Professor Joel Bacon holds the Stewart and Sheron Golden Chair of Organ and Liturgical Studies and is the second faculty member to hold the endowed Willette Chair position, housed in the College of Liberal Arts and funded by a $1 million gift from Father Don Willette.

In his first year as the Father Don Willette Chair of Catholic Studies, Bacon has challenged himself to dig deeply into what makes communities connect today. He spent the semester exploring how religious studies can spark dialogue and bridge differences through music, education, new experiences and open conversation. From leading an education abroad trip to developing courses and facilitating discussions with students and community members, Bacon has witnessed firsthand how interdisciplinary Catholic studies can be.

“Just this semester we have had guest lectures on archeology, art history, music, law, theology and even astronomy,” he said. “It is wonderful to be able to bring together students from different majors to look at topics that have the potential to cross many disciplines.”

Read the full story about Professor Bacon’s work as the Willette Chair on SOURCE.

Listen to a podcast with Joel Bacon and President Amy Parsons who talk about the very popular annual Halloween Organ Extravaganza on The Next 150 podcast.