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September 30, 2026
President statement United States of America

United Celebrates Largest New Class and Highest Enrollment in Its 65-Year History

Enrollment Has More than Tripled in Ten Years For the second consecutive year, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United) is thrilled to welcome its largest-ever incoming class of degree-seeking students. With 85 new degree-seeking students, the seminary is celebrating a total fall term enrollment of 288 degree-seeking students and 7 certificate students, representing the largest total enrollment in United’s history. The seminary’s 65th academic year features: 25% year-over-year enrollment growth and a staggering 239% increase over fall 2016; 163 Master of Divinity (MDiv) students, an increase of 42% year-over-year; 63 Master of Arts (MA), Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL), and Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM) students; 62 Doctor of Ministry (DMin) students. Public theology, social transformation, interreligious engagement, and theology and the arts comprise the four foundational pillars of United’s curricula. They are unique among seminaries and divinity schools rooted in Christian traditions, cultivating an educational environment that practices ecumenism, religious pluralism, and social justice. The MDiv in Interreligious Chaplaincy is United’s largest degree program, with 73 students enrolled for the fall term. The concentration’s interfaith emphasis sets the school apart among its peers, drawing students from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Reflecting the program’s flagship status, the seminary marked a new milestone on July 1 when it welcomed Dr. Ginger Morgan as associate professor for Pastoral and Spiritual Care and program director for Interreligious Chaplaincy. United’s considerable ten-year growth can be credited to its leading-edge academic offerings, widely accessible distance education, and accomplished faculty. The seminary is a bold witness for the common good, preparing innovative leaders for myriad vocational and professional outcomes. From rural congregations to the city hospital’s ICU, United students and alums equip their communities for justice and peace. Mason Mennenga (’22), director of Admissions, leads a passionate and creative staff, all of whom are current students or alums. He reflects, “United’s growth in enrollment over the last number of years and our record for this year is truly a remarkable achievement in theological education. We’re showing what’s possible for progressive theological institutions!” Dr. Hillary Vamstad, director of Student Services, adds, “We’ve created an environment where students feel more than just a number, and I think students see that through the admissions and onboarding process. Feeling seen, heard, and supported while pursuing a seminary education is an important component to United’s growth.” Growth in student enrollment underscores the need to increase the number of core faculty members to continue to provide the quality of education for which United is well-known. Dr. Kyle Roberts, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, shares, “We are undertaking two faculty searches this year, which include an additional faculty role focused on Ministry Practices. This is a specialty we have been needing for some time on our core faculty to ground students in the practical elements of ministry leadership, such as preaching and liturgy, religious education, institutional leadership and administration.” Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall, who is beginning her final year as United’s beloved president, asserts, “I believe United’s remarkable growth is due to our progressive and relevant curriculum, our theological hospitality, and our accessible educational delivery.” She continues, “We delight in creating space (perichoresis) for everyone who desires formative theological education, a distinctive pursuit among seminaries.” United looks ahead to a historic 65th year of progressive theological education, and we give thanks for the students whose vocations, traditions, and unique perspectives enrich the life of our seminary. 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 educate leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling of systems of oppression, explore multi-faith spirituality, and push the boundaries of knowledge. Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • 651.255.6138 Admissions and Enrollment admissions@unitedseminary.edu

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April 7, 2026
President statement United States of America

Statement by President Molly T. Marshall on the War against Iran

Dear United Community, The terrorizing threat posed by the United States against Iran is against all principled advocates for peace and justice. While we do not know whether these threats of devastating destruction, tantamount to genocide, will come to pass, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities firmly opposes wreaking suffering on vulnerable civilians. We call for a merciful resolution to the escalating conflict. Rev. Molly T. Marshall, PhD President Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • (651) 255-6138

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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 as the 2025 Distinguished Alumni by the Baylor Line Foundation, an independent alumni association. Julie is the 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 forebears. 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

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March 19, 2026
Black Church Black Liberation Theology Public Theology VOICES

