On November 10, 2015, Starr King School for the Ministry welcomed the Board of Trustees to the school for its bi-annual meeting. Students, staff, and faculty greeted them with a group lunch and Anti-Racist Theologies chapel service, kicking off a three-day session to chart the future of the school.
It was noted that this particular group, now assembled for the first time, was chosen intentionally to reflect the diversity of Starr King’s community and values. Before diving into the week’s agenda items, Acting Chair Barb Grieve facilitated a relationship-building exercise. A collective sense of trust emerged with each member sharing his or her inspiration for cultivating progressive religious leadership in today’s world.
Around the table a variety of topics were discussed highlighting Starr King’s unique standing as North America’s most progressive theological school. Contrary to current trends in theological education, student enrollment is increasing at Starr King. Distinguished faculty continue to offer intellectually stimulating and academically rigorous courses to students both locally and remotely. Opportunities at the school are plentiful with 2015 marking the 10th anniversary of the Master of Arts in Social Change (MASC) degree program. Every month the “10 Years of MASC” campaign puts on events featuring widely acclaimed guest speakers. Exciting projects await Starr King this year, including the addition of an online scholarly archive and partnership with Washington DC’s Newseum program, which examines history through the lens of the media.
A new chapter is unfolding for Starr King’s Board of Trustees. We would like to take this opportunity to both welcome our new trustees and celebrate the contributions of the two members who have fulfilled their terms, Sofia Betancourt and Amir Kia. We are truly blessed to have such passionate and committed leaders. May the future continue to hold great things for Starr King!
