Welcoming Dr. Kurt Peterson as Vice President for Institutional Advancement
MAY 12, 2025
McCormick Theological Seminary is delighted to introduce Dr. Kurt Peterson, who joins us as our new Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
Kurt Peterson brings a rare blend of academic depth and fundraising expertise to McCormick, along with a lifelong commitment to educational equity, vocational formation, and faith-rooted justice. Over the course of his career—as a professor, development officer, and executive leader—Kurt has demonstrated his passion for opening doors to opportunity, strengthening institutions, and supporting communities through the transformative power of education.
“I’m honored to join McCormick at such a pivotal time,” Dr. Peterson shared. “This seminary has long stood at the intersection of faith and justice, and I’m inspired by the chance to help further its mission—to prepare leaders who heal, unite, and serve.”
Kurt holds a B.A. in history and philosophy from Wheaton College, an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary with a concentration in church history, and a Ph.D. in American Religious History from the University of Notre Dame. His doctoral research explored the relationship between the Evangelical Covenant Church and broader American religious culture in the 20th century.
The first half of Kurt’s career was rooted in the classroom. At North Park University in Chicago, he served as a professor of history and held multiple leadership roles, including chair of the faculty, chair of the history department, and associate dean for the humanities. He also taught church and denominational history at North Park Theological Seminary, continuing his work of shaping theological education for the church.
In a mid-career shift to advancement, Kurt deepened his impact on institutional mission. He served as director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago, then advanced to assistant vice president for principal gifts. Later, as executive director of the College of Lake County (CLC) Foundation, he led a dramatic increase in fundraising, multiplying annual giving eightfold and raising millions for student scholarships. Most recently, Kurt served as chief development officer for The Endowment Project, a national initiative building infrastructure to expand philanthropy in public high schools across the country.
Kurt is married to Cathy Norman Peterson, editorial director at the Evangelical Covenant Church. They have two sons—Haydon (married to Devin) and Emmett, a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Peterson family lives in Chicago’s North Park neighborhood, where Kurt and Cathy reside alongside Kurt’s parents, Norman and Marlyce. They worship at LaSalle Street Church in Chicago.
Kurt dedicates his work at McCormick to the memory of his brother, Dr. Dwight Norman Peterson (1961–2016), a biblical scholar and beloved professor of New Testament at Eastern University. “Dwight taught with heart, humor, and depth,” Dr. Peterson reflects. “His legacy lives on in the leaders he formed and the life of love and service he embodied.”
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Kurt Peterson to the McCormick community!
