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FOUNDATION FOOTNOTES

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APRIL 2012 (Vol. L, Issue #4)

  

Celebrating 50 Years of Ministry Education
(1962-2012)

Coverage and photos from the 2012 Graduation Ceremony and Runcie Convocation Lecture Series will be coming up in next month's issue!  On May 3 and 4, we welcome our graduates, distinguished guests and honorees from around the world as we celebrate 50 years as an educational foundation. For further details on this year's graduation, please visit our announcements page.

 

Building a Network:
The Development of the Bureau of West African Scholars

This summer, the Foundation will launch a special initiative focused on scholarship in the area of West African religion and culture.  The Foundation maintains one of the most extensive archives of scholarly research in the U.S. in the areas of West African religion and culture and the Igbo peoples of Nigeria, a fact that has inspired this initiative to develop a Bureau of West African Scholars.  The Bureau will serve as a networking mechanism for those interested in this area of research, and will be composed of dozens of doctoral theses and master’s projects in West African religion and culture with a special focus on Nigeria.  The mission of the Bureau is to disseminate scholarly research on West African religion and culture and foster scholarly exchange within the global academic community.  Complete details on the Bureau of West African Scholars will be released this summer. 
 

New Faculty Appointment

The Foundation is pleased to announce that Dr. Waleed Edreese al-Meneese has been appointed Visiting Professor of Islamic Studies.  Dr. Meneese is Vice President of the Islamic University of Minnesota and a member of both the Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America and the North American Imams Federation (NAIF).  He holds degrees in Arabic and Islamic jurisprudence, and he earned the Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Jurisprudence from the Foundation.  To read more about Dr. Meneese, please visit his faculty profile. 


Understanding & Counseling Victims of Disaster

A new E-Tutorial is now being offered by Dr. Ann-Marie Neale, Visiting Professor of Counseling and Psychology at the Foundation, drawing on her expertise as a mental health specialist and experience working with disaster victims.  The E-Tutorial, “Understanding and Counseling Victims of Disaster,” is an introductory-level course to help familiarize students with types of disasters, phases of disasters, the victims, and appropriate intervention and collaboration efforts for clergy, chaplains, and mental health counselors.  E-Tutorials are six weeks in length with required readings and weekly writing exercises; students work one-on-one with the faculty tutor via email.  To read more about Dr. Neale’s new E-Tutorial and to register, please click here.  Dr. Neale's Faculty Profile can be viewed here.


Alumni/Student Notes

Thomas Devereaux (Ph.D. 2007, D.Min. 1988) will retire as pastor of St. Peter’s Parish in Cloverdale, California, on June 18, 2012, and will be in residence at St. Rose Rectory in Santa Rosa, California, as an Active Retired Senior Priest.  Rev. Devereaux will continue his work as Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer and also as Spiritual Director and Instructor in the Permanent Deacon Formation Program.

Mark Killmer (Psy.D. 2007) was named Chair of the Marriage and Family Therapy Department at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago and recently voted Professor of the Year by the student body.

Br. Ericjon Thomas (Ph.D. 2011, D. Min. 2008) has recently published his second book entitled, Point of Origin: The Evolution of Religious Consciousness and Its Ultimate Expression (Xlibris, 2012).  In his book, Br. Thomas delves into conscious acknowledgement of the natural law as a universal norm guiding human activity in the wake of the plurality of religious expressions.  The book is available through online booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Carolann Trainor, MAPC (M.B.A. 2006) has begun a private practice in pastoral psychotherapy in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  After earning her M.B.A. at the Foundation, she continued her studies at Loyola University Chicago where she earned a double master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling and Spirituality with a focus in Spiritual Direction.

 

Recently Activated Students

The Rev. Dr. Tom Barnette of Katy, Texas, has entered the Doctor of Mediation program.  He is ordained in the Southern Baptist Church and holds a Doctor of Biblical Studies from Master’s International School of Divinity.  He serves as a pastor.

Dr. Cesáreo Fernández Gómez of Arrieta Vizcaya, Spain, has entered the Master of Theology program.  He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (Spain).  Dr. Fernández serves as an administrator and director in the area of community development, and holds membership in the Society of Catholic Social Scientists and the Catholic Psychotherapy Association.

The Rev. Fr. Charles Ugwu of New Hyde Park, New York, has entered the Doctor of Philosophy in Pastoral Theology program.  He is ordained in the Catholic Church and holds a Master of Arts from St. John’s University.  He serves as an associate pastor and holds membership in the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.