Living into the Promise of the Sims Scholars Initiative

“The Sims Scholars Initiative,” recently asserted Rev. Dr. Gary F. Green II (associate professor of Pastoral Theology and Social Transformation and director for Racial Intelligence Systems), “has surpassed my expectations, and expanded my hopes for what this program can become.” Launched in February 2024 and made possible through a generous donation from former trustee Dr. Frank Sims and his wife, Robyn, it is designed to address racial inequities in society and to educate and prepare leaders who wish to constructively engage issues confronting Black spiritual communities. Gary oversees the Initiative.  SIMS SCHOLARS WEIGH IN  Elwyn Young, a scholar in the cohort that started in 2024, describes the Initiative as a “rare and precious opportunity.” Though she began the program apprehensively, Elwyn’s experiences in classes and with her professors have transformed her perspective and outlook. Dr. Demian Wheeler’s “Invitation to Theology: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty” course and her classmates, Elwyn attests, created “the best start that I could have been exposed to coming into seminary.” She is equally excited about the other professors and courses she encountered. It is not just the kindness and support, Elwyn explains, each of her five professors has imparted “a feeling that they desire us all to succeed.” Naryn Carter, another 2024 cohort member, notes that “mentorship [in the Initiative] is genuinely multi-layered—peer mentorship within the cohort, guidance from faculty and staff, and wisdom from [alums] and doctoral students.” “I’ve been grateful,” she continues, “to connect with and learn alongside some amazing people— relationships I truly don’t think I would have formed without the program.”  Akwése Nkemontoh, a member of the second cohort, was drawn to the Sims Scholars Initiative due to the mentorship aspect as well as other key features. “I had been searching for a space,” she recounts, “where I could be mentored and truly challenged to think more deeply, where I could show up as all of myself and engage the intersections that I’m most curious about,…and where I could always come back to my faith and connection with God as the one leading it all.”  DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION ADDS VALUE  As a second cohort member, Akwése can also take advantage of the new distance learning feature (first-year scholars were local to the Twin Cities). “I’m grateful that the Sims Scholars program opened up to distance learners,” she opines, “…because it makes this kind of transformative educational experience so much more accessible, making its reach and impact greater. It has already done so much to affirm where I’m at right now and where I’m hoping to go.”  “After only one semester,” Akwése adds, “I can say this program truly has been a gift and has helped me to honor and author my own voice in ways that feel different from academic spaces in the past.” She expounds, “At its heart, this program is designed to engage multiple forms of intelligence and to create ‘play space’ to bring out our most imaginative, co-creative selves.… The fact that I’m surrounded by other Black leaders is also amazing and rare, especially in academia. And the fact that all these other leaders…are passionate about the intersection of faith and social transformation is just wow.”  HOPE FOR THE FUTURE When she looks into the future, Naryn is thrilled by the ways in which the Sims Scholars Initiative provides “tools to widen the aperture of our souls and to do deeper, more impactful work in our communities and the world.” In addition, she posits, “We are being compassionately equipped to lead in ways that many previous and even current leaders have not [been]. I’m excited not only about the knowledge I’m gaining, but about the embodied excellence of how this learning is happening.” As Akwése phrases it, “We’re here to grow, to be challenged and to challenge, to be held and to hold. We’re here to develop our voices as the powerful healers, lightbearers, and agents of change we are.” For his part, Gary concludes, “Our shared learning experience was deeply transformative and clarifying for the kind of beacon United can become for Black religious scholarship. I am excited to see how things continue to develop!” This article is featured in the Winter 2026 Issue of VOICES. Read this issue and our other publications here. >

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March 1, 2026
Faculty Feminism Women

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler Reflects on Women’s History Month

