News
News from Hartford International University
Interfaith & Interreligious Dialogue
Macdonald Center Offers Resources in Response to War and Rising Anti-Muslim Bigotry
March 12, 2026
With the present war in the Middle East, Americans need accurate information to better understand the region, the Muslim world, and American Iranian relations. HIU's Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations is a trusted resource for community organizations and religious groups, led by a faculty dedicated to interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
Chaplaincy
Chaplaincy Student Channels Ancestral Rhythms into Transatlantic Healing Project
March 5, 2026
For Eric Hicks, the path to becoming an HIU eco-chaplaincy student began in the waiting room of a Veterans Administration hospital, where he would chat with veterans to keep himself busy every time he took his relative for a three-hour dialysis treatment.
General HIU News
HIU Welcomes Fifth Cohort of PKUMI Indonesian Scholars
February 26, 2026
On Wednesday, Feb. 25, HIU welcomed eight J-1 scholars arriving from Indonesia: Ilham Surya, Muhammad Maulana, Azmi Subhan Robbani, Dinan Kiasati, Daris Salamah, Sinta Hardiyati, Hakiki Hakiki, and Muhamad Lutfi Azizi. They represent the fifth cohort from PTIQ University, Jakarta, to participate in the “Ulama Cadre Education Program of Masjid Istiqlal” (PKUMI) short course.
General HIU News
HIRR Shares Post-Pandemic Congregational Insights on Podcast
February 11, 2026
Allison Norton and Scott Thumma, investigators with HIU’s Hartford Institute for Religion Research, were featured on a recent episode of The Ministry Collaborative podcast, sharing findings from the ongoing study, Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations.
Alumni News
Former Board Chair and Alum, Bill Farley '97, Publishes a Book of Spiritual Insights
January 29, 2026
HIU alum and former Trustee Bill Farley ‘97, who chaired the Board for six years, recently published a book titled Taking the Big Risks. The book includes experiences from his time at Hartford International University. “It does have HIU references,” Bill said, “and particularly celebrates the profound effect that my dear friend, M.T. Winter, had on my life.”
Faculty In The News
HIU and Professor David Grafton Quoted in Article on The Making of Islamophobia
January 15, 2026
Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations David D. Grafton are prominently featured in a The Christian Century article titled "The making of Islamophobia" by Anna Piela and Michael Woolf, authors of Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice, who interviewed Grafton last year about his research and recent book Muhammad in the Seminary: Protestant Teaching about Islam in the Nineteenth Century.
Alumni News
HIU Alum Serves in Tyson Foods’ Groundbreaking In-House Chaplaincy
November 22, 2025
Tyson Foods’ corporate chaplaincy program, established nearly 25 years ago, continues to serve as a unique model for workplace-based care, supporting employees across the company’s nationwide operations. Among the chaplains advancing this effort is Taha El-Nil ’17, an alum of Hartford International University (HIU), who currently serves at a Tyson Foods meatpacking plant employing approximately 4,000 workers.
General HIU News
Community Mourns the Loss of Former Controller Lilyne Hollingworth
January 5, 2026
The HIU community is sad to announce that Lilyne Hollingworth, the institution's controller from 1992-2015, has passed away.
Faculty In The News
Community Mourns the Passing of Wayne G. Rollins
January 5, 2026
The HIU community mourns the passing of Wane G. Rollins, 96, who taught at Hartford Seminary for many year, starting in 1966.
Alumni News
MAP Alum Appointed to National Children's Commission of Malawi
December 15, 2025
The National Children’s Commission (NCC) of Malawi, established by an Act of Parliament in 2019, was officially launched on December 6, 2025, marking its full operational status to address urgent challenges facing the nation’s youth, including child marriage, poverty, violence, and neglect. Helping to lead this critical charge is Lyka Mtambo ‘23, who represents the religious sector on the five-member commission.