 

Recent Defenses

Matthew Abba, Doctor of Philosophy in Education – “Relevance of Ethics/Morality in Society”

Raymond Akpunonu, Doctor of Philosophy – “Zero Tolerance: The Fate of the Roman Catholic Clergy and Pastoral Care of the Accused”

Murray Joseph Casey, Doctor of Philosophy – “Symbol of Grace: Contemporary Reflections on the Presence of God to His People through the Holy Sacrament
of the Eucharist”

Christiana Onu Ekeh, Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology – “Applying the Value of Psychology to Human Life: A Case for Counseling”

Raymond Iwuji, Doctor of Philosophy in Pastoral Care and Counseling – “Alleviating the Traumatic Effects of Death and the Consequent Grief for the Bereaved through Communal Supports and Rituals (The Igbo-African Perspective)”

Neville Kelly, Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies – “Integral Christianity: A Theological Analysis of Ken Wilber’s Envisioned Future of Christianity”

James Murphy, Jr., Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies – “Defining Salvation in the Context of Black Theology”

Jude Osunkwo, Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies – “The Theology of Environment: Issues in Nigeria and the Response of the Church”

 

(For more doctoral thesis titles by Foundation graduates, please visit our Thesis Roster to search by area of study, or the Online Thesis Library to download a thesis as a PDF for convenient reading.)

 

To request information or to submit an update for "Alumni Notes"

or "Faculty Notes," please click here. 

(Alumni: please list full name, degree and year.)

 

Visit our Foundation Footnotes archives page.

 

MARCH 2012 (Vol. L, Issue #3) 

Upcoming Graduation and our 50th Anniversary  

This year we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our founding, and we will be welcoming a number of graduates, honorees and special guests to the 2012 graduation ceremony on May 4.  Sister Raymunda Jordan, OP, will deliver the graduation address.  Sr. Raymunda is James Ashbrook Professor Emerita at the Foundation and Formation Director of the Dominican Sisters of the United Kingdom.  On May 3, our annual Archbishop Robert Runcie Convocation Lecture Series will be delivered by Lord Harries of Pentregarth, former Bishop of Oxford.  The recipients of the Krister Stendahl Medal in Biblical Studies will be announced, and a number of fellowships and academic prizes will be awarded to graduating students.  We are proud and excited to welcome our distinguished guests and look forward to welcoming our 2012 graduates!  (Graduation details for 2012 graduates are available here.)


New E-Tutorial

Dr. Paul Kirbas is now offering a new E-Tutorial, “God, Nature, and Us: An Interdisciplinary Approach to a New Paradigm for the Human Place in Nature.”  He will use his newest book as the course’s required reading, This Sacred Earth: Scientific and Religious Perspectives on Nature and Humanity’s Place Within It. (Click here for course details.)  Dr. Kirbas is Paul Tillich Professor of Theology and Culture and recently gave an interview to the Foundation about his new book.  


What Alumni Say About the Foundation

Beginning earlier this year with the launch of our new website, we introduced a new feature: Alumni Profiles.  Through these profiles, our graduates are able to share information about their studies and ministry, and to talk about why they chose the Foundation and how their training has helped them.  As you will see, there is rich diversity in the professional backgrounds of our students, and we consider this one of our greatest strengths as an educational foundation.  If you are interested in speaking with one of our many alumni, each degree program contains a link that allows you to contact the Foundation in order to be put in touch with an alumnus.  Visit our Academics section and look for the link at the top of your specific degree page.


Foundation Blog Updates

This month on the blog, we interview Dr. Paul Kirbas about his new book, This Sacred Earth: Scientific and Religious Perspectives on Nature and Humanity’s Place Within It, and launch a weekly series in celebration of Women’s History Month.  Check the blog for the most current posts which will appear every Thursday and the occasional Tuesday this month.  People featured in our Women’s History Month series will include Burmese democratic activist Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Christian mystic Evelyn Underhill and the world’s first woman rabbi, Regina Jonas.  Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment. (Please register as a user on the blog in order to comment.)  Visit the Foundation blog today!


Faculty Notes

The Rev. Dr. C. Anthony Hunt, E. Franklin Frazier Professor of African-American Studies, was the lead plenary presenter at the “Emerging Voices Preachers Workshop” in Baltimore, Maryland.”  His presentation was entitled, “Comforting the Afflicted and Afflicting the Comfortable – Preaching with Power in the 21st Century.”  Dr. Hunt is Professor of Systematic, Moral, and Practical Theology, and Dunning Permanent Distinguished Lecturer at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore.  (Click here for Dr. Hunt’s faculty profile at the Foundation.)


