GRADUATION AWARD WINNERS 2026
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary awarded prizes to members of the Class of 2026 during the graduation exercises held May 29. This year’s honorees were:
The Ashton History Prize, outstanding achievement in church history, Lisa M. Nester, Stow, Ohio
The Jennie Rigg Barbour Memorial Prize, for second highest rank, Aydin J. Zill, Erie, Pa,
The Watson Samuel Boyce Music Prize, Jakob Josef Harmon, Jones, Okla., and Drew Perdue, Salem, Va.
The Brooks Foundation Commencement Prize, for highest standing in pastoral care, Caitlin Zeiset, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Robert M. Ezzell Homiletics Prize, excellence in preaching, Richard Franklin Norris III, Philadelphia, Pa.
The Faculty Prize in Formation, for embodying the formative values of the Seminary, Raphael S. Ogbole, Pittsburgh, Pa.
The Faculty Prize in Leadership, for a D.Min. student who significantly contributed to cohort formation, Yvette A. Armstead, Marlboro, N.Y.
The Faculty Prize in Public Theology, Sheleta E. Fomby, Upper Marlboro, Md., and Christine Ullrich, Pittsburgh, Pa
The Paul T. Gerrard Prize in Homiletics and Pastoral Care, Aydin J. Zill, Erie, Pa.
The Jackson Hale Prize in Polity, Lisa M. Nester, Stow, Ohio
The Thomas Jamison Scholarship, for the student with the highest grade average, Karlie Ann McWilliams, Pittsburgh, Pa
The Michael Wilson Keith Memorial Prize in Homiletics, Lisa M. Nester, Stow, Ohio
The Sylvester S. Marvin Fellowship, for post-graduate study to the highest standard in coursework across the curriculum, Karlie Ann McWilliams, Pittsburgh, Pa
The Walter P. and Anna L. McConkey Award in Homiletics, excellence in preaching, Richard Franklin Norris III, Philadelphia, Pa.
The John W. and Miriam G. Meister Award in Pastoral Ministry, Raphael S. Ogbole, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Middlesex United Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.) Memorial Prize in Biblical Studies, Lisa M. Nester, Stow, Ohio
The Clara Edna Miller Prize in Pastoral Theology, Lisa M. Nester, Stow, Ohio, and Caitlin Zeiset, Pittsburgh, Pa.
The Richard J. Rapp Memorial Award in Doctor of Ministry Studies, Oghene’tega Violet Ogbon (Swann) and Gavin Walton, Pittsburgh, Pa.
The Andrew Reed Prize, excellence in Bible exegesis, Richard Franklin Norris III, Philadelphia, Pa.
The Henry A. Riddle Fund for Graduate Study, Jakob Josef Harmon, Jones, Okla.
The Sigler Prize in History and Theology, Aydin J. Zill, Erie, Pa.
The John Watson Prize in New Testament Greek, Jakob Josef Harmon, Jones, Okla.
The William B. Watson Prize in Hebrew, Ronnie Lyn Bailey, East Liverpool, Ohio, and Jakob Josef Harmon, Jones, Okla.