2024–25 academic year
For many of our colleagues and students, religion helps to define who we are. Religious holidays can be reminders or expressions of those beliefs. The Office of Culture and Inclusion is committed to helping everyone understand and support the Mitchell Hamline community. We will make every effort to provide support to colleagues and students from all faith traditions.
As we work to increase our understanding of the changing religious landscape of our school and the wider community, please see the list below of major religious holidays and suggestions to support our students, employees and colleagues on these important occasions.
You will find that some holidays fall on days the law school is in-session. Mitchell Hamline allows employees the flexibility to take time off to observe and celebrate these occasions. This means each employee must work with their managers to use floating holidays and/or PTO.
| Religious holiday | Religion/belief | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|
| October | ||
| Rosh Hashanah (New Year) “High Holiday” | Judaism | Wednesday, Oct. 2 (sundown)–Friday, Oct. 4 (sundown) |
| Yom Kippur “High Holiday” | Judaism | Friday, Oct. 11 (sundown)–Sunday, Oct. 12 (sundown) |
| Sukkot | Judaism | Wednesday, Oct. 16 (sundown)–Wednesday, Oct. 23 (sundown) In general, work should be avoided Oct. 17, 18, 23. |
| Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah | Judaism | Wednesday, Oct. 23 (sundown)–Thursday, Oct. 25 (sundown) |
| November | ||
| Diwali | Hinduism | Friday, Nov. 1 |
| Veterans Day | Monday, Nov. 11 | |
| November Break | Thursday, Nov. 28–Sunday, Dec. 1 | |
| Indigenous Peoples Day | Native American | Monday, Oct. 14 |
| December | ||
| Winter Solstice | Native American Spirituality | Saturday, Dec. 21 |
| Yule | Paganism or Wiccan | Saturday–Wednesday, Dec. 21–Jan. 1 |
| Christmas Day | Christian | Wednesday, Dec. 25 |
| Hanukkah | Judaism | Wednesday, Dec. 25 (sundown)–Thursday, Jan. 2 (sundown) |
| Kwanzaa (African American Heritage) | Interfaith | Thursday, Dec. 26 –Wednesday, Jan. 1 |
| January | ||
| New Years Day | Wednesday, Jan. 1 | |
| Lunar New Year | Buddhism | Wednesday, Jan. 29 |
| February | ||
| Maha Shivaratri | Hinduism | Wednesday, Feb. 26 |
| Losar | Buddhism | Friday, Feb. 28–Sunday, March 2 |
| Parinirvana/Nirvana Day | Buddhism | approximately Thursday, Feb. 15 |
| March | ||
| The Holy Month of Ramadan | Islam | approximately Saturday, March 1 |
| Ash Wednesday | Christianity | Wednesday, March 5 |
| Purim | Judaism | Thursday, March 13 (sundown)–Friday, March 14 (sundown) |
| Holi | Hinduism | Friday, March 14 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Islam | Sunday, March 31–Monday, April 1 |
| April | ||
| Ram Navami | Hinduism | Sunday, April 6 |
| Songkran Festival | Buddhism | Saturday, April 13–Monday, April 15 |
| Passover | Judaism | Saturday, April 12 (sundown)–Sunday, April 20 (sundown) |
| Good Friday | Christianity | Friday, April 18 |
| Easter | Christianity | Sunday, April 20 |
| May | ||
| Hmong American Day | Hmong | Wednesday, May 14 |
| Buddha Day/Visakha Puja | Buddhism | Monday, May 12 |
| Memorial Day | Friday, May 30. 2025 | |
| June | ||
| Shavuot | Judaism | Sunday, June 1 (sundown)–Tuesday, June 3 (sundown) |
| Hajj Pilgrimage | Islam | Thursday–Monday, June 5–9 |
| Arafat Day | Islam | Thursday, June 5 |
| Eid al-Adha | Muslim | Saturday, June 6–Wednesday, June 10 |
| Juneteenth | Thursday, June 19 | |
| Summer Solstice | Native American Spirituality | Friday, June 21 |
| Islamic New Year | Islam | Wednesday, June 26 |
| Al-Hijra | Muslim | Friday, June 27 |
| July | ||
| Ashura | Islam | Saturday, July 5 |
| Dharma Day | Buddhism | Thursday, July 10 |
| August | ||
| Obon | Buddhism | Wednesday, Aug. 13 |
| Raksha Bandhan | Hinduism | Saturday, Aug. 9 |
| Krishna Janmashtami | Hinduism | Saturday, Aug. 16 |
This, by far, is not a complete or a comprehensive list; it is an example of many of the major religious holidays. Here are some tips and considerations for supporting students observing religious holidays:
- In your course schedules and plans, be mindful of any required activities, exams, assignments that are scheduled on the above dates and how they may affect some of our students.
- Clearly explain procedures for approved absences due to religious observances in your course syllabus so that all students are fully informed, and every reasonable effort is made to support students who observe religious obligations, and may have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance.”
- Be mindful not to impede or penalize those students who are exercising their rights to religious observance.
- Consider acknowledging the holiday in class or in your announcements students will likely welcome such an acknowledgement and see it as a sign you value them and their traditions.
- Be aware that a given religious holiday may be observed with very different levels of attentiveness by different members of the same religious group and may require individual consideration.
- Consider (re)visiting the Mitchell Hamline 2024–25 Catalog Section 1.04 Part D which explains exam variances. Should students request it, consider accommodating their religious obligations by allowing extra time to submit work or providing alternative exam times etc. Here is the Exam Variance Request Form | Disability Services (mitchellhamline.edu)
- You may want to let students know there is a Quiet/Meditation/Prayer Room on the first floor Room 152.
Several of these holidays include fasting, prayer, and sacrifice. Individual’s may refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, breaking their fast at sundown each day with a meal eaten (preferably) with family and friends. Fasting is seen as physically and spiritually purify oneself and reminds one of the sufferings of those less fortunate. Here are some additional considerations related to fasting:
- Some students may request religious-based accommodations, everyone is different and may practice differently. Some students may not want special accommodations.
- Some students and employees who may be fasting may struggle with focusing, especially classes or activities held later in the day.
Some things you may want to consider when accommodate fasting students:
- allowing them extra time to submit work:
- providing alternative exam times etc. For instance, some students may prefer to take exams early in the morning when they feel more focused. Students may request and submit an Exam Variance Request Form | Disability Services (mitchellhamline.edu)
For many of these holidays, Mitchell Hamline will be open and operating as normal. The school respects these religious beliefs and practices of all faculty, and employees. We encourage you to use for floating holidays or PTO during these times.
If you have additional recommendations, suggestions for holidays for future consideration, or strategies to support students, staff, and faculty, please send your suggestions to the Office of Culture and Inclusion.