The Office for Religious Life > About the Deans > The Rev. Joanne Sanders

The Rev. Scotty McLennan | Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neumann | The Rev. Joanne Sanders

Joanne Sanders, Associate Dean for Religious Life and a priest in the Episcopal Church, came to Stanford in September of 2000. She received a Master of Divinity from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. (1997-2000) While at CDSP, she served on the school's Board of Trustees as ombudsperson and Chair of the Community Council.

Sanders brings previous university experience to Stanford after serving for five years in university admissions and eight years as a collegiate coach. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Sports Administration (1991) and a B.S. in Physical Education/Secondary Education. (1982) One of her educational, research and religious commitments is to assist others in understanding the integrated connection of body, mind and spirit. Rev. Sanders had the unique opportunity to serve on a 40 member multi-faith chaplain team at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has collaborated with Jim Thompson, Executive Director of Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford, and taught a "Sport and Spirituality" course on campus through Continuing Studies in 2002-2003. Sanders also served as a volunteer chaplain in the professional sport community to the San Jose Cyberrays of the Women's United States Soccer Association (WUSA) from 2001-2003. She periodically gives presentations on and off campus called "One Nation Under Sports: Courage, Conviction and Corruption."

Sanders is currently team teaching an undergraduate course in Urban Studies, along with her colleagues Dean Scotty McLennan and Senior Associate Dean Rabbi Patricia Karlin-Neumann, called "Spirituality and Non-Violent Social Transformation".

Rev. Sanders serves as the liturgical officer for Memorial Church on campus, and is responsible for coordinating and facilitating a variety of religious services, including University Public Worship, a weekly service held on Sundays at 10 a.m for the university community and beyond. She also preaches regularly at Memorial Church.

A new opportunity which began at Stanford under her leadership is Compline, a meditative and contemplative 30 minute service of chant historically based in the Christian monastic tradition. The service is sung by a variety of Stanford and local choirs from 9-9:30 p.m. in candlelight in Memorial Church every Sunday during the academic year. Most recently, she has provided leadership for bringing the Labyrinth to Stanford and currently is working with trained facilitators to offer opportunities to enhance the experience of this timeless tool for centering, meditation and prayer on campus and to the surrounding community.

Additionally, Sanders considers herself very fortunate to work in such a religiously diverse community. She has worked to address the variety of religious and spiritual traditions among women students, staff and faculty in the Stanford community through events called "Women Soul Matters." Rev. Sanders is also committed to providing a continual awareness of religious diversity to Stanford Athletics by continuing to promote ongoing dialogue and conversation with athletic staff, coaches and student-athletes, as well as student religious organizations that serve the athletic community.

Joanne currently is a member of the advisory board of the Women's Community Center. She is grateful for the collegial endeavors possible through this and other communities on campus. Joanne collaborated with the WCC and other campus communities to design a new Sexuality and Spirituality series of discussions in the 2003-2004 academic year.