People

What fellows say they get out of Addir:

  • Feel seen, connected and uplifted
  • Witness each others’ joy and pain, sustenance and doubt
  • Meet thoughtful people willing to engage in dialogue about life, death, faith, and more.
  • Discover and get past unconscious biases; develop self-awareness
  • Overcome fear of conversational quicksand and deep emotional water
  • Take a day off for exploration and friendship at the spring and fall retreats

Quotes from Addir fellows:
“I like that it’s a rhythmic, set-aside time every week to take a step back from MIT and think about the bigger picture of life” – Elizabeth, PhD student, biological engineering
“I love the open-mindedness that everyone comes into meetings with, and the directions that curiosity can take us.” – Stephanie, Masters student, eecs
“I love the safe space created to talk openly about faith and spirituality at whatever stage you are at” – Rameen, Masters student, tpp
“The Addir program has offered me opportunities to challenge my perceptions, and grow in personal understanding. It has been a very enriching experience to learn from MIT students of all belief systems.” -Pervez, MBA student

Anonymous quotes from Addir fellows:
I came in thinking I knew “my people,” but now I realize that how and the degree to which they think about  life is what makes a person “my kind of people”—not any label or identity. 
Addir is good practice for having conversations about challenging topics of any kind.  Whereas I once would have avoided certain topics for fear of offending, appearing ignorant, or being evangelized, I am now open to broaching deep topics.  
I was surprised by everyone’s individual faith journey. No one seemed to fit a specific mold. And to see how that journey intertwined with other elements of their lives.
As a Master’s Student here for only two years, Addir was my way in to the richness of the MIT’s diverse community.  The big plus has been being exposed to folks with different worldviews.
Frequent conversations with people from different backgrounds helped me nuance my own faith, as well as empathize with people from atheist and agnostic persuasions.