Community Relationships Archives - United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities

March 26, 2026

Activism Community Relationships Ethics Interreligious justice news releases

United to Honor Jackie Baugh Moore and Julie Strathe Baugh with Doctors of Humane Letters (honoris causa)

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, March 26, 2026 — In celebration of their leadership in social justice, ecumenism, and interreligious engagement, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities—with unanimous support from its faculty and board of trustees—will confer Doctors of Humane Letters (honoris causa) upon sisters Jackie Baugh Moore, President of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, and Julie Strathe Baugh, Vice President, during its 64th Commencement Exercises on April 26, 2026. The faculty noted that the values guiding the family’s foundation are closely aligned with United’s inclusive values. The Board approved the recommendation of the faculty at its November meeting. Established in 1994 by Sysco founder John Baugh and his wife, Eula Mae, the Baugh Foundation has awarded tens of millions of dollars to organizations that share its Baptist ethos and tradition. Jackie and Julie are the daughters of Barbara “Babs” Baugh— the daughter of John and Eula Mae—who became President of the Baugh Foundation in 2007. After Babs died in 2020, Jackie was appointed President, and Julie became Vice President in 2021. Both sisters serve in roles outside of the Foundation that reflect their interests and the Foundation’s long-standing connections to prominent Baptist institutions. Jackie has served on the Baptist Joint Committee, the board of Baptist News Global, as a trustee of Mercer University, and was named the 2025 Distinguished Alum by the Baylor Line Foundation, an independent alumni association. Julie is chair of the board of the Interfaith Alliance, has served on the Strategic Advisory Board for Good Faith Media, and was also an executive board member for Perkins School of Theology. As leaders of the Baugh Foundation, Julie and Jackie have sharpened the organization’s progressive vision and funding priorities, directing grants toward justice, inclusion, and equity initiatives. The Foundation prioritizes nonprofits working in six categories: meeting basic human needs, faith-based higher education, inclusivity initiatives, social justice and advocacy, arts and enrichment, and faith-based journalism. At times, their support for progressive causes has faced resistance. In 2025, Baylor University rescinded a Baugh Foundation grant awarded to the Center for Church and Community. The funds supported evidence-based research into the impacts of disenfranchisement of women and LGBTQ+ people in congregations in an effort to “nurture institutional courage and foster change.” In a statement, the Foundation decried the University’s decision and asserted that the decision “disserves Baylor students, faculty, and the broader Christian community.” The Foundation also reaffirmed its “commitment to supporting progressive, inclusive, and justice-oriented work.” While proudly Baptist in its heritage, the Baugh Foundation shares with United a steadfast dedication to social justice, ecumenism, and interreligious engagement. The Foundation’s belief in the transformative potential of theological education has extended to the seminary through its support of United’s contextual education programs and, more recently, endowed scholarships. Decades of substantive work by myriad organizations, academic institutions, and progressive initiatives can be credited to The Foundation’s material contributions to the common good. This is owed no doubt to Jackie and Julie’s faithful stewardship of the Foundation’s mission and the path paved by their forbears. Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall, president of United, has a personal connection with the Baughs. President Marshall shares her Baptist roots with the Baugh family and was a dear friend of Babs. On the opportunity to honor Jackie and Julie’s faithful support of progressive theological education, President Marshall reflects, “These dear friends have extended the foundation’s priorities to key issues of our day—LGBTQ+ equity, interfaith engagement, and support of progressive theological education. It is a privilege to honor them.” United is eager to celebrate the graduating class of 2026 along with Jackie and Julie on Sunday, April 26, at 3:00 PM CT, at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, MN. Details, including onsite and online registration, can be viewed here. About United Founded by the United Church of Christ (UCC) as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the creative edge of progressive theological thought and leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to train leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling of systems of oppression, exploring multi-faith spirituality, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • (651) 255-6138 Admissions and Enrollment admissions@unitedseminary.edu

November 13, 2025

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Student Cas Burr Gains Inspiration from United’s Gifted Faculty & Relational Ethos

