Virginia Theological Seminary Meets Carpenter Challenge Deadline: Funding Raised For Racial and Ethnic Diversity Initiative
Virginia Seminary has met the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation leadership challenge, received in December '04, to raise $118,000 by March 31, 2005, for its Racial and Ethnic Diversity Initiative.
Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) April 4, 2005 -- The Very Rev. Martha J. Horne, Dean
and President of Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), has announced that the
Seminary has met the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation leadership
challenge received in late December to raise $118,000 by March 31, 2005, for its
Racial and Ethnic Diversity Initiative.
“Under the leadership of Bishop
Lee, the Board of Trustees, the Faculty, and Alumni Executive Committee of the
Seminary have all set renewed attention to issues of racial and ethnic diversity
at VTS as a top institutional priority," said Dean Horne. "I am heartened that
100% of the board, faculty, and alumni executive committee; many diocesan
bishops around the country who are VTS graduates; and numerous other graduates
and friends have helped raise the $118,000 in such a short time. This commitment
has assured funding from the Carpenter Foundation, which will enable us to step
up work on these initiatives at the Seminary in the months ahead.”
Dean
Horne emphasized that “the Racial and Ethnic Diversity Initiative is important
not only for the Seminary, but for the future leadership of our
Church.”
These initiatives will enable the Seminary to continue its
ongoing efforts to help recruit and support students of color who will prepare
for positions of leadership in the Church and the world; to provide additional
educational opportunities for those within and outside the Seminary community;
and to heighten our community’s awareness of, and responsiveness to, the complex
issues of racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity.
“The Seminary will
strive to raise additional funds for the Racial and Ethnic Diversity Initiative
in the months ahead.” Ed Hall, Vice President for Institutional Advancement,
stressed that, “It is very important to assure continued funding for this
critical work that will enhance the knowledge and skills of our students, so
essential for leadership in our increasingly diverse world.”
Much of
this work is well underway at the Seminary under the able leadership of the Rev.
Margaret McNaughton-Ayers, Associate Dean of Admissions and Community Life, and
the Rev. Joseph Constant, Assistant for Admissions and Community Life, who
joined the Seminary in January to assist with these initiatives.
Part of
the initial effort of the Racial and Ethnic Diversity Committee (REDC) has been
to meet and listen to different leaders and groups in the Church in an effort to
build relationships and partnerships. In mid-March, the Rev. Joseph Constant
traveled to the Episcopal Church Center in New York to visit with the Rev. Canon
Angela Ifill (VTS ‘95), missioner for the Office of Black Ministries. During
their meeting, they discussed the challenges facing seminarians of color as well
as how Seminary curriculums could be developed so that they would reflect the
diversity of cultures and religious experiences that have formed the Church.
Additional meetings included a conference at
St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, NC (a historically black college) entitled
“Discerning the Call of Ministry”; a meeting with the Rev. Jesus Reyes, Vicar,
Iglesia Santa Maria, to discuss Latino/Hispanic Ministries; participation in the
“Diocese of Washington’s Young Vocation” conference; an in-depth meeting on
Black Ministries with the Rev. Canon Preston Hannibal, Canon for Academic
Ministries in the Diocese of Washington, and the Rev. Robyn Franklin-Vaughn,
Anglican/Episcopal/Lutheran Chaplain and Vicar of the Mission at Howard
University.
In an effort to expand the communication network and to
strengthen the recruitment of students of color, VTS will host a Hispanic/Latino
Seminarians meeting on April 14-17, and will participate in the 7th Triennial
Black Clergy Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 23-26.
For more
information about the Seminary’s Racial and Ethnic Diversity Initiative, please
contact the Rev. Joseph Constant at e-mail protected from spam
bots.
Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest of the 11 accredited
seminaries of the Episcopal Church and was founded in 1823. The school prepares
men and women, representing more than 50 different dioceses and 9 different
countries, for service in the Church, both as ordained and lay ministers, and
offers a number of professional degree programs and diplomas.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/4/prweb224519.htm