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Field education plays a central role in preparing Princeton Theological Seminary’s students for ministry in its many forms. From congregational leadership to nonprofit work and chaplaincies, these placements offer firsthand experience beyond the classroom. It’s more than just a requirement; it’s a journey of discovery, growth, and deep engagement with diverse communities. It’s a chance to step into real-world ministry, oftentimes leading to unexpected lessons learned, cultural challenges, meaningful mentorship, and transformational moments along the way. Here, four current students share what drew them to field education, what surprised them, and what they’ll carry with them into future ministry. Their experiences reveal just how formative and eye-opening this part of Seminary life can be.
For Gavin Chase, Princeton Seminary has offered a deeply rooted and far-reaching education, both in the classroom and on the land. As a theology student and worker at Princeton Seminary’s Farminary, Chase has spent the past two years tending chickens, sheep, and soil, while exploring the intersections of faith, ecology, and lived experience. “It’s something different and really offers the visceral experience of living out one’s theology,” he says. “In undergrad, I did a lot at the intersection of theology and ecology, but merely in form, and now I’m able to exercise and practice these things out in a way that I wouldn’t be able to do in a four-walled classroom.” Chase’s recent field education placement with Interfaith America in Chicago broadened that scope. Working on the Evangelicals in a Diverse Democracy project, he focused on helping evangelical and post-evangelical communities engage in interfaith dialogue, particularly around themes of white supremacy, Christian nationalism, and pluralism. “This summer has really brought that in tangible ways,” he says, pointing to encounters with people of many faiths at a 700-person summit in Chicago.
We were able to notice the way in which our shared values speak volumes when it comes to engaging and speaking into our social and political climate in the U.S.
Raised in a conservative setting, Chase says this work helped expand his view of faith and ministry. “These are real people with true and real, lived experiences,” he says. Looking ahead, he hopes to continue exploring death, ecology, and theology through PhD study or chaplaincy. His advice for other students:
Really tap into the field of education experience, take it seriously, and look at the ways in which it might springboard you into the next chapter of your life.
For Chantal Tademy, field education has been about merging ministry, leadership, and justice. Before Seminary, Tademy worked full-time in nonprofit leadership. At the Seminary, she has found space to explore how Christian ministry and stewardship intersect. “Whether in a church, a nonprofit, or somewhere else, you have to prepare for leadership,” she says. “Ministry can’t be without leadership skills.” This year, she completed her field education with Creation Justice Ministries, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on ecological justice. “Their work is training congregations and leaders on how to talk theologically or spiritually about the care [of the] environment and not just the care, but justice.” Tademy conducted interviews with stakeholders to assess and shape the mission of the organization’s theological education department. “I [was able] to present to the organization and say, this is what your network says… and help them fine-tune who they want to be.” One standout moment was hearing her supervisor speak at the Black Theology and Leadership Institute this summer: “He leaned heavily into ecological justice,” she says. “And when you look at where ecological care hits most, it’s typically disenfranchised communities, so he articulated the importance of Christian leaders seeing it as a justice issue.” Tademy advises future field education students to keep their hearts ahead of rigor.
The rigor will automatically come when you’re doing it full of heart and faith and letting God lead.
Sam Mittmann spent the summer in Yellowstone: leading worship, cleaning cabins, and exploring what it means to serve beyond the walls of the church. Stationed at Mammoth Hot Springs, Mittmann’s field education through Christian Ministry in the National Parks combined physical work with spiritual presence. “Five days a week, [I worked] at the hotel or [worked] in cabins, cleaning the rooms, getting them ready for guests,” she says. “This is the relationship-building part of the ministry.” On Sundays, she and her two teammates led interdenominational services: one in the morning chapel, the other outside at a campground amphitheater. “It’s just a really special experience,” she says. “To have the opportunity to worship outside…I think it makes it a little more accessible for people.” Some days, Mittman wrangled broken carts up a mountain; other days, she fought off ground squirrels. So, for her, patience was a big takeaway. “I find those are the moments that I feel very humbled, and I’m able to look at challenges in a new way and to find grounding in God’s love, which patience is so key.” Following graduation, she hopes to explore ministries rooted in silence, mysticism, and inter-spiritual dialogue. “Somewhere where social activism, social justice, meets spiritual practice is what I’m looking for.” Mittmann encourages future students to foster curiosity. “It’s one of these attributes that’s so important to the student, really any person,” she says. “When we lose our curiosity, we lose our desire to understand other people, to better understand God. It’s one of the aspects of humanity that’s really beautiful and that we need to cultivate more often.”
After much prayer and being led by God, Rita Wright decided to attend Seminary. During that time, she became obsessed with mindset. “Not just mindsets of quote-unquote non-believers, but really mindsets of people who claim Christianity as their belief.” When she arrived at Princeton Seminary, Wright was “fascinated by the unbelief of the Christians and the angst” surrounding daily realities. During her field education at UrbanPromise in Trenton, New Jersey, Wright realized, “I teach mindsets. I’m not teaching the Bible.” She adds, “If you don’t have the right mindset and don’t see yourself the way God sees you, it doesn’t matter what you know in the Bible.” Instead of memorizing verses, “I want to teach these kids, particularly because they’re Black, that you were made in the image of God. God looks like you. God’s in you.” The experience hasn’t been easy. “God is on me like, you have to reframe that. You have to say that over. Go apologize to that kid.” One takeaway from her field education is that adults should listen to children more. Additionally, Wright encourages her fellow students to pursue field education placements that involve working with children. “If you really want to make a change, you have to get the youth… I tell the kids, ‘the devil is on you because you’re valuable, and he wants to get you off track.’” Another key reminder she offers: Jesus is a God of joy and abundance. For more about the Field Education program at Princeton Seminary, visit https://ptsem.edu/academics/our-curriculum/field-education/
