The 149th Graduating Class is Prepared to Move in a Challenging Future

Louisville, Ky. —“For three years this class has been in the huddle to hear the strategies, learn the tools, and develop a plan to minister to children, youth, and generations today. Now that you’ve got this degree, what are you going to do with it?” said Bishop Nathaniel Linsey to the 50 students of the graduating class of 2002. Bishop Linsey, retiring Senior Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME), delivered his address at the 149th Commencement exercises on May 19, 2002, at Harvey Browne Memorial Presbyterian Church in Louisville.

“Today the Board of Trustees and the Faculty have blown the whistle to signal the class of 2002 to leave the huddle,” he continued. “You have a challenging future ahead of you – poverty, violence, racism... . Come out of the huddle! You’ve got to act and move. I’m on my way out after 58 years of ministry. Thank God, you’re on the way in! God who was with you in the huddle will be with you in the battle.”

During the ceremonies, Linsey was presented the Seminary’s Devoted Service Award. Two Synod moderators also received the same award, recognizing them for their devoted service in the life of the church: Rev. Dr. Kenneth Dick, moderator of the Synod of Living Waters, and Rev. Martin Jacobsen, moderator of the Synod of Mid-America.

Dr. W. Eugene March, A. B. Rhodes Professor of Old Testament, delivered the sermon at the Baccalaureate service held earlier that day. A professor at Louisville Seminary since 1982, March has also carried a number of administrative duties including, Director of Continuing Education, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program, Assistant to the President and Dean of the Seminary. He will retire in 2004 after a sabbatical period, during which he will write, The Widening Circle of Divne Love: God’s Gift of Religious Pluralism, a project recently awarded with a 2002-2003 Henry Luce II Fellowship.

Of the 50 graduates, 22 were women and 28 were men. Twenty-nine graduates received the Masters of Divinity degree; four received the Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy degree; one received the Master of Arts in Religion degree; five received the Master of Theology degree; and four received the Doctor of Ministry degree. In addition, the Seminary awarded four certificates in homiletic supervision and three diplomas in pastoral studies.

In addtion to the Devoted Service Awards, awards were presented to graduates to recognize special achievement in designated fields.

SusanLee Porter Clements received The Alumni/ae Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior, which is presented to the graduate who has excelled in all facets of his or her education and demonstrated impressive potential for ministry.

Eriatene Hill Findley received The American Bible Society in Christian Education Award, which is given to honor a senior class student for creativity and excellence in Biblical teaching.

Kathleen I. Haney and John G. Turner received The Bernice Bean and Gladys Kendall Prize, which is presented to the graduate demonstrating a superior record of academic achievement.

Sarah Aileen Colwill received The George and Jean Edwards Award in the Interpretation of Scripture to Christian Life. This award recognizes the ability of a student to relate Scripture to critical issues confronting the church and society, especially in the areas of peace and justice.

Christine Elizabeth White and Carol L. Webb received The Field Education Award. This award, provided by the Presbyterian Women of St. Andrew Presbytery in Mississippi, is given to a graduating senior who has shown outstanding accomplishments in his or her field education placements while maintaining a “B” average in other course work.

Christine Elizabeth White received The Esther Horner Award. This is the only prize whose recipient is selected by the graduating class. It is given to the graduating senior who has made the greatest contribution to campus community life.

Kathleen I. Haney, David Roger Koehler, Ryan David Rasmussen, and SusanLee Porter Clements received The Interpretation Award for Excellence in Biblical Studies, Theology, and Pastoral Ministry. This award is presented to graduates who have distinguished themselves in biblical and theological studies and intend to pursue careers in parish ministry.

John G. Turner received The Alan M. Jackson Preaching Award, which is presented by the Anchorage Presbyterian Church to the outstanding student in the basic preaching course.

Vicki L. Poole received The Melanie Lane Preaching Award, which is given to an outstanding female student preacher.

Kathleen I. Haney received The John W. Meister Award in Pastoral Ministry Funded by Interlink Media. This award honors the graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding promise for parish ministry.

SusanLee Porter Clements received The Joseph T. Sudduth Award. This award honors the graduating senior who has demonstrated achievement in biblical studies.

Bessie Owens Hooten received The James W. Tinsley Prize, which honors a graduating senior who has demonstrated commitment and perseverance in preparation for ministry.

John G. Turner received The Fielding Lewis Walker Fellowship in Doctrinal Theology. This award honors a graduating senior who has demonstrated special interest and competence in doctrinal theology.

Heather Sue Fuller received The Westminster/John Knox Press Award for Creative Integration of Theology and Marriage and Family Therapy. This award recognizes a graduating senior who demonstrates outstanding creativity and ability to bring together theology, personal faith tradition, and marriage and family therapy theory in clinical practice of marriage and family therapy.

