Our Story and Our Song
OCTOBER 24, 2025
President’s Report:
A Vision for Faithful Leadership and Transformative Education at McCormick Theological Seminary
By Dr. Maisha Handy, President
At McCormick Theological Seminary (MTS), we have a story to tell!
Our 196-year-old institution is a pillar of consistency, diverse experiences, and stellar development of ministers for the church and world. Students from the US and around the globe share deep cultural meanings and ties that connect us as we live out God’s mandate to live with care, compassion, and justice. Guided by the Holy Spirit and through the commitment of our staff and faculty, we moved faithfully through major transitions by cherishing precious memories and creating space for new ways of being.
MTS stands resilient, strong, and thriving at a time when the turbulence in our nation looms large. The very nature of Christianity and its concomitant prophetic witness is challenged by rampant inhospitality that progressively revokes support and services needed for human flourishing. This is exacerbated by violent aggression from government-sanctioned entities that seize immigrant siblings. The demand is allegiance to leaders who intend to harm those who disagree. Despite these trials, we move forward with telling our story and valuing the sacred memory that counters cultural erasure. Our mission, vision, and core values at MTS stand resolute and aligned with the gospel mandate to embrace all of humanity, even those who embody different values.
We invite you to join us in celebrating successes across the life of our great community, including:
The development process for a three-year strategic plan (S.T.O.R.Y.) is underway. The plan will culminate at the 200-year anniversary of our great seminary.
We received two grants from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion to support our shift to hybrid course delivery this fall, research related to faculty hiring.
MTS enrollment is in a stabilized trend. While master’s degree enrollment has decreased, we experienced a 19% increase in Doctor of Ministry student enrollment for fall 2025, with most learners across the program being Presbyterian (PCUSA & Presbyterian Korea).
The Trauma Healing Initiative (26 cohort learners) and the Sacred Memory Project (17 MTS cohort learners) continue as outstanding Lilly Endowment, Inc. grant-funded programs impacting learners’ engagements with the past, present, and visions for the future.
Institutional Advancement continues managing external funding with sharp focus and expertise, having filled gaps and strengthened donor relations.
We will continue bringing the McCormick experience to the Chicagoland area and around the globe as we pursue and create a world where all can thrive. As we innovate into the future with other seminary and congregational partners, our community impact will enable the flourishing of generations to come. Many more deeply meaningful and life-changing outcomes are on the way!
As we lean into a future that fully honors our heritage and our present calling, we’re guided by a clear strategic lens, captured well by Dr. Kurt Peterson, Vice President of Institutional Advancement: “Mainline churches are declining; PC(USA) membership fell from 3.1M in 1983 to just over 1M in 2024. For McCormick to thrive, we must embrace both our Presbyterian heritage and our primarily urban, students-of-color present. We should be the destination where any seminarian — Presbyterian, mainline, evangelical, Pentecostal, or spiritually seeking —pursues formation in a diverse, inclusive context. In one of the nation’s most vibrant communities, McCormick has the partnerships, donors, and leadership to forge an exciting future amid a changing theological education landscape.”
STRATEGIC FINANCE
MTS experienced a year of strong fiscal management in the areas of the investment portfolio, general operations, external funding, and gifts.
We moved into a debt-zero status!
Gifts totaled $885,613, surpassing our annual goal by over $200,000. The 2024 fiscal year ended with a budget surplus and overall favorable variances for operating expenses.
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
The Office of Institutional Advancement has clear goals for FY26 including, recovering at least 25% of lapsed donors and securing gifts from 425 donors, increasing Total Fundraising Progress by 25%, securing $1.25M in support, renewing and strengthening donor relationships and gifts from McCormick's top 40 donors, and strengthening data health and secure accurate reporting that will guide future outreach.
In FY25, McCormick received $931,300 in gifts and pledges from 302 donors. *This total includes restricted gifts dated before July 1.
When you factor out large and one-time grants of $1M or over, the seminary's annual fundraising remains strong even as the number of our donors has decreased by 50% over the last ten years.
The current endowment includes more than $35M in funds dedicated to student scholarships and recognition.
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
2024-2025 was a year of transitions and new possibilities. We joyfully welcomed Dr. Jina Kang as Interim Dean. Supported by the Trauma Healing Initiative (THI), our faculty participated in workshops and training designed to center student wellness in hybrid learning environments and to translate those practices into curricular innovations. McCormick’s collaborative spirit was evident in the work of the Sacred Memory Project, whose MTS cohorts continue to resource the wider church and academy. One of our students in the Sacred Memory cohort, drawing from her ministerial role as a “Digital Deacon” (or “Digi-Deacon”), led a workshop entitled Curating the Comments, modeling intentional ways to use digital spaces for learner engagement and leadership in hybrid learning environments. We also celebrated milestones in our faculty’s collective vocation with the promotion of Dr. Lis Valle-Ruiz to Associate Professor of Homiletics and Dr. Jina Kang to Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS
This year, we launched a focused series of events to: (1) introduce President Dr. Handy; (2) deepen long-term relationships; (3) model the collaborative spirit of our strategic plan; and (4) align alumni and partners around key institutional initiatives.
Fireside Chat: What We Do at McCormick Matters (Zoom) — A special conversation with Dr. Handy, hosted by Dr. Stephanie Crumpton, outlining the vision for the year and beyond.
Let’s Talk Strategic Plan with Dr. Handy (Hybrid) — An engaging discussion around McCormick’s strategic plan: Strategic. Timeless. Operational. Revitalizing Yearnings. Where we’re headed and how alumni can join the journey. 45 alumni participated.
Artists Forum Revitalization & Back Talk! Live — Relaunched the Artists Forum and introduced the president’s Back Talk! live conversations to strengthen community connection and thought leadership.
