Distinguished Alums

Established in 1986, the Distinguished Alum Award is given to graduates of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary who have made a lasting impact on the Church and society through outstanding professional, volunteer, or philanthropic accomplishments; and/or who have advanced the Seminary’s mission, thereby enhancing Louisville Seminary’s impact on the Church and future generations of students.

The First Decade Award is awarded to recent graduates who have made a significant impact on the Church and their community in the first five to nine years of ministry and service after their graduation from Louisville Seminary.

List of Distinguished Alums

2022 Distinguished Alum Award Recipients

Rev. Dr. Roula Alkhouri

Rev. Dr. Roula Alkhouri (MDiv ’97)

Rev. Dr. Roula Alkhouri was born and grew up in Damascus, Syria. As a young person, she was influenced in her faith by her parents and the Presbyterian and Catholic communities in Damascus. Rev. Dr. Alkhouri is a 1993 graduate of the University of Damascus, and in 2000, she became the first Syrian American woman ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Since 2007, she has served as the Pastor of Batavia First Presbyterian Church in Batavia, New York.

Following her graduation from Louisville Seminary, Rev. Dr. Alkhouri worked as a Program Assistant for the PC(USA) General Assembly. When she married her husband, Rev. Mike Stuart in 1998, however, they answered a call to Utqiagvik Presbyterian Church in Barrow, Alaska, 320 miles north of the Arctic Circle. There, she assisted her husband in a number of church activities, such as planning celebrations, leading the youth group, providing training to deacons and elders, and teaching Confirmation classes.

As the birth of her daughter, Sophia approached, she left the remote Alaska location and became the Executive Assistant and Interfaith Coordinator for Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, in the Portland, Oregon area. In 2000 she was called to serve the First Presbyterian Church of Bend in Bend, Oregon as its Associate Pastor. During her time in Bend, she became a sought-after speaker for conferences and gatherings, including the Baccalaureate at Linfield College in 2005.

In addition to her pastoral duties in Batavia, she works with Los Samaritanos, an organization that supports former inmates upon their release. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the local YWCA, and has worked with a Black Lives Matter group on cultural awareness.

Rev. Dr. Alkhouri is passionate about preaching, teaching, nurturing faith, social justice and helping people live to their fullest potential. She believes that love changes everything and that Jesus embodied love fully in the world.

Rev. Harry ‘Max’ Hazell, II

Rev. Harry ‘Max’ Hazell, II (M.Div. 2016)

Max is an active-duty chaplain in the United States Navy. He is endorsed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), but he serves all members of the sea services: Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Merchant Marines, of all religions (and no religion at all). His previous service as pastor of The Church in Bethesda, Bethesda, Maryland, and Fairfax Christian Church, in Fairfax, Virginia, as well as his time earning four Clinical Pastoral Education units in varying areas of focus, informs his current work in ministry.

Following graduation from Naval Chaplaincy School in the fall of 2019, he reported to the USS JAMES E WILLIAMS (DDG 95) in Norfolk, Virginia, to serve as her Command Chaplain for an immediate forward deployment. He supported her Sailors spiritually and mentally for an eight-month deployment as the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, closed all ports to the ship. Following that deployment, he reported to a new vessel, the USS COLE (DDG 67), becoming the first billeted Command Chaplain in the ship’s history. While there, he built a thriving ministry and trusting chaplain-crew relationship, specializing in crisis counseling, relationship counseling, suicide prevention, and the use of cognitive behavioral therapy. After COLE’s deployment, he was selected as Battalion Chaplain for Headquarters & Service Battalion, Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall, where he serves the needs of over three thousand Marines across 27 countries.

Chaplain Hazell (nicknamed ‘Flanders’) has been decorated for his diligent work defending and improving the lives and well-being of Sailors and Marines both on ship and ashore. For his work aboard the USS JAMES E WILLIAMS, he received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, where among many other achievements, he conducted over 800 individual counseling sessions. For his time aboard the USS COLE, he was part of a team that earned the Navy Unit Commendation, and he earned a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. There, his exceptional work included “the diversion of 17 sailors from suicide or other self-harm behaviors.”

Max is married to his husband of seven years, James, who is also an active-duty officer in the United States Navy, and recently returned from his own deployment overseas. They share their home in Fairfax, VA, with their German Shepherd Hrothgar.

Rev. Susan Davis Krummel

Rev. Susan Davis Krummel (MDiv 1980)

Rev. Sue Krummel (MDiv ’80) began her studies at Louisville Seminary in 1977, alongside her husband of six whole days, Forrest “Frosty” Krummel (MDiv ’80). Frosty and Sue started their married life in an efficiency apartment in Heuser Hall on the LPTS campus and, after nine months, got to move upstairs to an apartment with two rooms! For 46 years they have managed to juggle the life of two Ministers of Word and Sacrament called to serve in diverse places while maintaining family life.

