PITTSBURGH ― During its 218th commencement, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary honored Melissa Logan, the seminary’s director of communications, with The Calian Prize for Campus Community Service.

This award is given to an exemplary member of the Pittsburgh Seminary community, who demonstrates excellence in carrying out responsibilities and volunteer assignments and also expresses a caring spirit of good will and hope essential in life together as a community. The award is in recognition that all members of the community are an important part of the success of the Seminary.

Seminary president the Rev. Dr. William J. Carl III said, “Melissa Logan plays a crucial role on campus as chair of the Employee Life Committee of the seminary. That’s a natural for her because everything Melissa does promotes community and good culture at PTS. She is loved and respected by her fellow employees because she listens to people, and is always cheerful and smiling — a fitting example of the spirit of the Calian Award!” 

Logan, a resident of Acme, Pa., has served at Pittsburgh Seminary nearly 10 years. In that time, she has been co-chair of the Employee Life Committee, a member of the Community Life Committee, Campus Safety and Security Committee, and the Strategic Planning Advisory Council among others. In her work across all departments, Logan strives to build community and promote team work.

PRINCETON, N.J. ― The Hispanic Theological Initiative at Princeton Theological Seminary will present their eighteenth annual lectureship ― “Latin@, You Have a Ph.D., So What?” ― July 9 in Stuart Hall on the seminary campus.  

Addressing the topic are Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education based in Washington D.C.; Aturo Chávez, president and chief executive officer of Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio, Texas; and Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, vice-president of education and dean of Esperanza College at Eastern University in Philadelphia. 

HTI is the only program in the nation that focuses on supporting Latin@ leaders to achieve doctoral degrees in religious and theological studies. “Given the cost and the time commitment, a Ph.D. degree is a difficult degree for any ethnic group to attain. Many believe that since Latin@s largely lack the financial resources and social capital to achieve success in these highly competitive programs, a doctoral degree is among the least likely degrees for Latin@s to aim for,” said Joanne Rodriguez, director of HTI.

DECATUR, Ga. ― The Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary is offering an Aug. 7-9 course entitled “Educating in Faith.”

Led by Israel Galinda, associate dean for lifelong learning, the course will explore selected theories and models concerning individual faith development and the ways persons are educated in faith formation. A primary focus will be on understanding faith development in the congregational context and its implications for educational ministry in the local church.

Promotional material, by the conclusion of this course students will:

  • Understand the personal and communal nature of Christian discipleship;
  • Develop an increased commitment to the formation of disciples in the context of Christian community; and
  • Acquire skills for creating an environment that fosters Christian discipleship.”

CHICAGO ― The Beatitudes Society has announced that the Rev. Emily McGinley, a 2009 M.Div. graduate of McCormick Theological Seminary, has been awarded a $10,000 Beatitudes Fellowship.

The Beatitudes Fellowship “identifies and equips a select group of young entrepreneurial faith leaders with the resources and relationships that empower them to create new models for church and social justice, and grow vital communities of faith in a pluralistic world.” McGinley is one of eight recipients of the annual award. 

The yearlong curriculum for the Fellows is project-based: each Fellow develops their own model for progressive ministry within their local faith community. The Fellows gather four times throughout the year for a week of coaching and customized mentoring to bring their idea to fruition. The curriculum is designed to develop each individual Fellow’s capacity for authentic leadership, while also building a community of peers for long-term mutual support.

LOUISVILLE ―  Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary President Michael Jinkins has announced that the seminary exceeded its annual fundraising goal for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. The final tally for dollars contributing to the ongoing success of our seminary totals $1,246,116.00.

“Exceeding our annual fundraising goals speaks to the ever-increasing engagement and enthusiasm that our alums, faculty, staff, students, churches, friends and the community have for the quality, transformative theological education that Louisville Seminary offers,” Jinkins said in a letter posted on the seminary’s website. “Our supporters, as do we, feel that the seminary is poised to be THE leader in preparing students for a life dedicated to ministry and service.”

The seminary’s operating budget for the year was $9,197,339. Eighty-five percent of that budget went to instruction, financial aid, academic support and institutional support, 5 percent went to facilities, and the other 10 percent went to the various auxiliary services that include things like community- and church-related services. Overall, 58 percent of the budget was dedicated to the salaries related to retaining faculty and staff.

SAN ANSELMO, Calif. ― In a rare opportunity for the Ross Valley Fire Department (RVFD), through close coordination with San Francisco Theological Seminary, firefighters performed vital training exercises in buildings slated for removal on the seminary’s campus as SFTS prepares for new construction.

For the past five years, SFTS has been planning the construction of a new student village and faculty housing on its picturesque hilltop-campus in San Anselmo. The plans have included extensive community involvement and a variety of public hearings, and have received overwhelming support from the San Anselmo community. Funded through the sale of a small amount of peripheral property, these activities mark one of the largest construction projects in the town’s recent history.

From May 27-June 5, Ross Valley firefighters started several small fires in two buildings. “We are thankful for this opportunity for valuable training, which is critical to our job. Such a setting gave us the opportunity to create practical evolutions in a very controlled manner,” said RVFD Battalion Chief and Training Officer, Dave Stasiowski. “Ross Valley Fire Department has hired and promoted several employees over the last two years, and this necessary training provided us the realistic experience to develop our firefighters.”