Cas Burr, who is just four classes away from graduating with an MDiv in UU Studies, traces his first spiritual nudge back to high school. “I was on my Unitarian Universalist church’s Boston pilgrimage, and I fell in love with the history and lineage of the religion and tradition,” he recalls. The ministers on the trip, notes Cas, “noticed a spark, and encouraged me to think about ministry and church work” as a possible vocation. After high school, Cas attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he majored in English and earned a teaching license. “I wasn’t set on ministry through college,” Cas admits, but I always had it in the back of my mind as a possibility.” Nonetheless, he spent a year after college in New York City earning an Advanced Certificate in Social Justice from Union Theological Seminary of New York. “I had a great year…and learned so much from my classmates and professors,” he says, “but I was ready to come back home and…learn in my home community.” When it came time to accept his call to seminary, Cas was grateful to find United in the Twin Cities. An alum of St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Cas calls St. Paul home and was glad to find an option nearby. While proximity is important, he was also impressed by the seminary’s ethos of building meaningful relationships. “United appealed to me because of how the faculty and staff communicated with me right from the start.… [I]t was clear that great relationships were at the forefront of United’s mission.” Professors and CPE Inspire Cas fervently believes that faith communities are uniquely positioned to effect “positive social change,” and was eager to expand his knowledge. United professors, without exception, he asserts, have not only been excellent teachers, but wonderful sources of connection and inspiration. “I have been blessed,” he observes, to take classes “from the amazing Unitarian Universalist professors at United, some of whom I have known for many years.” Deep scriptural study has been another blessing. “I can’t say enough about both my New Testament and Hebrew Bible courses,” Cas exclaims. “Immersing myself in scripture is something that I feel so lucky to have been able to do,” he adds, “and it allowed me to form some of my own thoughts about these ancient texts. I am forever grateful for that.” As he works toward becoming a fellowshipped UU minister, Cas has also gained transformational insight from a Social Justice Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), led by Rev. Dr. Laura Thelander and Rev. Dr. Sue Allers Hatlie (’85, ’04). “My clinical placement was at the Volunteers of America (VOA) High School in northeast Minneapolis,” he notes, “where I provided spiritual care to students and staff.” His learning cohort, however, met within Stillwater prison. Cas reveals, “I was in class with both free and incarcerated folks. It was a life-changing experience for me.” Flexibility Empowers and Funding Supports Though Cas lives in the area, he appreciates the opportunity to take classes on campus or from other locations. “The flexibility to attend class either in person or online has been great for me,” he attests. He also enjoys the ability to make community connections on campus and participate in chapel services. United scholarships offer great support, too. For Cas, his scholarship “has made achieving my dreams and calling much more accessible, and I am so thankful to United for all that they offer.” In fact, he declares, “it feels great to be at a place where the institution…financially support[s] so many of its students. What a beautiful thing.”

October 15, 2025

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Rev. Dr. Stephen C. Hsieh (’70) Honored as United’s 2025 Distinguished Alum

