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United Theological Seminary

A Look Back at 2023-2024

Friday, July 26, 2024

Each July marks the start of a new academic and fiscal year at United Theological Seminary. As we begin our “new year,” it is good to look back and thank God for all of God’s blessings we experienced in 2023-24.

After the 2024 commencement service, board chair Dr. Jim Holsinger reminded me of the overwhelming generosity of United donors. During the past eight years and by the grace of God, United supporters gave $4 million to pay off our building mortgage in 2021, $3.3 million to pay off our endowment debt in 2024, and $8.1 million in pledges and gifts to date to grow the endowment for scholarships through the Fresh Wind campaign. Moreover, these figures don’t even include gifts made in support of our annual budget!

In 2016, the value of United’s endowment and long-term investments was about $5 million. Today it is nearly $14 million. This additional income from the endowment ensures a strong future for United and enables us to provide more scholarships for students so they can graduate with less debt. Thanks be to God!

Since United started its Houses of Study in 2022, supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, our enrollment has significantly increased, especially for masters’ programs.

In the 2021-22 academic year, our total headcount enrollment was 464 students (215 masters’ students and 249 doctoral students). In 2023-24, our total enrollment increased to 595 students (328 masters’ students and 267 doctoral students).

This means we experienced a 28 percent increase in total student enrollment during the past two years! Thanks be to God!

Leadership consultants often distinguish between incremental growth and transformational growth. Incremental growth occurs when we just keep doing what we have always done and only do it better. Transformational growth occurs when an institution develops a whole new approach to reaching new markets of people.

The Houses of Study initiative is a whole new approach to enrolling students and has enabled United to reach many new students who want and need the degrees United offers to become more effective Christian leaders. Below is the report on 2023-24 enrollment in our Houses of Study initiative:

House of Study # of students
Hispanic House of Study 52 students
Korean House of Study 31 students
Fresh Expressions House of Study 22 students
Global Methodist House of Study 19 students
Global Pentecostal House of Study 11 students
Full Gospel Baptist House of Study 8 students
AME Zion House of Study 6 students
TOTAL HOS ENROLLMENT 149 students

In addition, we are in the process of developing an African House of Study under the leadership of Dr. Saneta Maiko. Originally from Kenya, Dr. Maiko is a United Methodist District Superintendent in the Indiana Conference. The African House of Study will launch in Fall 2024. So far, individuals from Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda are preparing to join the house as they answer God’s call to ministry.

When I look at the ways God is blessing United Theological Seminary, I think of St. Paul’s statement:

“Now, to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Grace and Peace,

Dr. Kent Millard,
President

*Enrollment data represents 12-month unduplicated headcount enrollment for each academic year from July 1 to June 30.