Pittsburgh Theological Seminary celebrated its 218th commencement activities Fri., June 6 at East Liberty Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel and associate professor of the practice of homiletics at Duke Divinity School, was the commencement speaker. The Service of Thanksgiving was held Thurs., June 5 in the Seminary’s Hicks Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Dr. Edwin Chr. van Driel, Directors’ Bicentennial Associate Professor of Theology at PTS, preached.

Fifty-one students graduated earning the following degrees—35 Master of Divinity (including four with Graduate Certificates in Urban Ministry), four Master of Arts, one Master of Sacred Theology, and 11 Doctor of Ministry.

Graduation Program

Photo Galleries

Service of Thanksgiving

Graduation Brunch and Awards

Graduation

Videos

Service of Thanksgiving

Graduates

Master of Divinity

David Andrew Bell Jr.
North Huntingdon, Pa.

Jeffrey D. Bergeson
Glastonbury, Conn.

Sean Michael Brubaker
Ellwood City, Pa.

Lanita Dawn Butler**
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Taleeta L. Canady
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael E. Carlin
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rebecca Nadine Cole-Turner
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Jeremy David Collins
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Greg C. Drayer
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Joshua George Fisher
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Lisa Dodson Franklin-Robinson**
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael W. Golphin Sr.
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Danielle Marie Graham**
Adelphi, Md.

Forrest G. Hall
Vandergrift, Pa.

Simeon N. Harrar
Lancaster, Pa.

Charissa Clark Howe
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Shana Marie Hutchings
Anchorage, Ala.

Matthew Aaron Jones
Grove City, Pa.

Robert E. Jones, III
Newark, Del.

Scott Daniel Lawrence
Fredonia, N.Y.

Anita Jo Lovell
Washington, Pa.

Craig W. Meek
Washington, D.C.

Cassandra Joelle Millis
North East, Pa.

Kelly Jean Norris-Wilke
Mars, Pa.

Joseph Andrew O'malley
Slickville, Pa.

Alan D. Olson
Carnegie, Pa.

April Dion Roebuck**
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Heather Dianne Runser
Level Green, Pa.

Bobby James Smith
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Gregory P. Steible
Dallas, Texas

Bonnie Jean Calligan Taylor
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Marco A. Tinor
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Katherine Verdolini Abbott
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael James Wallace
Lakewood, Ohio

Vivian Patten Wilson
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Master of Arts

Damian Berry
Fort Worth, Texas

Lynn Wilson Cox
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Steven Daniel Gallego
Lyndhurst, N.J.

Marlene Mead Stewart
Bridgeville, Pa.

Master of Sacred Theology

Vui-Leong Calvin Chong
Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia

Doctor of Ministry

Gary ArnTessoni
West Chester, Pa.
"Experiencing Life “In Christ” Together: Small Group Community as A Pathway to Spiritual Formation"

Georgina Martha Naismith Baxendale*
Motherwell, Scotland
"Reclaiming the Lessons of the Reformation and Applying Them as an Ongoing Project to Aid Congregations and the National Church as They Face Crisis and Decline"

Christopher James Benek
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
"Investigating Technological Futurism’s Potential Role in Humanity’s Participation in Bringing About God’s Renewal of the World"

Leon Bloder
Eustis, Fla.
"From Network Manager to Transformational Leader: The Role of the Pastor in Kingdom Community"

Karen Kathleen Boivin
Ottawa, Ontario
"A Reformed Understanding of Union With Christ: The Role of Reading and Praying Scripture"

Stephen Paul Fritz
Lancaster, Pia.
"On The Way: An Analytical Six Year Study of One Between Size Congregation’s Journey to Get Off the Growth Plateau Toward Becoming a Program Size Church Using Principles of Natural Church Development"

Roderick Alexander Randle Macleod*
St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland
"What is the Church Doing in the Holy Spirit?"

William George Poulos
Abingdon, Md.
"St. Mark the Evangelist, St. Maximus the Confessor, the Great Double Commandment and Contemporary Orthodox Christians"

Machenry George Schafer, Ii
Raleigh, N.C.
"Good Beginnings: Collegiality Through Presbytery Transitions"

Kerry Knox Westerwick
Portsmouth, Va.
"Trinity and Covenant: Rebuilding the Temple"

A. René Whitaker
Coldwater, Mich.
"Creating Community in a Networked World"

Spiritual Formation Certificate

Margarethe Galbraith-Cordes
Zelienople, Pa.

Bonnie D. Harr
Latrobe, Pa.

Jean Louise Kolbe
Glenshaw, Pa.

*          In Absentia

**         Graduate Certificate in Urban Ministry

Graduation Awards

Read more about this year's graduation award winners.