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is proud to announce that Rev. Dr. Stephen C. Hsieh (’70) is the seminary’s 2025 Distinguished Alum. A gifted and experienced multilingual pastor, staunch justice advocate, and dedicated intergenerational mentor and consensus builder, Hsieh is now a retired pastor and teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA and in Taiwan). When Hsieh started at United in 1968, he had just emigrated from Taiwan. Nominator Valerie Chu recounts how Hsieh worked in the cafeteria at United to defray the cost of seminary and learned to make traditional Midwestern fare, like tuna noodle casserole. After his fiancée joined Hsieh in Minnesota, Rev. Dr. Ruben H. Huenemann (President Emeritus 1960–1990) married the couple in United’s chapel in 1969. Upon graduation, Hsieh served a church in Iowa where, Chu asserts, “his very presence as a short, bespectacled Asian man among the hardy Midwestern farmers represented an early public witness about the gospel’s power to bridge differences and nurture diverse communities of faith.” From Iowa, he moved to California, where he founded a Taiwanese-language congregation in San Jose. Fluent in Chinese Mandarin, English, and Taiwanese, Hsieh was more than a minister to Taiwanese immigrants in California. As Chu explains, he was also “a friend and guide to help these new Americans navigate landlord disputes, court hearings, immigration forms, and employment applications.” Over time, Hsieh became a member, and eventually Chairperson, of the National Taiwanese Presbyterian Council of the Presbyterian Church (USA), a position through which he served as a liaison between Taiwanese Presbyterians and PCUSA. Rev. Dr. Chelsea Chui, who met Hsieh through the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan General Assembly (PCT), notes that “Hsieh helped introduce and strengthen relationships between the PCUSA and the PCT, particularly in Christian education ministries.” In the 1990s, Hsieh, representing the San Jose Presbytery and Pacific Synod, became a member of PCUSA’s Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. Once he became chair, Chu reports, Hsieh led with “grace, gentleness, and humility,” even when discussions became heated. In one significant case, Chu notes, “Hsieh represented the Presbyterian Church (USA) to apologize to, and ask forgiveness from, Native American Tribes for the church’s inaction during the 1973 Wounded Knee Occupation.” While on the committee, Hsieh—as a respected leader within the PCUSA with important experience and language skills—also had an opportunity to lead a team of clergy and laity to Nanjing, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in 1997. According to Chu, the team met with “the [chair] of the official government supervisory organization over Protestantism in the People’s Republic of China, to urge China to assure freedom of worship for all believers.” As Chu concludes, “The Rev. Dr. Stephen C. Hsieh has spent decades fulfilling [United’s] call for its students to change the world as innovative and compassionate leaders. He has embodied Christ’s heart for peace and justice to unite people across cultures, generations, and political divides.” Join us in celebrating and congratulating Rev. Dr. Stephen Hsieh!

July 1, 2025

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Helping Others: The Impact of Frank Sims

“We were put on earth to help one another.” From a young age, Frank Sims’ mother instilled this message in her children, urging them to love their neighbors by getting involved and giving back. A business person, educator, and philanthropist, he is guided by the question, “What can you do to help uplift others?” Frank’s connection to and involvement with United originated in an unlikely place: corporate America. He moved to the Twin Cities region in the 1970s for a position with Cargill, Inc., an international agricultural company based in Minnetonka, MN, where he became corporate vice president. It was while at Cargill in the 1990s that he met Dr. Kita McVay (’96, ’09), a member of United’s Board of Trustees, who invited him to join the board. He eagerly accepted the invitation after meeting with President Ben Griffin, establishing an expansive relationship with the seminary that has thrived for over 30 years. Success at Cargill allowed Frank to orient his life toward education, a passion that complemented his core values and personal experiences. In addition to his involvement with United, Frank, who now lives in Atlanta, has served as Board Chair and Interim President of Fisk University, a Historically Black College and University based in Nashville. “I don’t think there’s anything more important than education,” Frank avows. “When we deprive students of that opportunity, I think it’s a disservice. Any time my wife and I can, we do something to help in that way.” In the realm of theological education, Frank believes United stands out. “There is what I would call an underpinning understanding of the value of diversity that’s not only instilled in the students at United, but constantly supported throughout their education. They leave United with a better understanding, but also a willingness to be a voice for those values.” These convictions, coupled with a lifelong admiration for seminary instructors, laid the groundwork for Frank’s commitment to student support at United. “It is so difficult to finance an education, and this is especially true for first-generation scholars,” Frank says. Seeking to address those imminent needs, Frank and his wife, Robyn, endowed a scholarship in 2013 that has provided support to students for over a decade. More recently, their giving evolved in 2024 to become the Sims Scholars Initiative. Designed to educate and equip leaders to constructively engage issues confronting Black spiritual communities, the Initiative provides intra-program mentorship and a tailored, tuition-free Master of Arts in Leadership degree to a select cohort of students. Received with enthusiasm by students and faculty alike, the inaugural cohort began in the fall of 2024. The second is slated to start this fall, and it will be the first to engage students outside the Twin Cities. Frank and Robyn’s impact is deeply felt. In an essay written for members of United’s Lydia Society, Sims Scholar Elwyn Young poignantly reflects, “Since I entered United,…I have had five professors, and each of them has made themselves available with knowledge, patience, and understanding, giving a feeling that they desire us all to succeed. Without this Sims Scholar Initiative, I would not have had the opportunity to experience such richness.” At last month’s Commencement ceremony, Frank was honored for his community leadership, service, and stalwart support for theological education with a Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa). As President Molly T. Marshall remarked, “Over the years, Frank Sims has demonstrated his care for theological education and the church through providing generous scholarship assistance to United.... He has contributed greatly to higher education and, particularly, to this good school.” United gives thanks for this visionary advocate whose impact on theological education spans generations.

