PITTSBURGH SEMINARY MOURNS EMERITUS BOARD MEMBER JOHN SHORTRIDGE
Pittsburgh Seminary grieves the loss of John Shortridge, emeritus member of the Seminary’s Board of Directors, who passed away Sept. 23, 2025. John served on the Board from 2012 to 2021 and was a member of numerous committees, including the Finance, Nominations, Executive, and Advancement committees. He also served on the World Mission Initiative’s Advisory Committee from 2013 until his death.
John was a great supporter of the Seminary’s World Mission Initiative, believing that formation includes exposure to, and building bridges with, people of different cultures, contexts, ethnicities, and experiences. He and his wife, Margo, established the John and Margo Shortridge Scholarship program at PTS in 1999 to enable students to participate in cross-cultural mission experiences through the World Mission Initiative, to prepare them to become world-Christian leaders and/or discern a missional vocation. The scholarships have been funded through the Shortridges’ generosity, matching gifts from John’s employer, U.S. Steel Foundation, and gifts through his home church, Westminster Presbyterian Church.
“Without the ongoing support and generosity of John and Margo, countless students would not have had the life-changing opportunity to travel and witness God’s work around the world,” says the Rev. Bala Khyllep, acting director of the World Mission Initiative. “John’s support hasn’t just opened doors—it’s changed lives. Students are deeply grateful for the ways the Shortridge Scholarship have helped make these experiences possible, giving them fresh perspective and spiritual growth they’ll carry with them forever.”
An attorney by trade, John was a graduate of the PC(USA)-affiliated Hanover College and held a J.D. from Northwestern University Law School. A distinguished career at U.S. Steel Corporation, where he worked for more than 30 years, brought him to Pittsburgh, the home of the corporation’s corporate offices. John served on the boards of a number of Pittsburgh-area nonprofits, including Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, and United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. He was an elder and deacon at Westminster Presbyterian Church, where he also chaired two pastoral nominating committees. An avid biker and hiker, John is remembered for his lifelong love of the outdoors.
“The Shortridges’ impact on the life of the Seminary cannot be overstated,” says PTS President Asa Lee. “John’s generosity of both time and treasure has tremendously shaped the Seminary’s World Mission Initiative as a place which mobilizes Christian leaders as intercultural bridge-builders and ambassadors in their own communities at home—something our world desperately needs. John and Margo have been dear friends of the Seminary, and John’s presence with us will be sorely missed.”
Please consider making a gift in John's memory to support World Mission Initiative's commitment to intercultural learning and student formation.