On Sunday, August 25, 2024 Southwest celebrated matriculation with evening prayer in Christ Chapel and welcomed 36 new students to the community. Matriculation is among the seminary’s most beloved traditions as it includes each new student signing their name to the same book that hundreds before them have signed. Seminary of the Southwest’s Dean and President, Dr. Scott Bader-Saye, welcomed new students as their names were being called to sign the book. The Dean of Chapel and interim Academic Dean, the Rev. Dr. Benjamin King, preached an inspiring sermon and the Rev. Madeline Hawley was installed as a new member of the faculty in her role as the Director of Field Education and Lecturer in Pastoral Theology.
“What a joyful way to start the year!” said Dean Bader-Saye. “Ben King’s sermon beautifully invited us into the semester as an entry into the delight of God. “
The new students are distributed among Southwest’s Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Master of Arts in Religion, and Master of Spiritual Direction programs.
Also a tradition at the Matriculation service, Southwest awarded the Charles J. Cook Servant Leadership Award to the Honorable Lora Livingston for her faithful leadership and inspiring example as a person of faith, an advocate for justice, and supporter of theological education. The Cook Award was created in 2009 by the faculty to honor their colleague and Seminary of the Southwest alum Charlie Cook on the occasion of his retirement.
“I was particularly pleased to be able to honor our Cook Award recipient, Lora Livingston, who has been a friend to me and to the seminary for many years,” said Dean Bader-Saye. “We have a wonderful group of new students entering our programs from all over the country. It is always personally moving for me to see each of them write their names in the matriculation book and join the long list of those who have been formed here to serve the church and the world with wisdom and grace.”
Read the citation for Judge Livingston read at the presentation of the Cook Award.