St. Stephen's Appoints New Director of Spiritual Wellness

St. Stephen’s Appoints New Director of Spiritual Wellness

St. Stephen’s College is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Kehinde Olabimtan as the inaugural Community Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Wellness, effective October 1, 2023.  Within this new role, Kehinde will work to foster spiritual flourishing within the St. Stephen’s learning community.

“The development of this new position is an exciting step for St. Stephen’s College.  By appointing the College’s first Director of Spiritual Wellness, we aim to embraces the diversity of our learning community while also seeking to meet the evolving needs of our student body.  The addition of this role creates new opportunities for the College to advance its mission of helping students ‘integrate spirituality into their lives, communities, and professions.’” (Fred Tappenden, Principal and Dean).

As the Director of Spiritual Wellness, Kehinde will work to promote and foster spiritual wellness within the St. Stephen’s College learning community.  His chief responsibilities will include the design and implementation of a new monthly online spiritual gathering for reflection and personal formation (details to be announced soon), the provision of spiritual and moral guidance on an as requested basis to members of the College community, and the provision of spiritual care supports for St. Stephen’s students who find themselves in moments of need.  Kehinde will also work to collaborate with the Interfaith Chaplains Association of the University of Alberta, and to nurture ongoing connections between the College and Edmonton’s wider multi-faith and spiritual communities.

Previously Dr. Olabimtan served as the Director of Theological Studies programming at the College.  In his new role he will continue (in consultation with the Dean) to offer mentorship to Theological Studies students, though his primary duties will be as Community Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Wellness.

About Kehinde: Kehinde is an ordained minister who has several years of experience working in faith community and university chaplaincy contexts.  He holds two doctoral degrees, one in eco-theology (from St. Stephen’s College) and another in the theology of cross-cultural engagements (from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa).  Kehinde is committed to working in a spiritually diverse context, and to exploring the ecological interactions between faith, culture, and development for the flourishing of our planet.