Meet the Spiritual Life Team

Meet our Spiritual Life team! The Spiritual Life Team also responded to the question, “What is Spiritual Life at Queens?” Here are their answers..

Adrian Bird

University Chaplain
birda@queens.edu

Adrian comes to Queens after years of cross-cultural, international experience within the interfaith movement, working collaboratively to build strong and harmonious community life. Adrian spent ten years at Union Presbyterian Seminary, teaching courses in History and Interreligious encounters, and served for several years as Chair of Interfaith Partners of South Carolina. This is an exciting time, as Adrian works with the incredible chapel team in continuing to create an environment in which students, faculty, and staff may thrive in drawing sustenance from their spiritual traditions and wells. Drop by Belk Chapel to say hello, find a listening ear, or meditate in a safe and brave space.

Answer: Nourishing spiritual life, building bridges of understanding, and collaborative service is the heartbeat of Belk Chapel, assisting all within our community to find a healthy and enriching balance between mind, body, and spirit.

Andy Harkavy

Director, Hillel & Jewish Life
harkavya@queens.edu

Andy received a double Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Spanish at the University of Georgia and a Master of Arts in Jewish Communal Service from the Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University. Among his many roles in the Jewish community over the years, Andy has excelled in dynamic education and engagement, focusing on creating a relational culture where youth, teens, and adults of all ages can thrive in a safe environment. He has a passion and love for camp, alternative breaks, and other immersive and transformative experiences. Andy was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and is an avid sports fan, always supporting any University of Georgia team as well as all of his Atlanta sports teams. He looks forward to building community and creating authentic relationships and deep connections where students are in the driver seat and become active stakeholders in their own Jewish journey so they feel intimately connected to each other and our community. Andy resides in Charlotte with his wife, Megan, and their two children, Eli Micah and Abby Rose.

Dr. Alexa Royden

Faculty Advisor, Non-religious Students
roydena@queens.edu

Judy Schindler

Associate Professor, Jewish Studies
Campus Rabbi
schindlerj@queens.edu

Rabbi Judy is an activist, author, professor, rabbi, mother, wife, and interfaith bridge-builder. Rabbi means “teacher,” and Rabbi Judy seeks to teach the community how to create social change in order to actualize the prophetic values of equality, justice, human dignity, and human rights of the Hebrew Bible. Rabbi Judy also serves as the Sklut Professor of Jewish Studies and Director of the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University of Charlotte. She was named Rabbi Emerita of Temple Beth El in Charlotte, North Carolina, after serving as Senior Rabbi from 2003-2016 and as Associate Rabbi from 1998-2003.

Answer: Queens Spiritual Life meets students where they are. The bridges we build between the faiths are what makes Queens Spiritual Life so strong and beautiful.

Cloe Nkazi

Graduate Assistant
nkazic@queens.edu

My name is Cloe Nkazi, an international graduate student and alumna of Queens University of Charlotte. It’s an honor to serve as the Graduate Assistant for Spiritual Life in a space that has played a meaningful role in my own journey.

I strongly value creating spaces dedicated to faith-based service and interfaith dialogue, with the hope of building an inclusive campus culture. Growing up in a pluralistic environment, I carry a deep respect for religious diversity and the importance of open, respectful conversations across faith traditions.

My time at Queens has shown me how powerful service and spiritual connection can be when rooted in love and shared purpose. Whether through interfaith programs, community outreach like Room in the Inn, or sacred gatherings that reflect the global church, I believe in building a campus environment where all voices are valued and everyone feels at home.