AU boasts about 1,900 dedicated staff members. Meet one of them: Morgan Redmond, associate director, Kay Spiritual Life Center.

I have worked at AU just over a year. Before that I worked in a similar role with Georgetown University’s campus ministry. My job is to work with the university chaplain to manage relationships with community partners and student associations and make sure they have the resources and support they need. I also facilitate many of Kay’s programs that help students explore their purpose and meaning.

My favorite day of the workweek is Tuesday because we always hold tea time, one of our signature events during which I hand out tea and cupcakes to students. It’s a great way to engage our community, and it’s how I show my AU spirit.

Campus is at its prettiest on the first warm day of spring when everybody is out on the quad. My office is in the “flaming cupcake,” as Kay is affectionately known, with a view from the labyrinth down to the library. It’s beautiful to see people come out of hibernation and gather on the quad with their friends and play games.

I found my community at AU by showing up at campus events and learning about our students and thought partners. The person who showed me the ropes is Rev O [University Chaplian Bryant Oskvig]. He showed me around and introduced me to many of my colleagues and friends on campus.

My go-to order at the Dav is the apple butter chai latte—or a lavender latte when I want caffeine. My favorite lunch spot is Halal Shack in Mary Graydon Center. My favorite place on campus to steal a quiet moment is the chapel or the Dharmic devotional space, which is a great place to center yourself, meditate, or pray.

My work-from-home-ritual includes a cup of tea and a midday nap instead of a lunch break. When I’m not at work, you can find me at home cozied up on the couch reading or watching a show. I’m a big Star Wars nerd, so the last great show I watched was Ahsoka. The last great book I read was Hijabi Butch Blues by Lamya H. And the last great meal I had was a poke bowl with tuna, mango, and rice at Chef Geoff’s on New Mexico Avenue nearby campus.

My most Washington moment was participating in the Unity Walk in September, which explored the nearby churches, mosques, and synagogues on Wisconsin Avenue. 

If I wasn’t working at the Kay Spiritual Life Center, I would still be working on a college campus in student affairs, or I’d be a social worker or counselor.

But my job at AU is best because college students are navigating a really important time in their lives. They’re breaking out of their bubble for the first time and trying to figure out what’s important to them and why they believe the things they do. Being able to accompany students on that journey is an honor.

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