Alumni/Student Notes

Achille Antoine (Psy.D. 2011) will begin in a new position as Chaplain at Brooklyn Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, beginning later this month.

David Daubert (Ph.D. 2000) is currently serving as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois. He has traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada doing training and consultation on church leadership as well as renewal consulting with Day 8 Strategies.  Dr. Daubert has written a number of books and articles; his most recent book is Seeing Through New Eyes (ARE Books, 2010).  This book may be purchased through the publisher at arenewalenterprise.com.

Suzanne Freiberg (B.Th. [cand.]) recently designed a course for CatechismClass.com (mentioned in February’s newsletter), and says about the course, “frustration runs deep for many who wish to find meaningful careers…so Catholics are turning to catechists and Catholic-based career coaches for assistance.” The course, “The Gifted Vocation”, provides Catholic career coaching and catechesis.

Julie Kling (Ed.D. 2009) has accepted a position as Lead Instructional Designer (Graduate and Professional Studies) at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin.  In February, she was a co-presenter on creating faculty development opportunities at the NADE (National Association for Developmental Education) Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Fr. Patrick Akponevwe Otor, M.S.P. (Ph.D. 2010) has recently published a book entitled, Church: A Reflection of the Triune God (An Introduction to Trinitarian Ecclesiology (WestBow Press, 2011).  The book is available through the publisher at westbowpress.com or through Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Sr. Ann Stamm, CSSF (D.D. 2004, D.Min. 1988) offered the invocation for the installation of two Madonna University graduates and police officers to their new assignments in January.  The officers both are graduates of Madonna University’s criminal justice program.  Sr. Ann has long served as a professor at Madonna University and has been a police chaplain for more than 30 years.  She was introduced at the ceremony as “a member of the police family.”


Recently Activated Students

Mr. Yaser Ahmed of Greensboro, North Carolina, has entered the Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic Studies program.  He holds a Master of Science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.  Mr. Ahmed serves as an Islamic studies teacher and holds membership in the North American Imams Federation, Carolina Islamic Council and Islamic Society of North America.  

The Rev. Pius Akajiofor of Baltimore, Maryland, has entered the Doctor of Philosophy in Pastoral Psychology program.  He is ordained in the Catholic Church and holds a Master of Arts from Wayne State University.  He serves as a chaplain and holds membership in the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and the Kolping Society of Nigeria.  

The Rev. Dr. Kevin Everett of Sealy, Texas, has entered the Doctor of Philosophy program.  He is ordained in the Southern Baptist Church and holds a Doctor of Ministry from Andersonville Theological Seminary.  He serves as a senior pastor and holds membership in the Evangelical Philosophical Society.

Ms. Anne Krus of Shelby Township, Michigan, has entered the Bachelor of Religious Education program.  She holds a Bachelor of General Studies from Oakland University.  Ms. Krus serves as a faith formation coordinator.

Chaplain Juliana Njokanma of Beltsville, Maryland, has entered the Doctor of Ministry program.  She holds a Master of Theology from the Graduate Theological Foundation.  Chaplain Njokanma works in ministry serving as a chaplain.

Ms. Laura Rangos of Washington, Michigan, has entered the Bachelor of Religious Education program.  She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from University of Michigan.  Ms. Rangos serves as a spirituality assistant and coordinator of liturgical preparations.

 

Recent Defenses

Efraín López Sánchez, Doctor of Philosophy – “La resurrección como principio animador de una espiritualidad bautismal”

 

To request information or to submit an update for "Alumni Notes" or "Faculty Notes," 

please click here.  (Alumni: please list full name, degree and year.)

 

Visit our Foundation Footnotes archives page.

 

FEBRUARY 2012 (Vol. L, Issue #2)

Presidents' Day Office Closure

The offices of the Graduate Theological Foundation will be closed on Friday, February 17 and Monday, February 20 in observance of President’s Day.  Communications received by the Foundation will be addressed beginning on February 21.


New Ph.D. Specialization in Clinical Pastoral Psychotherapy

The Foundation is pleased to announce a new Doctor of Philosophy specialization in Clinical Pastoral Psychotherapy.  This specialization is designed for those in various forms of counseling ministries who wish to focus upon the classical schools of psychotherapy.  Combining 10 courses and a clinical skills practicum or residential institute, the degree culminates in the writing of a research thesis and oral defense.  Complete details are available on our Ph.D. page.


Get Involved on the Foundation Blog!

