Headlines at Hopkins
News Release

Office of News and Information
Johns Hopkins University
901 South Bond Street, Suite 540
Baltimore, Maryland 21231
Phone: 443-287-9960 | Fax: 443-287-9920

January 26, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lisa De Nike
(443) 287-9960
lde@jhu.edu


Mosley Becomes Johns Hopkins University Chaplain

Rev. Albert Mosley The Rev. Albert Mosley, a United Methodist minister with degrees from Duke and Yale universities, has become The Johns Hopkins University's new chaplain. The 36-year-old replaces Sharon Kugler, a lay Catholic who left for Yale in 2007. Kugler had served as chaplain at Johns Hopkins since 1993.

Mosley is on the Homewood campus part time until July 1, when he will assume full-time duty at the Bunting-Meyerhoff Interfaith and Community Service Center.

He comes to Johns Hopkins from the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church in Philadelphia, where he also served as assistant director of the Center for Civic Engagement and an adjunct professor in the Pennoni Honors College at Drexel University, teaching courses in subjects ranging from comparative ethics to public life and leadership.

"I was attracted to the chaplaincy at Johns Hopkins because of the university's genuine commitment to developing and fostering meaningful dialogue among persons all along the faith spectrum," Mosley said. "This dialogue is especially significant at this point in the history of our nation and in the history of our world. My impression is that Johns Hopkins is one corner of the world where a sincere effort is placed upon building a unique and inclusive community of faith that has as one part of its core values tolerance and a willingness to engage otherness."

Mosley's hiring capped a two-year national search, said Susan Boswell, dean of student life.

"The process to fill the position was a long and intense one, but we are satisfied that we ended up with the best possible person for the job: the Rev. Albert Mosley," Boswell said. "From the first time we met him, we had the feeling that he personified the perfect mix of interpersonal skills and strong background. We feel so fortunate to have him join the Johns Hopkins community and know he will make an incredible contribution to student life here."

As part of his job at Johns Hopkins, Mosley will head up the Campus Ministry Advisory Board, comprising 18 other clergy of various faith traditions who are not Johns Hopkins employees, but who have agreed to offer ministry services to students.

"Part of my job is to facilitate interfaith dialogue and promote the integration of interreligious sensitivity and understanding among the different faith traditions here on our campus," Mosley said. "Additionally, I am the public face of the university when it comes to anything related to faith and religious practices. As such, there will be occasions where I will relate to members of the larger community, especially in terms of programming and providing other services."

Born in rural Shuqualak, Miss., Mosley graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in molecular biology from Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. He earned a master of divinity degree from Duke University in 1998 and a master of sacred theology degree from Yale in 1999.

He also previously served as the interim chaplain and director of the Multi-Faith Center at Albright College in Reading, Pa., where he directed the work of several associate chaplains, including a Roman Catholic priest, an Orthodox rabbi and an Imam, all of whom provided services to a diverse student body. In addition, Mosley was assistant dean and director of religious life at Duke University, where he supervised a department that included 25 chaplains and a variety of student religious life groups representing numerous faith traditions.

For the last several years, Mosley has served as the spiritual and administrative leader of a diverse urban religious community in Philadelphia that "has a rather significant social justice leaning," said Mosley, who has won a wide variety of awards and honors, including the Bishop's Medal, given by the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church for meritorious service to church and society; the Harry Denman Award for Social Outreach, from the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church; and the Richard R. Hernandez Religious Leadership Award, bestowed by the Northwest Interfaith Movement of Philadelphia, a nonprofit group of interfaith leaders.

Mosley said he believes that his extensive background in urban interfaith work is a perfect springboard into his new role at Johns Hopkins.

"My goal is to continue and expand upon the work that has already been done in providing spiritual, intellectual and moral leadership to the campus community, fostering within the community an understanding of the interaction of faith, intellectual inquiry and social responsibility, and serving as a safe haven and resource center for the many faith traditions that are present on campuses today," he said.

In addition, he said he wants to ensure that all faith traditions on the campus are aware of opportunities to express their faith and that those who are not affiliated with any faith traditions also feel welcome.

"We look forward to welcoming Albert and working with him as he joins Campus Ministries," said Kathryn Schnurr, assistant chaplain at Johns Hopkins. "We are eager to introduce him to our many families of faith and begin a new chapter together."