Awakening Possibility: Our Annual Report
APRIL 17, 2026
A Year of Formation, Witness, and Impact
At McCormick Theological Seminary, this year’s Annual Report is more than a reflection — it’s a testimony. Rooted in the theme Awakening Possibility, the report captures a community committed to forming leaders who don’t just study theology, but live it — publicly, courageously, and in service of a more just world.
At the heart of this work is a bold conviction: possibility is holy. Under the leadership of President Dr. Maisha Handy, McCormick continues to align its mission through the S.T.O.R.Y. strategic framework — focusing on student-centered formation, accessible theological education, institutional sustainability, collaboration, and deep investment in people.
Across the report, that vision comes to life in powerful ways:
Faith in the Public Square highlights alumni leading transformative work across Chicago — restoring neighborhoods, advocating for justice, and embodying a theology that meets real human need.
Learning That Sticks showcases McCormick’s evolving academic model — where cohort-based learning and public scholarship ensure that formation travels beyond the classroom into communities and congregations.
Meeting the Moment explores innovative micro-credentials and initiatives like the Sacred Memory Project, Scholars Within, and the Trauma Healing Initiative — equipping leaders to respond to today’s most urgent challenges with depth and care.
Funding the Future and Through Generosity remind us that this work is sustained by a community of partners investing in the next generation of leaders — through scholarships, emergency support, and transformational gifts that expand what’s possible.
Throughout, one truth is clear: the future of the Church will not be built by accident. It will be shaped by leaders formed in communities like McCormick — leaders who can hold grief and hope at the same time, who can preach and organize, and who can carry faith into the places where it is needed most.
This is what it means to awaken possibility, not just to imagine a better future, but to form it, fund it, and live into it together.
👉 Read the full Annual Report and explore the stories of impact