Marissa Ilnitzki is a dual-degree graduate student at the University of Chicago pursuing both a Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work degree. Marissa is a Disciples Divinity House scholar with the named Martin Family Scholarship. Upon completion of her first Clinical Pastoral Education unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in downtown Chicago, Marissa found her vocational path in Hospital Chaplaincy. Marissa currently serves as a per-diem Chaplain at Northwestern and plans to pursue Chaplaincy Board Certification upon her graduation. Originally from New Jersey, Marissa’s passion for theological education grew in Washington D.C., with the Jesuits, where she received her Bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University. From there, Marissa served for a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest serving as a teacher on the Colville Reservation in eastern Washington state. Marissa grew connected to the Pacific Northwest and found her way to Holden Village—an ecumenical Lutheran retreat center in the North Cascades. At Holden, Marissa planned worship services and events with her community while hiking through the mountains and making food for upwards of 400 guests.

Marissa is passionate about storytelling in all its forms and is part of a small improvisational comedy troupe in Chicago. When not reading for her classes, you can find Marissa brewing kombucha, taking a walk by the lake, or reading a poem by her favorite poet, Mary Oliver.