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.

Distinguished Alums

2025 Distinguished Alum Award Recipient

Rev. Timothy Shapiro

Rev. Timothy Shapiro

The Rev. Timothy Shapiro, D. Min., was elected president of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations in 2003. An Indianapolis native, Shapiro previously served Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio, and was a graduate of Purdue University and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

"Timothy Shapiro brought rich and deep pastoral experience to this role," said Rev. Dr. James Wind, president of the Alban Institute and a member of the Center's board. Robert Scott, president of the Center's board, praised Shapiro’s "impressive skills as a public teacher, community leader, and practical theologian."

Tim has served as alumni-in-residence at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a commissioner at the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly, and studied family systems theory under Edwin Friedman. He is the author of “How Your Congregation Learns: The Learning Journey from Challenge to Achievement.” He also co-authored the book "Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and Message."

2025 First Decade Award Recipient

Chandra Irvin

Chandra Irvin

Chandra Goforth Irvin graduated from LPTS in 2015 with an M.Div. She also holds an M.Ed., is a minister, coach, facilitator, and consultant dedicated to fostering peace and wholeness in human relations. She retired as Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Spiritual Renewal at Spalding University but continues to guide individuals and organizations in applying restorative and spiritual practices for justice and reconciliation.

For over 25 years, Chandra has led Irvin, Goforth & Irvin LLC, helping clients clarify purpose, resolve conflicts, and build meaningful relationships. An ICF-certified life coach and expert in Polarity Management, she draws inspiration from Howard Thurman's teachings.

Chandra has authored and contributed to several works on peace, diversity, and leadership, including Do You See What I See?, Finding PEACE in Life, Work and Love, and And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox or Dilemma, Volume 2.

Alum Award Program Guidelines

The Alum Association Board of Louisville Seminary established the following 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 faith community and future generations of students.
  • First Decade Distinguished Alum 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 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.

Selection Process

The Alum Board, in collaboration with the Alum Engagement Associate of the Advancement Office, solicits and submits nominations for Distinguished Alum and First Decade Awards. Once all nominations are received and reviewed, a Distinguished Alum Award winner will be chosen by the Advancement Office. First Decade Awards will be considered but not necessarily awarded every year. In years where there is a plethora of Distinguished Alum nominees, those not chosen will be held in consideration for future years.

The Alum Board 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 Advancement Office. 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 January 1st.

Click here to Nominate an Alum

The Alum Board 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's Day of Giving. The Distinguished Alum(s) and their guest(s) will be our guests during the event.