Princeton, NJ, May 25, 2011–Princeton Theological Seminary held its 200^th commencement exercises on Saturday, May 19 in the Princeton University Chapel. One hundred ninety-three students graduated in six degree programs.

One hundred forty-three (143) men and women received the Master of Divinity degree, the basic professional degree for Christian ministry. Twelve (12) students received both the Master of Divinity degree and the Master of Arts degree. Three (3) received the Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree; fifteen (15) received the Master of Arts degree; twenty-two (22) the Master of Theology degree; and two (2) the Doctor of Ministry degree.

Twenty students (20) were awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree, the highest degree granted by the institution.

There were eighteen (18) international students in the graduating class, including students from China, Germany, Guyana, Jamaica, Korea, Latvia, Mexico, and Taiwan. Most will return to their native countries to teach and assume leadership positions in the church. 

Graduates will serve as pastors in churches, as hospital and prison chaplains, and in the mission field. They will teach in urban schools, minister on college campuses, and continue their studies, both in the United States and abroad. Among them:

Fulbright scholar Justin Pannkuk will head to Göttingen University in Germany to do research on selected Aramaic Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Jubilees, and will explore the interpretation of the patriarchal figures from the Book of Genesis.

Returning to Latvia, her home country, Andreta Livena says her ministry will be mostly informal. In Latvia there are not paid ministry positions. She plans to interact with the people on a daily basis and share God’s love with them.

Logan Hoffman will relocate to Christchurch, New Zealand, to plant a church with his wife, Emilie. He will serve as associate pastor of the church, which will be named The Well, and his responsibilities will lie primarily in the area of adult spiritual growth and development.

Anna Gillette wanted to be a pastor when she was ten years old, but her denomination did not ordain women. Now a United Methodist, she is heading to an appointment as pastor of a Methodist church in the Trenton, New Jersey, area. “I am looking forward to serving a small church in a small community. I trust it will be a lot of work, but I believe it is a true calling and I’m thrilled to be given such a challenging yet rewarding assignment,” Anna says. She is also passionate about prison ministry and is already active in conversations about opportunities and intends to challenge her new congregation to accompany her in this work.

Austin Almaguer is heading to Dallas, Texas, in August to serve as a pastoral resident at Wilshire Baptist Church. He is participating in Wilshire's Pathways to Ministry program, which helps graduates develop their skills inside the church. “In the future, I hope to serve as a full-time pastor and lead Baptist congregations of diverse, urban contexts,” he says.

Maurice Stinnett will resume his position as chairman of the World Leadership Program, a White House initiative, which brought together sixteen graduate students from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, and sixteen U.S. graduate students from various universities. The program exposes Egyptian and North American students to a more nuanced understanding of Egyptian and U.S. culture and values. He will also pursue graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania as he works toward a degree in social policy and practice, while functioning as a community/clergy organizing consultant for education in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Craig Gaddy will continue to serve as senior pastor of the Friendship Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. This summer he will head to West Africa. “During my middler year at Princeton Seminary, I constructed an educational facility in Kintampo Ghana, West Africa, that provided space for 240 youth in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. I will return there this summer to build living quarters for the instructor,” he says.   

Nate Moultrie will serve as associate minister at Kingdom Church in Ewing, New Jersey. His main tasks will include supporting ministry leaders, volunteer management, and ministry operations.

Ryan Krauss will head to Watsontown United Methodist Church in Watsontown, Pennsylvania, a rural congregation that worships an average of 180 people each Sunday. His responsibilities will include teaching, preaching, helping the congregation revision themselves, and aiding the church in rethinking rural evangelism. Key ministries in the church include: operating a preschool, serving local scouting troops, operating a thrift store for low income families, providing free meals to the community, and offering outreach services to those with disabilities.

 For additional information, contact the Communications/Publications Office at 609.497.7760 or visit www.ptsem.edu.

Princeton Seminary was established in 1812 by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church as a post-graduate professional school of theology. Currently celebrating its Bicentennial, Princeton is the largest Presbyterian seminary in the country, with more than 500 students in six graduate degree programs.