This month, we are celebrating African American History Month through a series of weekly blog posts on important historical figures in religion and education.  We’re pleased to welcome a number of our faculty as contributors to this series.  We are also specifically featuring people for whom we have named prizes, scholarships and professorships at the Foundation.  In March, we will be launching a series of blog posts in celebration of Women’s History Month.  Please visit the blog to read our most recent posts and register to leave us a comment.

 

Oxford and Rome Summer Programs

The Oxford Summer Theology Programme is currently accepting applications for 2012.  This program will be held on the campus of Christ Church College, Oxford University, from August 12-25. Please visit the program's website for details on courses and the application process.  Early applications are encouraged.

The Summer Course in Rome at the Centro Pro Unione is currently accepting applications for 2012.  The course will be held from June 25-July 13.  Please visit the Centro website for complete information. The application deadline is March 31, 2012.


Networking Through the Student and Alumni Roster

The Foundation offers networking opportunities through our Student and Alumni Roster to help graduates get in touch with each other.  The roster is both username and password-protected.  It contains information on students and alumni across various categories: degree, geographic location, denomination, and date of graduation, all of which can be easily sorted.  Any member of the student body or alumni can access this information through a username and password.  Visit the Student and Alumni Roster today to start networking with your fellow graduates.


Survey of Adult Students by Foundation Ph.D. Candidate

Professor Jennifer Grant, a current Ph.D. candidate at the Foundation, is conducting an official survey of working adult students which examines the link between workplace and educational environments.  She is Assistant Professor in Business at Augsburg College and will use the results for her doctoral work.  The survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete, and records of the survey will be kept confidential.  For complete details, and to participate, please click here.


Faculty Notes

The Rev. Dr. C. Anthony Hunt, E. Franklin Frazier Professor of African-American Studies, gave a public lecture at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. in January, entitled "Dare to Dream - Reflections on the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." in commemoration of the MLK Birthday observance, and in early February, he gave a public lecture entitled "The Power of Love: Mohandas Gandhi and Nonviolence in the 21st Century," as a part of the Fridays with Faculty series at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland.   Dr. Hunt is Professor of Systematic, Moral, and Practical Theology, and Dunning Permanent Distinguished Lecturer at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore.  Earlier this month, he contributed a piece on E. Franklin Frazier for the Foundation’s blog series in celebration of African American History Month.


Alumni/Student Notes

Rusty Edwards (D.Min. 1990) has had a hymn he wrote sung at the Chapel of the Snows at McMurdo Station in Antarctica.  His hymns have now been sung on every continent.   Dr. Edwards is also an Oxford Foundation Fellow.

Suzanne Freiberg (B.Th. [cand.]) has created the course “The Gifted Vocation” which is offered online through CatechismClass.com. 

Linda Magno (D.Min. 2008) has published a book titled Bliss: My Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, about her experiences walking the “camino” from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, during July and August of 2007.  Read more on Google Books.

The Rev. Kenny Walden (D.Min. 2006) has joined Claflin University in South Carolina in a joint administrative/faculty position as University Chaplain/Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion.  He will take up this new position in the fall of 2012.


Recently Activated Students

Mr. Ronald DuBois, Jr., of Steubenville, Ohio, has entered the Doctor of Sacred Music program.  He holds a Master of Music from Duquesne University.  Mr. DuBois serves as adjunct faculty and holds membership in the Church Music Association of America and the Suzuki Association of the Americas.

The Rev. Anthony Iromenu of Wofford Heights, California, has entered the Doctor of Mediation program.  He is ordained in the Catholic Church.  Rev. Iromenu holds a Master of Mediation from the Graduate Theological Foundation and serves as a pastor. 

Sr. Balbina Retama Pérez of Gilbert, Arizona, has entered the Bachelor of Religious Education program.  She belongs to the order of Misioneras Carmelitas de Sta. Teresa del Niño Jesús. 

Mr. David Sherman of Las Vegas, Nevada, has entered the Bachelor of Sacred Music program.  He serves as a music director and holds membership in the American Choral Directors Association and the American Guild of Organists.
 

Recent Defenses

Eugene Ettlinger, Doctor of Philosophy - “Six Sigma Zero-Loss of Health”

Gina Pazzaglia-Filkins, Doctor of Philosophy - “Adult Children of Domestic Violence-Relational Attachment Issues and Lack of Emotional Awareness: A Qualitative Multi-Case Study”

 

To request information or to submit an update for "Alumni Notes" or "Faculty Notes," please click here. 

(Alumni: please list full name, degree and year.)

 

Visit our Foundation Footnotes archives page.