THE 2002 GRADUATES

KEY: *In Absentia; -With Distinction; •Degree conferred December 14, 2001

Master of Arts in Religion
Mary Susan Barnett
Louisville, KY; 1984, AS, University of Louisville-KY; 1990, MARS, Spalding University-KY

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
•Heather Sue Fuller
Williamsburg, VA; 1999, BS College of William & Mary-VA; King College-TN; Southwest Virginia Community College

Lorrianne Jannelle Morton
Fort Lauderdale, FL; 1995, BA Wesleyan University-CT; Broward Community College-FL

Smitha S. Reddimalla
Hyderabad, India; 1999, BA Berea College-KY

Anthony A. Watkins
Monterey, KY; 1999, BA Campbellsville College-KY

Master of Divinity
•Jerry L. Alexander
San Diego, CA; 1985, AS Del Mar College; 1978, AA Del Mar College

Pavel Baklanov
St. Petersburg, Russia; St. Petersburg State Technical University, Russia

*Donna Charamella Barton
Portland, OR; 1986, BS Oregan State University; University of Massachusetts; Fuller Theological Seminary-CA

Jeffrey LaMont Berry
Louisville, KY; Centre College-KY

Robert Dale Bohnsack
San Antonio, TX; 1992, BA University of Illinois-Urbana

SusanLee Porter Clements
Harrodsburg, KY; 1971, BA Tulane University-LA; 1977, MS University of Arkansas

Sarah Aileen Colwill
Syracuse, NY; 1998, BA Penn State University

Eriatene Hill Findley
Louisville, KY; 1979, BS University of Kentucky

Kilen K. Gray
Memphis, TN; 1986, BS Kentucky State University; Southern Baptist Theological Seminary-KY

Deborah Lee Hackmann-Truhan
St. Louis, MO; 1978, BSN St. Louis University-MO; Missouri Baptist College; Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Kathleen I. Haney
Mead, WA; 1971, BS Washington State University; Regent College (Vancouver)

Bessie Owens Hooten
Mulberry, TN; 1997, BA Central State University-Wilberforce, OH

L J Jinks
Berwyn, IL; 1987, BA Monmouth College-IL

David Roger Koehler
Omaha, NE; 1999, BA Bellevue College-IL; Metropolitan Community College-IL

Charles Robert Love
Calhoun, KY; 1998, BA Kentucky Wesleyan College; MA Western Kentucky University-KY

Marvin Alexander Malone
Louisville, KY; 1991, BS Columbia College

James I. Martin
Pittsburg, PA; 1982, BA Duquesne University-PA

•Brian Womack Miles
Tucson, AZ; 1998, BA Roanoke College-VA

Vicki Lynn Poole
Louisville, KY; BA University of Kentucky

Ryan David Rasmussen
Sioux Falls, IA; 1995, BA Augustana College-SD; North American Baptist Seminary-SD

Jeffrey Roy Smith
Kansas City, MO; 1997, BA William Jewell College-MO; Central Baptist Theological Seminary-KS

Alfred Douglas Stilwell
Hardinsburg, KY; 1973, BA Western Kentucky University

John G. Turner
Notre Dame, IN; 1996, BA Middlebury College-VT; PhD University of Notre Dame-IN; University of Leipzig

Walter W. Turner, Jr.
Pikeville, KY; 1994, BS Pikeville College-KY; University of Kentucky; Western Kentucky University

Charles W. Walden, Jr.
Clarkston, WA; University of Georgia; Wake Forest University-NC

Carol L. Webb
Chattanooga, TN; 1980, BA University of Tennessee-Chattanooga; Liberty University-VA

Christine Elizabeth White
Cincinnati, OH; 1999, BA Xavier University-OH

Sally E. White
Topeka, KS; Central Missouri State University

Bruce Windsor
Greenwich, CT; 1970, BA College of Wooster-OH; San Francisco Theological Seminary-CA

Master of Theology
Jon F. Jones
Thesis: Glory in the Farewell Prayer of Christ
South Dakota; 1997, MDiv Louisville Seminary; 1973, BS Benedictine College-KS

Walter L. Kunau, Jr.
Thesis: A Journey from the Inside-Out: A Perspective of How to Teach World Religions that Promotes Peace Through the Understanding of the “Other”
Owensboro, KY; 2000, MART Louisville Seminary; 1980, BA Vanderbilt University-TN

Paul Myint-Htet Htin-Ya
Yangon, Myanmar; 1996, Yangon University; 2001, MDiv Myanmar Institute of Theology

Michael Wills McCormack
Thesis: The Way Pursued: Narrative, Systematics, and Kathryn Tanner
Elgin AFB, FL; 2001, MDiv Louisville Seminary; 1998, BA Tusculum College-TN

Heather Anne Thiessen
Thesis: Theological Norms for Decisionmaking in a Christian Community
San Gabriel, CA; 2000, MDiv Louisville Seminary; 1981, BA Michigan State University; 1982, MA University of Chicago-IL

Doctor of Ministry
Bryan L. Champion
Thesis: Leadership 2020: A Clear Vision for God’s Church in the 21st Century
Washington, DC

-John F. Haberlin
Thesis: The Pre-Natal Development of New Congregations
Rochester, WA

-James Herbert Nelson II
Thesis: A Community Based Model of an African American New Church Development in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Focused on the Educational Needs of Poor African American Children
Memphis, TN

Kevin G. Tarvid
Thesis: Visions for Vocation: Pastors Helping People Find Their Calling
West Allis, WI

Certificate in Homiletic Supervision *Edward Neal Carter, Jr.
Charles Keller Henry, Sr.
*Jan Stewart Tolbert
*Susan Pizor Yoder


Diploma in Pastoral Studies Lawrence O. Isakson
Barbara Snyder
*Elizabeth Brooks Ware