C ompelling onversation creating an inclusive environment for discussing religion can be challenging, but staff can achieve it with the right training. By Ben huelskamp 28 Talking STick [Ed. note: The upcoming theme issue of ACUHO-I's Journal of College and University Student Housing (March/April 2014) focuses on the topic of religion and spirituality.] J ared is a live-in student affairs staff member in a residential life department at a state university. He personally identifies as a Christian, belongs to a congregation in a Protestant denomination, and holds his faith as an important part of his life. He is also mindful that he has to create an inclusive and welcoming space for students and colleagues of any worldview. He is therefore neither bashful nor evangelical about his faith. Recently, knowing that Jared often opens his home to residents, several students approached him to see if he'd be interested in hosting a Bible study in his apartment and in participating and/or leading the group. What should he do? Inherent in any professional live-in position is the struggle to achieve a balance between one's personal life (Jared would in fact enjoy hosting such an event) and one's professional life (hosting it in his apartment might seem like a biased sponsorship). Live-in staff are given a place to live by the institution which employs them, and they often share entryways, hallways, and in some cases even walls with the students they work with each day and night. While most institutions go to some lengths to encourage live-in staff to create the amount of privacy and freedom they need, there are nevertheless often unwritten standards of professionalism and decorum that all live-in staff are meant to observe. Several questions may arise for Jared and