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary celebrated its 218th commencement activities Fri., June 6 at East Liberty Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel and associate professor of the practice of homiletics at Duke Divinity School, was the commencement speaker. The Service of Thanksgiving was held Thurs., June 5 in the Seminary’s Hicks Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Dr. Edwin Chr. van Driel, Directors’ Bicentennial Associate Professor of Theology at PTS, preached.

Fifty-one students graduated earning the following degrees—35 Master of Divinity (including four with Graduate Certificates in Urban Ministry), four Master of Arts, one Master of Sacred Theology, and 11 Doctor of Ministry.

Graduation Program

Photo Galleries

Service of Thanksgiving

Graduation Brunch and Awards

Graduation

Videos

Service of Thanksgiving

Graduates

Master of Divinity

David Andrew Bell Jr.
North Huntingdon, Pa.

Jeffrey D. Bergeson
Glastonbury, Conn.

Sean Michael Brubaker
Ellwood City, Pa.

Lanita Dawn Butler**
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Taleeta L. Canady
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael E. Carlin
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rebecca Nadine Cole-Turner
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Jeremy David Collins
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Greg C. Drayer
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Joshua George Fisher
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Lisa Dodson Franklin-Robinson**
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael W. Golphin Sr.
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Danielle Marie Graham**
Adelphi, Md.

Forrest G. Hall
Vandergrift, Pa.

Simeon N. Harrar
Lancaster, Pa.

Charissa Clark Howe
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Shana Marie Hutchings
Anchorage, Ala.

Matthew Aaron Jones
Grove City, Pa.

Robert E. Jones, III
Newark, Del.

Scott Daniel Lawrence
Fredonia, N.Y.

Anita Jo Lovell
Washington, Pa.

Craig W. Meek
Washington, D.C.

Cassandra Joelle Millis
North East, Pa.

Kelly Jean Norris-Wilke
Mars, Pa.

Joseph Andrew O'malley
Slickville, Pa.

Alan D. Olson
Carnegie, Pa.

April Dion Roebuck**
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Heather Dianne Runser
Level Green, Pa.

Bobby James Smith
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Gregory P. Steible
Dallas, Texas

Bonnie Jean Calligan Taylor
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Marco A. Tinor
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Katherine Verdolini Abbott
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael James Wallace
Lakewood, Ohio

Vivian Patten Wilson
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Master of Arts

Damian Berry
Fort Worth, Texas

Lynn Wilson Cox
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Steven Daniel Gallego
Lyndhurst, N.J.

Marlene Mead Stewart
Bridgeville, Pa.

Master of Sacred Theology

Vui-Leong Calvin Chong
Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia

Doctor of Ministry

Gary ArnTessoni
West Chester, Pa.
"Experiencing Life “In Christ” Together: Small Group Community as A Pathway to Spiritual Formation"

Georgina Martha Naismith Baxendale*
Motherwell, Scotland
"Reclaiming the Lessons of the Reformation and Applying Them as an Ongoing Project to Aid Congregations and the National Church as They Face Crisis and Decline"

Christopher James Benek
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
"Investigating Technological Futurism’s Potential Role in Humanity’s Participation in Bringing About God’s Renewal of the World"

Leon Bloder
Eustis, Fla.
"From Network Manager to Transformational Leader: The Role of the Pastor in Kingdom Community"

Karen Kathleen Boivin
Ottawa, Ontario
"A Reformed Understanding of Union With Christ: The Role of Reading and Praying Scripture"

Stephen Paul Fritz
Lancaster, Pia.
"On The Way: An Analytical Six Year Study of One Between Size Congregation’s Journey to Get Off the Growth Plateau Toward Becoming a Program Size Church Using Principles of Natural Church Development"

Roderick Alexander Randle Macleod*
St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland
"What is the Church Doing in the Holy Spirit?"

William George Poulos
Abingdon, Md.
"St. Mark the Evangelist, St. Maximus the Confessor, the Great Double Commandment and Contemporary Orthodox Christians"

Machenry George Schafer, Ii
Raleigh, N.C.
"Good Beginnings: Collegiality Through Presbytery Transitions"

Kerry Knox Westerwick
Portsmouth, Va.
"Trinity and Covenant: Rebuilding the Temple"

A. René Whitaker
Coldwater, Mich.
"Creating Community in a Networked World"

Spiritual Formation Certificate

Margarethe Galbraith-Cordes
Zelienople, Pa.

Bonnie D. Harr
Latrobe, Pa.

Jean Louise Kolbe
Glenshaw, Pa.

*          In Absentia

**         Graduate Certificate in Urban Ministry

Graduation Awards

Read more about this year's graduation award winners.