By Colin Young, News Staff

Shelli Jankowski-Smith, the director of spiritual life at Northeastern, announced in an email Wednesday that she is stepping down from her position at the end of the month.

“Although I am joyful in my intention to pursue deeper work in the area of wellness, meditation and healing, there is always the inevitably bittersweet emotion of moving on from a community to which one has dedicated so much heart and professional energy,” Jankowski-Smith said in the email.

Janowski-Smith spent eight years at Northeastern after serving 15 years as the director of Marsh Chapel at Boston University, according to a biography on Northeastern’s website. Jankowski-Smith was Northeastern’s first full-time director of spiritual life.

In 2005, the university recognized her with an outstanding staff award. During her time at Northeastern, Jankowski-Smith established an annual interfaith student retreat, weekly yoga classes, open meditation sessions, community coffee hours and the annual Spiritual Wellness Week, according to the biography.

In the announcement of her resignation, Jankowski-Smith said the Spiritual Life Center will be renamed the Center for Spirituality, Intergroup Dialogue and Service.

Jankowski-Smith and university officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.

“I have learned much in my eight years at Northeastern, and hope and trust that I have offered much in return,” she said. “It will be exciting to see how the university’s expanded vision for the center unfolds.”