The First Year Experience: An Extended Introduction

By Amy E. Steele, MDiv, PhD Assistant Dean for Student Life The First Year experience at Vanderbilt Divinity School is an extension of the New Student Orientation. It is comprised of six sessions that focus on spiritual formation, stewardship, and vocation—or in other words, matters of spiritual grounding, money, and jobs. Perhaps these ideas seem…

Posted by Michelle Bukowski on September 14, 2016 in Feature, education, ethics, First Year Experience, homiletics, liturgy, New Student Orientation, spiritual formation, Stewardship, theological education, theology, vocation

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Welcome from Luther Young, MDiv’2

Each year, VDS invites returning students to offer words of advice to the incoming class. We hope these stories and lived wisdom will help you navigate your own path at Vanderbilt! You have made the decision to embark upon an exciting and challenging journey through theological discourse and spiritual practice—congratulations, and welcome to VDS! The…

Posted by Michelle Bukowski on August 31, 2016 in Feature, community, diversity, education, friendship, homelessness, homophobia, racism, sexism, spiritual practice, theological education, xenophobia

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Welcome from Lee Catoe, MDiv’2

Each year, VDS invites returning students to offer words of advice to the incoming class. We hope these stories and lived wisdom will help you navigate your own path at Vanderbilt! To my siblings, It is with great joy that I welcome you all to this prophetic community that is Vanderbilt Divinity School. I often…

Posted by Michelle Bukowski on August 24, 2016 in Feature, Church, community, ministry, religion, theological education

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Giving Tuesday – Amanda Hartman Westmoreland

Our monthly Alumni/ae Tuesday Guest Post has expanded! We’re proud to present #VDSGiving. We have invited VDS and GDR alumni/ae to write about what their Divinity School education meant to them, and to also write about the impact of the scholarship assistance they received. Our goal is to demonstrate how scholarship support has a lasting impact on…

Posted by Michelle Bukowski on January 19, 2016 in Alumni/ae Tuesday, Giving Tuesday, #GivingTuesday, Admissions, Alumni/ae Tuesday, community, scholarship, theological education, Turner Leadership Scholar program, United Methodist Church, Vanderbilt Divinity School

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100+ Days Of Thanksgiving

My first Thanksgiving in the United States of America coincided with my first 100 days at a time in this country. Perfected timing. I too joined the chorus of Americans in celebration of this day. What am I thankful for this year? November 26, 2015, as I sit around a table full of baked turkeys,…

Posted by Michelle Bukowski on December 9, 2015 in Feature, Africa, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Côte d’Ivoire, Executive Director, Global Voices, international student, Ivory Coast, Katherine Smith, ministry, pastor, Thanksgiving, theological education, Tim Tanton, United Methodist Church, Vanderbilt Divinity School, vocation

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