Dean of Spiritual Life retires after three decades at LC

Dean Emeritus of Spiritual Life Mark Duntley retired at the end of July after working in the chapel at Lewis & Clark for 32 years.

Duntley has long been an engaged member of the LC community, from serving as the Collins View neighborhood liaison to his extensive involvement in the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. Through the Chamberlin Lecture series he spearheaded, he brought speakers such as civil rights movement leader Andrew Young and Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel to campus. He has performed invocations at convocation, held memorial services for LC community members and officiated nearly 250 weddings, mostly for LC graduates.

Duntley began his career in spiritual life in 1989 because of the unique opportunity to be both a chaplain and teacher.

“It was a really great position, because it had this possibility of working with students in terms of their spiritual life and growth and also doing things in the classroom,” Duntley said. “I wasn’t tenure track, and I didn’t have to be tenured, so I thought this would be the best of both possible worlds.”

Throughout his time at LC, Duntley made a number of fond memories he enjoys sharing. The memories varied from the Princeton Review ranking LC the number one college in the nation to ignore God in 1999 to a coincidental conversation that led a student to pursue divinity school.

Despite working in spiritual life, Duntley emphasized his role in helping all students, religious or otherwise.

“My role wasn’t to make everybody like Mark Duntley or (make) everybody to follow Jesus — it was to help people find their own spiritual paths,” Duntley said. “That’s been one of the joys of my work, that people can do that in so many different ways. It’s enriching to our whole community when people are able to do that individually and collectively.”

Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life Hilary Martin Himan took over Duntley’s position on Aug. 2.

Himan emphasized that spiritual life is for all students, secular or religious in any tradition. In the future, she intends on communicating that message to LC’s student body, as well as fighting the perception that the chapel is only for Christian students. Himan also aims to preserve many aspects of Duntley’s tenure.

“Mark was incredibly generous and I hope that I can also be that,” Himan said. “He would leave gifts for the custodial staff around the holiday time, he would send thank you cards to everyone. He was just cognizant of the importance of relationship and I want to maintain that.”

Duntley’s work has impacted many individuals in the community, including Professor of Music Aaron Beck. Years ago, both of Beck’s parents died of cancer five days apart and Duntley played an important role in Beck’s grieving process, like he has for many others.

“He made a celebration in honor of my parents, he organized it in the chapel to celebrate them,” Beck said. “Not only did he give me counsel, but he went the extra mile to organize the chapel celebration. Ever since then, we’ve been very close.”

Beck, having known Duntley for 28 years, decided to work in conjunction with Advancement Services to establish the Rev. Mark A. Duntley Award Fund in order to honor “celebrating a selfless kind of giving, and a deep caring for each other, for humanity.” Information regarding the distribution of the funds is still to come. 

President Wim Wiewel has a similar story of connection with Duntley. Shortly after Wiewel took office, his father-in-law died and Duntley organized a memorial service. 

“I was impressed with the care Mark took to learn about my father-in-law and the family,” Wiewel said via email. “The sincerity of his engagement with the service manifested the best of Presbyterian and Lewis & Clark’s community spirit.”

Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students Robin Holmes-Sullivan also identified the support and care the community has received from Duntley.

“On a personal note, I have found him to be a trusted confidante, inspiring leader, and truly great person,” Holmes-Sullivan said via email. “It has been an honor to work with him and he will be sorely missed but never forgotten.”

Beck, like many others, will miss Duntley’s presence on campus.

“I just wish him a wonderful, wonderful retirement, and to thank him from the bottom of my heart,” Beck said. “Thank him for all his service to this institution to help us make it what it is today.”

To honor Duntley’s presence on campus, the college is organizing a book of appreciation to which community members have until October 8th to submit photos or letters. The book will be presented to Duntley at a gathering in the fall. 

In his retirement, Duntley plans to reflect on his time at LC, take care of his parents who are in their 90s and improve his golf skills.