Brown Alumnus R. David Coolidge ’01 Named New Muslim Chaplain

Brown’s Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life (OCRL) announces the appointment of R. David Coolidge ’01 as its new associate University chaplain for the Muslim community. Prior to accepting Brown’s position, Coolidge was the Muslim advisor at Dartmouth College. A 2001 graduate of the University, he returns to his alma mater bringing extensive expertise in the practice and interpretation of Islam, as well as deep knowledge of Islamic texts. Furthermore, he studies Islam’s many contributions to broader interfaith communities and dialogues.

Originally from Chicago, Coolidge embraced Islam during his sophomore year at Brown. Commenting on his appointment, he said, “It is my pleasure and honor to be back at Brown, the place that provided the context for my acceptance of Islam and my initial growth as a Muslim. I learned back then that true community comes from finding a place where we can be ourselves, and at the same time work together on issues of common purpose.”

Coolidge was selected after a year-long, national search. The Committee vetting potential candidates included the Reverend Janet M. Cooper Nelson, chaplain of the University; faculty; student leaders from the Brown Muslim Students’ Association; administrators from Campus Life and the Dean of the College, as well as a Brown trustee. Cooper Nelson noted that Coolidge’s intellectual precision, compassionate commitment, and devotion to energetic and articulate leadership are a marvelous match for OCRL’s multifaith program. “Dave’s decision to return to his alma mater,” noted Cooper Nelson, “promises new strength for the campus Muslim community, and his gifts for teaching and counsel enhance marvelously the University’s commitment to develop religious literacy and understanding.”

His responsibilities as Brown’s Muslim chaplain include the spiritual care of the Muslim student community on campus and advisement for the Brown Muslim Students’ Association. He also contributes programmatically to OCRL’s multifaith professional staff. Moreover, Coolidge sees himself as a resource for the whole University. “In a time when Islam and Muslims are a constant part of public discourse,” he said, “it is essential that the Muslim chaplain plays an integral role in the entire institution’s engagement with the faith and praxis of one-fifth of the world’s population.”

Before becoming the Muslim advisor at Dartmouth, Coolidge was an adjunct instructor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, NY. In 2008, he graduated from Princeton University with an M.A. in religion, where he studied the interpretation and practice of Islam in twenty-first century America. His B.A. from Brown was in religious studies (with honors), and his thesis was titled “Muslim Perceptions of Hinduism: Al-Biruni’s Kitab al-Hind and Al-Shahrastani’s Kitab al-Milal wa’l-Nihal.”

In addition to his work and studies within higher education, Coolidge has been involved with various American Muslim institutions. He has taught courses and lectured for the Muslim Public Service Network, the M.E.C.C.A. Center, and various Muslim student associations throughout the United States. He has studied Islam and Arabic at the American Learning Institute for Muslims, the Institute of Islamic Education, Qasid Institute, Nawawi Foundation, and the Islamic American University. He has also worked with various Muslim summer camps, such as the Muslim Youth Camp, which has been in existence for about half a century.

Additionally, he has published articles in Islamic Horizons, Illume Magazine, and the now-defunct Islamica.