Dear Friends of United, The National Women’s History Alliance’s theme for the 2026 Women’s History Month, “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” reverberates in very concrete, localized, and urgent ways in the context of ICE’s months-long, brutal occupation, a federal “reckoning and retribution” that savaged our immigrant neighbors and tested our resolve. Women—including numerous members of the United Community—have worked with men and gender fluid folk to sustain our state. Women leaders have sustained political resistance, organizing and showing up for large and small demonstrations, sit-ins, and vigils. As constitutional observers, women, along with people of all genders, have sought to sustain legal accountability. Minnesotan women have worked to sustain life, offering aid—groceries, medicines, rent money— to people with reason to be afraid to leave their homes. Medically trained women have made house calls. Women have sustained courage and connection, leading singing resistance pods in hard-hit areas, as a way of letting neighbors know that they are seen and that they matter. And immigrant mothers, aunties, grandmas, and friends, have sustained families, calming terrified children, holding the family together when members are disappeared. This Women’s History Month, let us honor the thousands of women and girls who, as their foremothers did in earlier occupations, stepped up to sustain political will, life, courage, and families. Carolyn Pressler is the Professor Emerita of Biblical Interpretation at United. Learn more about her here. >

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January 22, 2026
Activism Civil Rights justice Lament

Statement by President Molly T. Marshall on Community Response Efforts

These are fraught days for us. Those who call the Twin Cities home persist under the pall of a federal occupation, bracing each day for word of a new atrocity. In the weeks since an ICE agent killed Renee Good, we have seen the good people of Minneapolis and St. Paul show up for one another as armed federal agents patrol our communities, violating due process and cruelly abducting thousands of people.  I think often of our friends and neighbors—including some members of the United community—as they live under the acute terror ICE has wrought on their neighborhoods. Many rely on the aid of a trusted few to meet their basic needs. Facing an oppressive force, our communities have turned outward with resilience, toward one another, embodying anew the command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” I have been deeply moved by the courage of my neighbors and, in particular, United’s students, alums, trustees, and faculty and staff. They model solidarity despite extreme cold, attending vigils, leading music, creating art, and keeping watch with whistles over their neighborhoods while ICE patrols their streets. Chaplains involved in interfaith organizations are supporting local demonstrations and assisting in de-escalation efforts. Lay leaders, prompted to care for their vulnerable neighbors, are picking up groceries, taking kids to school, and meeting material needs in a vast network of mutual aid. Indeed, this is servant leadership. This week, clergy and faith leaders of myriad traditions are answering MARCH’s call to resist this importunate occupation and bear witness to its harm. With members of our United community engaged in rapid response efforts, the seminary will be closed on Friday, January 23. And, in solidarity with fellow clergy and elected officials, I reaffirm my call that ICE must immediately end its terrorizing of the Twin Cities, leave Minnesota altogether, and bring to justice the agent who killed Ms. Good. Social transformation is one of United’s longstanding pillars, and we are seeing the real-world witness of faith and community leaders equipped for the work of justice and peace. In the words of Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis, director of our Social Transformation Program, “Faith leaders are shaping Minnesota’s response to be highly ethical and effective.” The common good, though under grave threat, is in the committed stewardship of our very best. In the days ahead, may we be courageous in our convictions for the love and dignity of our neighbors. Rev. Molly T. Marshall, Phd President 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 systems of oppression, exploring multi-faith spirituality, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him), Director of Marketing and Communications United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities press@unitedseminary.edu • 651-255-6138

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January 8, 2026
Activism Beliefs Community justice Lament

Statement by President Molly T. Marshall on the Killing of Renee Good

Dear Friends of United, We are reeling with horror, grief, and anger over the killing of Renee Good by a federal agent in Minneapolis. We hold Ms. Good’s loved ones in our hearts and remember them in our prayers as they navigate sudden, unimaginable loss. This tragedy was wholly preventable, yet it was the consequence of pernicious escalations made by a regime engaged in the systematic marginalization and oppression of immigrants. Since the onset of their operations in the Twin Cities, ICE has deliberately fomented unrest, waged a violent deportation campaign against our most vulnerable neighbors, violated residents' civil liberties, and killed an innocent woman. The government’s cruel actions, bolstered by propagandists, are abhorrent, and they demand our furious denunciation. I join my fellow clergy, our elected officials, and local organizers in calling for ICE to cease its terrorizing of our communities and leave Minnesota immediately. We are discerning additional ways to respond and offer proactive support. Today, over the lunch hour, a few of us gathered in the chapel to light candles of remembrance and intercession for so many feeling the threat of ICE’s actions. In the meantime, Monarca, a local rapid response line, has published freely downloadable resources in English, Spanish, and Somali. Additionally, they offer legal observer trainings throughout the metro area, the next of which will be held on January 15 in Golden Valley. Learn more here. United has, for decades, aspired to help bend the “arc of the moral universe” toward justice. We find courage in our calling, emboldened by the values we share as a community. We remember Renee Good, and we speak her name with clarity of conviction.May justice be done in her memory and for our vulnerable neighbors. Rev. Molly T. Marshall, PhD President

