Seminary News Releases

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary welcomes 38 master’s-level students and 11 special students, representing 10 denominations, at the start of its 2010-2011 academic year under the leadership of President Theodore J. Wardlaw.

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary announces today the appointment by President Theodore J. Wardlaw of an advisory committee to conduct a search for its next academic dean. The Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary’s Board of Trustees named Austin Seminary’s former academic dean, Michael Jinkins its ninth president, effective September 1. Austin Seminary Constructive Theology Professor David H. Jensen will serve as interim dean.

Years ago, when Robert Trull devised his last will and testament, he made Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary a minority owner in a parcel of land that has now become part of preserved open space in Austin, Texas. Working with the City of Austin and the Nature Conservancy of Texas, Austin Seminary has received $1.7 million from the sale of the preserved land.

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary announces today that Academic Dean Michael Jinkins has been called by the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary’s Board of Trustees to become its next president, effective September 1. Jinkins is only the sixth academic dean to serve Austin Seminary in its long history of educating and equipping students for ministry and other forms of service.

During Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary’s commencement exercises held Sunday, May 30, five graduates received the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) degree; 29, the Master of Divinity (including two dual degree students who also received the MSSW from The University of Texas School of Social Work); one, the Diploma; and six, the Doctor of Ministry degree. Student awards were also announced.

Edward D. Vickery, lifelong friend to Austin Seminary, died on April 29. Vickery served on the Seminary’s Board of Trustees from 1976-1995 and as chair of the board from 1983-1985 and 1989-1994.

Graduation activities for the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Class of 2010 are scheduled for May 29-30. Forty-one students are expected to receive the Master of Arts (Theological Studies), the Doctor of Ministry, the Master of Divinity, or the Diploma degrees.

Dr. David Lee Jones, director of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, received the 2010 Distinguished Leadership in Doctor of Ministry Education Award from the Association for Doctor of Ministry Education (ADME). This is ADME’s highest award and Dr. Jones is only the fourth recipient in the organization’s 20-year history to receive the award. Jones has been a member of ADME since 2003, served on its executive board since 2006 and as president since 2008.

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary has hosted the second of a newly endowed series of biennial conferences on pastoral care and related subjects. This year’s Nancy Taylor Williamson Distinguished Scholars Conference took place April 8-10 and focused on numerous issues relating to children, youth, church, and culture.

The Austin Seminary Association (ASA) held its Annual Meeting and Banquet on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, and honored this year’s two Distinguished Service Award recipients, Laura Mendenhall and Clint Rabb. Also honored were five graduating students receiving senior fellowships. The fellowship winners for 2010 are: Paul DuBois, Ken White, Stella Burkhalter, Jason Webster, and Lisa Straus who received a combined $27,000 in grant monies for further study.