United President to Retire in 2026

DAYTON, Ohio, May 29, 2025 — Rev. Dr. Kent Millard, President of United Theological Seminary, has announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, effective June 30, 2026.

United’s board of trustees is organizing a presidential search committee and will soon begin a national search for the seminary’s next leader.

President Millard began his presidency in 2016 and will have served for 10 years by the time of his anticipated retirement in 2026. Under his leadership, United has become debt-free, “burning the mortgage” on its campus facilities in 2021 and raising $3.3 million to repay all funds previously borrowed from the endowment in May 2024. Over the past three years, the seminary has raised $9 million toward the goal to increase the scholarship endowment by $10 million through the Fresh Wind campaign.

“My prayer is that United would be able to raise an additional $1 million to reach our $10 million goal by the time I retire in June 2026,” said President Millard. “When I came to United, the seminary’s endowment and long-term investments were valued at $5 million. Today United’s endowment and long-term investments are approximately $15 million.”

President Millard also oversaw the establishment of United’s Houses of Study initiative, launched in 2021. Consequently, United has introduced eight houses of study that have significantly contributed to enrollment growth in master’s programs. Two language-based houses provide online education in Spanish and Korean to students in the United States and around the world. Last fall, the seminary added an African House of Study to serve English-speaking students called to ministry in Africa. Other houses include: AME Zion, Fresh Expressions, Full Gospel Baptist, Global Methodist and Global Pentecostal.

To continue United’s focus on academic excellence in this season of transition, President Millard has appointed Dr. Wendy Deichmann, president emerita, as interim vice president for academic affairs and academic dean, following the departure of Dr. David Watson, dean emeritus. She was unanimously recommended by the faculty and the Board of Trustees approved the appointment during their May 2025 meeting.

Dr. Deichmann brings a wealth of experience, having served for three years as academic dean before becoming the seminary president from 2007 to 2015. Under her leadership as both dean and president, United introduced its focus on church renewal, adopting its current tagline “Spirit led, renewing the Church!” In addition, she was instrumental in United’s early adoption of distance and online education in 2009, and soon after United was named one of the fastest-growing seminaries in the United States. Dr. Deichmann currently serves as Professor of History and Theology and Director of the Evangelical United Brethren Heritage Center and will continue in these roles as she steps into the dean’s office.

In a message to faculty and staff, President Millard expressed his gratitude for the United community: “I count it as one of the greatest joys of my life to have had the opportunity of working with some of the most dedicated and faithful faculty, administration and staff members this side of heaven. I have been overly blessed to work with our excellent and committed Board of Trustees, our Advisory Council, our alumni/ae, our students, and our many faithful and generous donors.”