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December 17, 2025
Alums Community Entrepreneur

Lauren Busey (’07) Ministers to a New Beloved Community at Pickledilly Skokie

Lauren Busey (’07) grew up in the Lutheran church,  earned an undergraduate degree from Luther College, and thought she would probably attend a Lutheran seminary. Then, at a Luther College women’s retreat, Rev. Dr. Christie Cozad Nueger (’80)— Professor Emerita of Pastoral Counseling and Pastoral Theology (1992–2005)—was the featured speaker and knew Lauren’s campus pastor. “So,” Lauren remembers, “we just kind of got to talking, and within a couple of weeks, I was enrolled at United.”  United “was a good fit,” Lauren asserts. She found a welcoming community of fellow students and treasured professors. Those who had the greatest impact include Rev. Dr. Jann Cather Weaver (Associate Professor Emerita of Worship, and Theology and the Arts, 2001–2012), Dr. Marilyn Salmon† (Professor Emerita of New Testament Theology, 1989–2014), and Dr. Carolyn Pressler (Professor Emerita of Biblical Interpretation, 1990–2020).  After seminary, Lauren accepted a call back home in Evanston, Illinois, at the church where she grew up, Trinity Lutheran Church. Despite being a bit apprehensive about serving as the director of Faith Formation at her home church, Lauren found that the parishioners were warmly welcoming and supportive. She’s been there ever since and notes that the flexibility of the position allowed for a positive work-life balance. Lauren and her wife are raising two children. Just this year, however, Lauren, along with her wife and two business partners, embarked on a new venture—and in February 2025, the four co-owners opened a new state-of-the-art pickleball court in Skokie, Illinois. Dubbed Pickledilly Skokie, the new indoor space features 11.5 courts under high ceilings, lockers, a lounge area, and a pro shop. Plus, the venue is in the same complex as Sketchbook Brewing Company and has abundant free parking. So what happened? “I think my wife would say that I’ve always been the big idea person,” Lauren explains. Usually, she continues, Amy “nods and smiles and keeps on going,” but this time she agreed with the idea. Both Lauren and Amy are avid pickleball players, and Lauren says she found that the activity was much more of a “community-based sport.” Community was the key. As Lauren stated in a July 18, 2025, interview for Ryan Glatzhofer’s The Locals: Stories of Courageous Entrepreneurs, “One of the things that has always been a passion of mine is bringing people together.” Going a step further, she said more recently, “One of our pillars is that this is a safe space, and we are welcoming here.” How did United prepare Lauren for entrepreneurship? “United was really helpful to me in expanding my worldview and my understanding of diversity and not assuming you know where people are coming from.” As for the connection to ministry, Lauren asserts, “We’re still grounded in the same way of taking care of people,  and loving people, and meeting them where they are.” __________________________ † of blessed memory

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December 12, 2025
Advent Arts theology and the arts

