At Webb, Sunday Chapel is a long-standing tradition meant to bring the community together. However, many students feel that it has become more of a chore. Many students think that it takes time away from their Sunday afternoon. The new rule this year that require seniors to wear their uniforms to chapel also caused more frustration among students. 

Despite the school’s intentions, many students—especially those who would rather use their weekends for rest, studying, or social time—see it as an unnecessary obligation. Others argue that many still tune out or simply go through the motions of attending without real engagement. 

“I know a lot of my friends were complaining about Sunday Chapel last year, but now they’re actually paying attention to the speakers,” Qianqian Jia (‘25) said. “For instance, my friends and I all felt related and inspired by Abbie Oh (‘21)’s talk, where she talked about her time and starting affinity clubs at Webb.”  

“For us to even gather as a boarding community on a regular basis is quite unique and important,” said Dean Tadeo, Dean of Student Life and advisor of chapel council. “Whether it’s for a community dinner or Sunday Chapel, these moments bring us together.” 

The chapel council helps organize the events by selecting speakers. Last year, Dean Tadeo found the process challenging as she adjusted to her new role. But this year, with a better system and more student involvement, planning has become smoother. Sometimes, it is hard to find speakers who are available, but the team has worked to reach out early and include a wide range of voices. 

The impact of Sunday Chapel can be seen in the way different talks connect with students. Mr. Vincent, world languages department faculty and advisor of international student liasons, shared his personal story was so powerful that many students related to it. Another speaker, Dr. David Oh, Chief Engineer for NASA’s Psyche mission, took a different approach by talking about teamwork and power in Liu Cheung, showing how chapel can offer a variety of perspectives. 

Looking forward, there are ideas for making Sunday Chapel more inclusive for day students.  

“We could do a better job of promoting the program to [day students] and incorporating their interests,” Dean Tadeo said.  

Including more day student voices in speaker selection could help more students feel connected. For instance, the chapel council is working with Andy Liu(‘26), who is interested in poetry, and they are trying to see if a poet could speak at Sunday Chapel. 

“Personally, I definitely feel like I learned a lot from being part of chapel council,” said Sophie Lin (‘24), a member of the chapel council. “I think we did a really good job gauging the interest of the community and making the program more engaging.” 

While not everyone loves Sunday Chapel, it plays an important role in Webb’s community. Through storytelling, it creates a space where students and faculty can learn from one another.