ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ

Eric Budzynski ’01 is most importantly a human being and also serves as the Associate Director of Religious & Spiritual Life at ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ where he’s been an integral part of the community for nearly 15 years. A ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵalum of the Bienen School of Music, Eric’s career began in parish music ministry at the age of 12, where he combined his love of music with a dedication to contemplative prayer and ritual practice.

Raised in a devout Catholic family, Eric’s early experiences in church life sparked a passion for sacred music and spiritual experience. However, as a gay man, he encountered challenges in reconciling his identity with his role in the Church. These experiences led Eric to seek new ways to integrate his spiritual life with his personal truth, eventually finding a new kind of vocation through his role at Northwestern.

Eric has expanded his focus beyond music to include spiritual direction, mindfulness, and contemplative practices into the core of his work at Northwestern, guiding students, staff, and faculty to discover their own journeys of spiritual well-being. His spirituality doesn’t claim one identity over another but continues to cultivate an evolving path of interspiritual growth. This is grounded in the belief that spiritual practice is an essential path to healing, self-acceptance, and transformation.

Outside of his professional life, Eric is an America’s Test Kitchen enthusiast, avolitional video gamer, lazy gardener, burgeoning accordionist, and a daily peripatetic.  

Master of Music, ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵ 
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Certified Teacher, University of California San Diego
Certificate in Interspiritual Guidance, Spiritual Guidance Training Institute
Clinical Pastoral Education (1 unit), Condell Medical Center