June 23, 2025

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Mary Ann Murray (’76) Treasures the Relationships She Established at United

In 1969, when Mary Ann Murray (’76) enrolled at United, America was embroiled in the Vietnam War, and the seminary, which opposed the war, had spent its first seven years led by and attended by men. It was also a residential school, where faculty and students lived on campus and forged a collegial bond. Along with Rev. Marilyn Creel (’72), Mary Ann was one of the first two women to enroll in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) program. Unlike their colleagues, neither lived on campus. Mary Ann was married, with young children, and Marilyn was not allowed to live on campus as a single woman. Considering Seminary Though Mary Ann was raised in the American Baptist denomination, she first learned of United at a community church where the pastor also served as an adjunct faculty member at the seminary. At the time, Mary Ann was teaching at the church and felt a strong call to study theology. In March of 1969, she met with Dean Louis Gunnemann† “to discuss my options for studying theology.” United offered a certificate in Christian education and the MDiv, so Mary Ann resolved to begin the degree in the fall. “I couldn’t wait to begin my seminary career,” she remembers telling her pastor, and she wanted to read every book in the library. He loaned Mary Ann his copy of Paul Tillich’s The Courage to Be, and said, “Theological education isn’t about reading books; it is about relationships.” United Highlights This spring marks the 50th anniversary of her graduation from United, and Mary Ann still remembers key elements of her experience. For example, she notes that faculty members did not have posted office hours. “A blessing I took for granted,” she reflects, “was the availability of faculty; I remember many robust conversations with professors over coffee in the refectory.” She also vividly remembers the first session in her Christian Ethics course. “We were asked to describe how we made an ethical decision. By the end of the term, we each had expanded that initial statement and honed our own ethics method.” In September of 1971, Mary Ann, Tracy Godfrey, and two students from Luther Northwestern Seminary entered the first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at what was then Hennepin County General Hospital (now HCMC). At the hospital, Mary Ann was the first woman in the chaplain’s CPE units. Dean Gunnemann’s words at Spring Convocation 1972 created one of her most moving memories. “The relationships in our lives that are truly redeeming,” Dean Gunnemann advised, “are grounded in gratitude.” Enduring Relationships “My commitment and loyalty to United are grounded in gratitude for the relationships from my time at United, which have bridged the years and enriched my life.” Mary Ann is pleased to support United’s mission to provide transformative theological education to equip students to make a difference in the world through their unique ministries. She makes this possible as a generous donor who is a member of the Barnabas, Bossard-Ward, and Joshua Societies. “Theological education,” Mary Ann observes, “is a lens through which we see the world and how to respond to it.” For her devotion to relationships at United and for sharing her story, we are deeply grateful to observe this 50th anniversary of Mary Ann’s graduation _______________ † Deceased

