PJ Hobbs has been Acting Director of the Doctoral Programs since 2024. As he prepares to return to his role as Senior Lecturer and welcome back Ross Kane as Director, the doctoral faculty expresses their gratitude for PJ’s work. The choice of PJ Hobbs for Interim Director of the Doctoral Programs at VTS was an […]
Happy summer, everyone! As Taryn mentioned in commentary this week, “The dean’s office at VTS is more than an administrative hub—it’s a place where hospitality, service, and seamless coordination come together to support our mission.” I couldn’t agree more, and I am incredibly happy to be a part of such a wonderful team! Reflecting on […]
Summer at the Welcome Center has a different rhythm. As campus quiets, the slower pace creates space for me to step beyond my usual responsibilities and help out in other departments. I’m grateful for the chance to collaborate with others and support the work that keeps our community healthy and growing. I’ve also been reflecting on […]
This week readers of the Dean’s Commentary will hear from the core team that makes up the Dean’s Office staff at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). The dean’s office at VTS is more than an administrative hub – it’s a place where hospitality, service, and seamless coordination come together to support our mission. At the forefront […]
Summer at the Seminary tends to slow down. The dorms empty out, campus quiets, and the pace eases. But like many across campus, we in Contextual Ministry use these months to prepare for the upcoming school year. Contextual Ministry is the part of student development that happens outside the classroom, in parishes, hospitals, shelters, and […]
The summer season often arrives in its own time and leaves without warning. Welcome summer, not as hot, humid, pop-up rain showers and thunderstorms. Greet summer with the intents of long walks on the beach, movies and music in the park, backyard family gatherings, bike trails, and majestic mountains. Morning meditation on the deck as […]
What a popular saying, an offer of service, this has become. I often questioned whether it is a genuine offer, or is it something said out of obligation, as a tag line, or even a requirement for one’s employment. “Happy to Help” is meaningless without action. For this reason, I want to give a “shout […]
Last Friday, we celebrated the recently federally recognized holiday of Juneteenth. And, this year, more than ever, I found myself thinking a lot about memory; how it is carried, preserved, and passed down across generations. June 19, 1865, was the day when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas— more than two […]
In just a few months, the Reparations Program will mark seven years of work. While there is still much to be done, this milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on how much has already been accomplished. A significant part of that progress is due to the extraordinary contributions of our lead researcher, Maddy McCoy. Maddy […]
Ever since Bishop Payne Library began preserving, curating, and exhibiting the thousands of rare books that it moved from General Theological Seminary to VTS in 2024, the collection has attracted many visitors, such as representatives from the Grolier Club, the Library of Congress, and the Folger Shakespeare Library. The results of these visits are conversations […]