted the offer, and has been watching the University campus and community change around her ever since.

"No woman had ever walked up the pulpit stairs before," Morrow remembered. "There was a lot of lively coverage in the press when I arrived, because it was such a new thing."

Though she was the first female administrator in the religious life office, she was already accustomed to being surrounded by men, however. "I was the first woman in the councils of those parishes and the first woman in the administration at the Duke Divinity School," she recalled.

Her earlier misgivings notwithstanding, Morrow found the University community welcoming both to her and to the concept of having more women in the administration. "There were these wonderful Princeton students, male and female undergraduate students, who were so pleased," she reflected.

With a few exceptions, the climate has calmed down much since Morrow's early days here. Despite the booming and banging from the construction just outside her window, Morrow's office in Murray-Dodge Hall retains a welcoming air of serenity, with its soft lighting, comfortable chairs and a bowl of jellybeans on the table.

"I see a good number of students who will just come by for a cup of tea, for a jelly belly or two," Morrow said, explaining that students often seek her for counseling or conversation if they are sad or wandering, or just want to talk.

In light of recent events, Morrow has found that she has had more visitors come to her office. "This fall, a steady stream of students who I had not met have come to see me."

Morrow's more official work on campus usually involves working with the Student Volunteers Council. "All through my life, social justice and religious faith have gone hand in hand," she noted.

When Morrow first started working with the SVC, it was a small group with nine student leaders. During the 1980s, the council grew enormously. "At one point, we had as many as 900 students going out weekly," she recalled. Now, the number has plateaued, with between 500 and 600 students going out on weekly volunteer projects.

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"It's easy to work with her on things," said Robin Williams '04 — who is the student administrator for summer internships and a member of the SVC board. "She has a lot of great contacts. She is also really thoughtful in making sure the students' needs are met."

Williams said that the experience Morrow has is very helpful in her work with the SVC. "She seems to have a very good, sensible, realistic approach in working with students in projects. She's sort of a sounding board for ideas."

In addition to attending the weekly SVC board meetings — including one held last evening at Morrow's home on Alexander Road — and overseeing the general functions of the council, Morrow often works individually with board members on projects like helping students to find summer internships in community service or revitalizing the Community Action program.

Another group with which Morrow has been heavily involved is the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students organization. "This is just a great community," Morrow said. "A community that's filled with humor and hope. A community that is willing to be brave."

Morrow explained that it often surprises students to learn that she is also responsible for liturgical life in the University Chapel, which she views as doing her part to "help us to live out our lives as stewards of the mysteries of God." This includes doing lessons and carols on Wednesday nights and the regular chapel services at 11 o'clock.

Along a similar vein, Morrow has been deeply involved with the newly formed Religious Life Council, comprising 15 undergraduate and three graduate students. "[The council was] created to make visible the strength and diversity of religious life on this campus," Morrow explained, adding that the council's members represent eight different faiths, and five different denominations within the Christian faith.

"[It] seeks to give students a space to converse about their religious differences," she said. "We've had a great year."

Morrow explained that she is also responsible for the weddings and holy unions that take place in the Chapel, of which there are about 100 each year. She dispelled the rumor of a five-year waiting list to book the Chapel for a wedding. "There are slots available between now and Christmas in case anybody wants to get married."

Another moment when Morrow's work at the University received press coverage was the holy union she performed for two men in 1997. Though this was neither the first nor last service of this kind, it was made public, unlike most of the services, and was subject to media criticism.

"I've done a number of holy unions at the chapel," she explained. "The University has a non-discrimination policy which includes sexual orientation."

Even after all of her time at the University, Morrow said she still finds her work interesting. "The University has changed so much in the 20 years," she explained. "The fact of the matter is Princeton students continue to inspire me. Every year there is an influx of new students, and every year students have inspiring ideas."

"I consider myself among the fortunate few who have a good job to do, work that I've been called to do, work that I enjoy doing and work that is valuable."