June 9, 2025

Activism Community Relationships Distance Education VOICES

At United, Kateri Boucher Is Inspired to Chase Her Childhood Dreams

Kateri Boucher, who is pursuing an MDiv in Church Leadership, felt a call to ministry very early. “I was three when I told my mom I wanted to be a priest,” she recalls. She adds, “I would preach homilies and make [my mom] write them down.” Raised in Upstate New York, Kateri’s family attended a progressive Catholic church untethered from Roman Catholic strictures. Watching a woman priest serve communion sparked her pronouncement. Years later, after attending a liberal arts college, Kateri jumped at a chance to work on an “urban agriculture” project in Detroit. The community she found through the Catholic Worker and an Episcopal church rekindled her sense of calling, so she moved there. Now, at United, Kateri is making her dreams a reality. Searching for a Seminary About four years ago, Kateri began searching for a seminary. She researched a few schools, but realized she didn’t want to leave Detroit. She had just been hired at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and hoped to continue that work. Sarah Holst (’20) recommended United. The more she learned about United, the more it seemed like the best choice. “I wouldn’t have to sacrifice what I [wanted] to do an online program,” she remembers thinking, “and it would allow me to stay rooted in Detroit and…work at St. Peter’s.” Transformational Teachers During her first semester at United, Kateri took two classes with Rev. Dr. Andrew Packman, assistant professor of Theological Ethics and Formation. Class assignments and interactions, Kateri notes, really opened her mind to ways in which theology has evolved. “It is such a gift,” she declares, “to get to study with someone for whom teaching is so clearly a vocational call. I’ve rarely interacted with someone who has such a sharp mind and such a generous spirit.” Dr. Jennifer Maidrand—visiting assistant professor of Bible, Culture, and Interpretation, supported by the Louisville Institute—taught courses that Kateri took recently. A guest poet in the Hebrew Bible class was a “really cool” highlight. And, in the Bible and Palestine-Israel class, Kateri asserts that Dr. Maidraid “led us so gracefully through really challenging conversations throughout the semester [and] basically every…assignment for this class is something applicable to the real world.” Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis, Kateri’s preaching professor, created another memorable experience. “His passion [for preaching],” she quips, “was palpable from miles away over a Zoom screen! He really brought it to life and held us in a beautiful way.” Through the class, Kateri notes that she learned strategies for telling “compelling stories.” She can use that at St. Peter’s, when she preaches each month. Distance Learning Because she wanted to balance her part-time work at St. Peter’s, service projects, and seminary, Kateri sincerely appreciates United’s distance learning program. “I remember telling people in my first semester that it’s clear that this school didn’t just start doing online classes during COVID;” they’ve had years “honing the art of hybrid classes.” She’s also made a lot of seminary friends. It’s so easy, Kateri shares, to message someone and say, “Hey, do you want to connect out of class?” The chat feature in Zoom also makes the in-class learning process more interactive. Formulating a Future Kateri describes another support from United, the Dayton Scholarship, as a “total blessing and game changer.” The funding, she reveals, “has enabled me to keep working … at St. Peter’s and participate in the church’s service outreach programs.” She’s hoping to add a second MA, made possible by the scholarship. As she looks ahead, Kateri knows changes will come. She’s started ordination and will leave St. Peter’s for a new call. In the United community, she sees “a real beauty, that we are scattered like seeds around the country and the world,” asking key questions. Still, she admits, “it was nourishing to come to United for Symposium Week; it “helped me to feel more rooted in the community.” In sum, Kateri exclaims, “I just love United so much! I’m so grateful it exists.”

April 19, 2021

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Resources and Actions Amidst the Chauvin Trial and the Death of Daunte Wright.

As a seminary located in the Twin Cities, our communities have been anticipating the verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial. Meanwhile, we are also mourning and responding to the killing of Daunte Wright at the hands of Brooklyn Center police. Amidst these tumultuous times, we are publishing the following list of resources and actions for our community to heal, to advocate, and to fight for justice. (more…)

April 13, 2021

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Statement on Daunte Wright

The community of United Seminary of the Twin Cities mourns the death of Daunte Wright, yet another Black man shot and killed in the long trajectory of deaths at the hands of law enforcement in this country. We join in the outpouring of anguish and grief over the loss of another precious life and we recognize that this killing comes amid the ongoing trauma experienced by people of color, particularly at this very painful time as the community is forced to revisit the horrors of George Floyd’s death during the murder trial of Derek Chauvin. (more…)

March 18, 2020

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Zoom Classroom Best Practices

As classrooms and faith communities move to online events, courses, and gatherings, we know there's a big learning curve for presenters and participants. At United, Zoom technology is built in to our instructional model. Over the years, we've learned some best practices for online presentations that we want to share with you as you make the shift from in-person gatherings and teaching. (more…)