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

2026 Distinguished Alum Award Recipients

Rev. Dr. Joseph D. Small (DMin '81)

Rev. Dr. Joseph D. Small

Joe Small served as director of the PC(USA) Office of Theology and Worship (1989—2011). He has been adjunct faculty at Dubuque and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and is currently seated on the boards of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology and the Institute for Church Renewal. Additionally, he has led several international ecumenical dialogues for the World Council of Churches. In addition to his Doctor of Ministry from Louisville Seminary in 1981, Dr. Small also earned degrees from Brown, Pittsburgh (MDiv), and Princeton (ThM). He has served as a pastor in Maryland, Ohio, and New York. A prolific theologian, Small has authored over ten books, including A Pastoral Rule for Today (2019), and numerous scholarly papers.

Rev. Dr. Barbara Barnes (MDiv '87)

Rev. Dr. Barbara Barnes

Barbara Barnes has a profound history with our institution. Her contributions to LPTS include serving as Interim Director of Communications, Associate Director of Continuing Education and Lay Education (1983–1985), and as an Adjunct Professor of preaching. She has also dedicated 22 years of service to the Louisville Seminary Board of Trustees. Her professional ministry included co-pastoring at Crescent Hill Presbyterian (1987–1998) and Oxford Presbyterian (1998–2014). She holds credentials from Muskingum (BA), Columbia (MA), and San Francisco Theological Seminary (DMin). In retirement, she remains active in hunger justice and earth care at Harvey Browne Presbyterian.

2026 First Decade Award Recipient

Rev. Dr. Stephanie A. Welsh Walker (DMin '21)

Rev. Dr. Stephanie A. Welsh Walker

Stephanie Welsh Walker earned a Doctor of Ministry from LPTS, a degree that anchors her work as a strategic chaplain and business leader. Recognized by Crain's Chicago as a 2020 Notable Healthcare Hero, she currently serves as the executive director of Along the Journey LLC. In this role, she provides trauma-informed care and grief support for organizations and individuals navigating workforce reductions and life transitions. She holds an MBA from Benedictine University and an MDiv from Garrett-Evangelical. An accomplished author and industrious leader, she draws on over a decade of crisis management experience to drive organizational change.

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.