President Barack Obama’s faith adviser Eboo Patel will address the Class of 2015 during the combined Freshman Convocation and Day of Service opening ceremony on Sept. 11.

Patel, a leading advocate for what he calls “religious pluralism,” will join University President Steven Knapp and Provost Steven Lerman at the Smith Center to welcome more than 2,300 freshmen to the University and kick off the third-annual service event.

Patel is the founder of a growing youth movement called Interfaith Youth Core and a member of Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He also writes a column called “The Faith Divide” for The Washington Post.

The service event will begin at 12:30 p.m. There are 16  locations across Washington D.C. where students will help restore schools and clean environmental sites.