Images of Hope: Advent in Art

Art has the tremendous power to restore us in a time when our world seems to make no sense and we need a moment of respite and encouragement from our daily struggles. A single photograph of a flower or a laughing child can buoy our spirit to carry on. In the Christian tradition, the season of Advent urges us to look for Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, and we’d like to open a space for you to share photos that speak to you in those ways. Add Your Image of Hope Throughout Advent, we published submissions received from United students, alums, faculty, and staff.  Pieces are published in the order in which they are received. Last updated: December 12, 2025. "Feed for the winter." by Ryan Currens (student, Institutional Major Gifts Officer) This picture from our family farm in Iowa of fall fields reminds me of the hope for plenty during the winter months to come. "Enduring Hope" by Rev. Dr. Cindi Beth Johnson (Vice President for Advancement) My nephew Erik took this photo in the late days of fall. The remaining beautiful red blossom, still holding court, is for me a sign of hope and determination. "Children's Creation" by April Knight (student) When I was growing up in church—a church I loved—children's art would have never been allowed front and center displayed as Peace Church in Duluth celebrates children! This is the "Hope" of my Advent season this year. "puddle no filter" by Mike Coyne (student) Neither the limits nor the beauty of a physical form can negate its essence, or capture its true nature. "Waterfall Cross" by Tami Glasbrenner (Accountant) Photo taken while hiking Hocking Hills Ohio State Park. "Tiny Tracks" by Sheryl Schwyhart (’20) "Chapel in the Trees" by Babs Allen (student) Sign as you enter into the Chapel in the Trees in Funk’s Grove, IL. "Annunciation (by Julia Barkley)" by Rev. Dr. Cindi Beth Johnson (Vice President for Advancement) During chapel, we were in a circle, and I realized I was facing The Annunciation. A reminder of hope in the Christian tradition. "The United Chapel during Advent" by Ryan Currens (student, Institutional Major Gifts Officer) I took this picture during the second week of Advent after the final chapel for this semester. "Sunrise Over Grand Meadow, Minnesota " by Dale Dobias (’89) 3x3 inches, found papers on canvas board   "Sixth of Sunwait, Welcome Solstice" by Brian Weis (’24) Photo collage: Altar with Sunwait candelabra. Candles for the first six runes are lit. Additional candles, goddess statues, festive greens, etc. are also present.

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December 11, 2025
Academics Activism Black Liberation Theology Community

Alex Sánchez Rodriguez Finds Vocational Inspiration at United

Alex Sánchez Rodriguez, who plans to graduate from United in 2026 with an MA in Religion and Theology, was initially drawn to the seminary’s Interreligious Chaplaincy program. Since taking more classes, engaging with his professors, becoming involved in the Student Leadership Collective, and taking on other extracurricular activities, he has settled on a new calling. “I discovered,” Alex shares, “that I have a natural affinity toward academics.” In fact, he admits, “I want to be like my professors.” Before coming to United, Alex was a substitute teacher in Puerto Rico. Since he moved to Minnesota, he has been working in student development and promoting student success. The priority of student success is the throughline, Alex perceives, from his current role and an academic career. “If I am to go into academia,” he explains, “part of my success as a teacher, professor, and researcher depends on the success of my future students.”  Alex also credits United professors for embodying the kind of academician he hopes to become. Dr. Demian Wheeler and Rev. Dr. Andrew Packman, he notes, “as academics and how they engage with their students…[are] very inspiring to…future academics.” The fact that United faculty are “so accessible and so approachable and so likeable,” Alex continues, made him realize that an academic career does not have to take place in some secluded and inaccessible “ivory tower.”  United’s emphasis on interreligious engagement was another piece of Alex’s transformation. “I grew up in a very Christian environment where everything that wasn’t Christian was considered bad,” Alex recounts. After encountering the diverse faith communities of United’s students and faculty, he suggests, “it made me realize that there’s not just one path toward spirituality and divinity.” Ultimately, Alex hopes that his future work as a theologian can help fellow Puerto Ricans emerge from the shadow of colonization. “I think doing the work of theology is a way to help ’regular people’ realize that they don’t have to live as colonized individuals anymore. They have the opportunity to define who they want to be.”  As Alex stated earlier this year, “While I could have chosen a different specialty or a different seminary, theology and religious studies have brought a sense of wonder that I have not experienced in any other discipline that I have studied, and United has given me more than I can name.”

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