In addition to her Master of Divinity degree from Louisville Seminary, where she received an award as an outstanding student, Sue holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications from the University of Illinois. There, she received a Phi Beta Kappa key for her exceptional undergraduate work. She has extensive training from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Institute, a certificate in Executive Leadership from McCormick Theological Seminary, and years of experience teaching interim and transitional pastors. In 2021, she became a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Diversity Inventory – an intercultural competence assessment tool – continuing her work to address issues of equity and equality across cultural barriers.

Through the years, Sue and Frosty have taken turns getting a call while the other follows. Because of this, Sue has served in almost every capacity that a pastor can serve a PCUSA congregation. For over 40 years, she has led congregations and governing bodies to move in new directions and to seek new ways to bring hope to a battered world. The last 20 years of her ministry have been spent in the work of Councils—Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly. Recently retired as the Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Chicago, Sue continues her work in governing body leadership in a much smaller way by serving short term in various settings. She likewise continues her love of sharing insight and challenge by consulting with and teaching organizations that are ready for change.

In the midst of all of their busy ministry, Sue and Frosty have two adult daughters, each with a doctorate in education. They have six grandchildren with whom they are privileged to spend time fishing, hiking, and being spectators for their various sporting and music activities.

Alum Award Program Guidelines

The Alum Association of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary established the following Alum Awards:

Distinguished Alum Award: is given to someone who has made a lasting impact on the Church and Society through outstanding professional, volunteer, or philanthropic accomplishments; and/or who has advanced the Seminary’s mission thereby enhancing Louisville Seminary’s impact on the Church and future generations of students.

First Decade Award: is awarded to a recent graduate who has made a significant impact in the Church and his/her community in the first five to nine years of ministry and service after seminary.

Criteria
  • Demonstrates strong leadership with committed dedication to faithfulness and effectiveness in their calling and/or vocation(s).
  • A strong advocate for the mission and vision of Louisville Seminary, showing passion and interest in her present and future.
  • Models an active spiritual life and demonstrates an ethic of care and compassion in their personal and professional life with a balance of confidence and humility.
  • Focused on service to others, showing leadership and giving back to the community. Contributing to the society around them modeling outstanding professional, voluntary, or philanthropic accomplishments.
Eligibility
  • Is an Alum of the Seminary with an earned degree
    • no more than one award per year can be awarded to an Alum posthumously
    • no more than one award per year can be awarded to a current member of staff, faculty, or administration
  • Has been out of seminary at least ten years at time of consideration (except for the First Decade Award candidates)
  • Not a current member of the Board of Trustees or Alum Board
  • Nominators shall nominate no more than one candidate for consideration per year for the purpose of diversity in nominations and representation. If multiple candidates are nominated by the same person in the same year, the task force will only consider the first completed application in the order they arrive.
Selecetion Process
  • The current year’s nomination form should be used to make a nomination and must be received electronically or postmarked by the deadline date.
  • The Engagement Committee of the Alum Board receives and reviews all nominations
  • Members of the Distinguished Alum Task Force of the Engagement Committee will be ineligible to nominate for the years they are receiving and recommending nominations.
  • Nominees are considered and chosen based on the nomination form that is submitted along with any materials that accompany the form, and/or additional information secured in the review process.
  • The Engagement Committee of the Alum Board presents names to the full Alum Board for vote

The Engagement Committee of the Alum Board, carefully reviews all nomination materials it receives so that it can make its recommendation to the spring meeting of the Alum Board, which officially names the Distinguished Alum Award. Normally, the Committee recommends only three alum be honored annually, and will award no more than one First Decade Award in each year. First decade awards will be considered but not necessarily awarded every year. In years where there are a plethora of nominees, those not chosen will be held for consideration for up to three years after the original nomination date.

The Alum Board will actively seek nominees for the award, as early as January 1. The Engagement Committee considers nominations based on the criteria listed above. In the past, recipients have been recognized for “distinguished service in a particular ministry,” as well as “lifetime achievement.”

The Committee emphasizes the importance of a complete nomination, which must include adequate information describing the person’s history and work, as well as at least two letters of recommendation. All information must be submitted to the Office of Philanthropy & Stewardship.

Please be advised that the Committee can only review, and make its recommendation to the Alum Board based on the materials sent to them. Therefore, a careful, thoughtful and complete nomination is most helpful in the selection process.

Deadline for Consideration
The deadline for submission of all materials, including letters of recommendation, is May 1st.

Deadline for Consideration

Click here to Nominate an Alum

The committee will notify nominators as to whether their candidate has been selected.

Presentation of the Award

The Distinguished Alum Awards will be presented each year during Louisville Seminary Alum Reunion. The Distinguished Alum(s) and their guest(s) will be our guests during the Reunion.