A Message from Dean Pak to Alumni/ae & Friends (Fall 2021)
Dear STH Alumni/ae & Friends,
As I begin my first full year as dean of the Boston University School of Theology, I am invigorated by the opportunities of this moment. Shaped by the challenges and lessons of the past year, the world is now feeling its way toward a new way of being. So too are religious institutions, including the School of Theology.
In this task, and in meeting the needs of our students, the entire STH community, and beyond, I ask for your financial support as we begin a new academic year.
Just as religious leaders are rethinking the shape and practices of religion, we at STH need to rethink what religious leadership can be. To me, pastoral leaders should be stewards who draw on their rich traditions without being stifled by them, summoners who convene and build networks and partnerships, and trailblazers who spur substantive response to societal problems by stimulating and supporting necessary change.
Guided by this vision, we can chart a path toward an effective and inspired theological education. In this, STH is uniquely equipped by its widely recognized identity as a school of prophets, from Howard Thurman and Martin Luther King, Jr. (GRS’55, Hon.’59) to the present day. We are strengthened, too, by our firm stand for the principles of social justice and inclusion.
As I work with our faculty, staff, Dean’s Advisory Board (alumni), students, and University leadership to develop the school’s next strategic plan, several priorities are already clear. For each of these, your support can make a real difference:
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which are bolstered by an endowed Sacred Worth Scholarship Fund as we work to support other DEI-related funds, including the Dean Thurman & Bishop Easterling Fellowship Fund and the Affirmation and Empowerment Fund sponsored by the STH Class of 2021
- Faculty research and program support, such as that sponsored by the Raíces Latinas Program in Theology, Leadership and Research Fund, and the Faith & Ecological Justice Program
- Global networking and educational opportunities, including student travel supported by the endowed Global & Contextual Engagement Fund
Your gift to any of these, or to another STH fund, will strengthen the school—and, beyond that, advance our mission of transforming theological education, religious leadership, and ultimately the world. I also look forward to the opportunity to meet you at a future event in person or at least online. We are deeply grateful for your support, your prayers, and your continuing connection to the School of Theology.
Sincerely,
G. Sujin Pak
Dean, School of Theology
PS: By giving to the School of Theology, you’re not just helping STH—you’re helping us all work toward an inspiring future. I urge you to visit bu.edu/give2sth today. inspiring future. I urge you to visit www.bu.edu/give2sth today.