Chaplain
University Chaplain Dave Wright ’96 (him/they pronouns) joined the staff of the University in August 2006. Dave is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, and a member of the Pacific Northwest Conference.
As University Chaplain, Dave supports the breadth of Spirituality & Religious Life activities on campus and offers confidential pastoral/spiritual/social support for members of the campus community. When there is interest, they help students connect with Tacoma-area faith communities. They are also active in campus suicide prevention and intervention efforts; advocating for policies and practices that best support campus members of all, any, or no faith; and working with partners across campus and beyond to foster community commitments to compassion, social justice, and equity.
Dave is a frequent guest speaker in local faith communities, is involved in a variety of immigrant/refugee rights and services organizations, and works on- and off-campus to help challenge cultures of dominant whiteness, patriarchy, antisemitism, Islamophobia, heteronormativity, and Christianism. They are a past president of the Association of College and University Religious Affairs (now the Association for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Life in Higher Education, ACSLHE), a national multifaith organization of college and university religious and spiritual life leaders. Actively working to build bridges between institutional chaplaincies and Student Affairs, Dave was also recognized by NASPA (international organization of Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education) as their 2018 Professional of the Year for Religion and Spirituality.
FALL 2024 DROP-IN TIMES
- Diversions Cafe, Mondays: 9:30-10:30 a.m. and Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon
- Wheelock 203, Wednesdays: 3:30-4:30 p.m. and Thursdays 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Or for an appointment, email chaplaincy@pugetsound.edu
Drop-In Hours are meant to be a casual time for students, faculty, staff, and others to chat with Dave about anything. If you’d prefer to schedule a more private meeting, please email Dave directly at dwright@pugetsound.edu or drop by WSC 203 to make an appointment.
EDUCATON AND PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
- BA, Religion at the University of Puget Sound, 1996
- MDiv, Duke University, 1999
- Chaplain Resident, University of North Carolina Hospitals, 1999-2001
- Associate Pastor, Bothell United Methodist Church, 2001-2006