President Aloyo and students
Columbia's 11th President
President Victor Aloyo, Senior Vice President, Dean of Faculty Christine Roy Yoder, and faculty members Dr. Christine Hong and Dr. Sue Kim Park are all part of a team from Columbia Theological Seminary traveling on a Partnership-Building tour to Southeast Asia. Below are a few images from this historic trip.
Our friends at Hanshin University shared this video to commemorate our partnership and our visit with them.
We at Columbia Theological Seminary are deeply saddened by the devastation and loss of life and grieve for those who are injured, awaiting word of family members, and have lost much that they hold dear in yesterday’s 7.4 earthquake in Taiwan, the worst it has seen in 25 years. Having just experienced the wonders, beauty, and hospitality of this country with my colleagues from Columbia, this disaster resonates on a very personal note.
I have reached out to The Rev. Dr. Tzu-Lun Tsai, President of the Taiwan Graduate School of Theology, who welcomed us with great hospitality just a few days ago, to let her know that we mourn with her for the devastation that has struck her country and to assure her we will keep all the people of Taiwan in our hearts and in our prayers as rescue and recovery efforts begin.
Please be assured that Columbia’s delegation to Asia, President Aloyo, Dean Yoder, Drs. Sue Kim Park and Christine Hong, left Taiwan a few days ago and all are safe.
We know that the days, weeks, and even months to come will be difficult for those living through this disaster. The Columbia community lifts the people of Taiwan as well as the Taiwanese community in the United States in prayers of comfort and solace, and we are reminded that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
I humbly offer this prayer to the people of Taiwan:
Oh, Most High, Through dark and difficult moments,
we know that You are always with us. Today we come to You
in prayer to ask You to bring comfort, healing, and restoration
to the communities that have been devastated by this horrific
earthquake.
Amid the losses of life, those trapped in the rubble of
fallen buildings, and the anxious moments of what lies ahead,
let the people and families of these precious towns cling to Your presence.
Bless our dear colleagues as they navigate the desperation of
these moments and continue to provide them strength and wisdom
In Jesus name, Amen!
On Wednesday, March 20, Dr. Myers was inaugurated as the Wade P. Huie, Jr. Associate Professor of Homiletics. The inauguration took place at the Harrington Chapel on the campus of Columbia Theological Seminary.
Dr. Myers served as the Assistant Professor of Homiletics from 2015 to 2021. In 2021 Columbia’s Board of Trustees named him as the Wade P. Huie Associate Professor of Homiletics.
Before his arrival at Columbia, he was adjunct faculty at Candler School of Theology, and Assistant Supplementary Professor of Proclamation at Central Baptist Theological Seminary. Myers received his Ph.D. from Emory University, his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a B.A., with honors, from Gardner-Webb University’s Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy.
We welcomed our alumni back to campus for a three-day reunion filled with laughter, lectures, and some fun.
During the Alumni Reunion, we dedicated The Gallery space which is on the second floor of Richards Center and honors the Great Cloud of Witnesses who have come before us, each with their own stories of life and faith. We hope you will come visit the Gallery the next time you are on campus. In the meantime, you can visit the online Gallery.
We also hosted a gathering of PC(USA) Mid-Council Leaders who came together with faculty, students, and staff at Columbia to discuss ways that we can partner to enrich both the life of the church and the seminary and its students.
We welcomed the Revs. Ruth Santana Grace and Shavon Starling-Louis (Columbia alum) to campus. They serve as Co-Moderators of the 225th General Assembly. They met with students, faculty, and staff and led conversations regarding the joys and challenges of leadership development and congregational ministry in the church.
PC(USA) Seminary Presidents, Deans, and Board Chairs gathered in January at Columbia to discuss the strengths and challenges of developing seminary missions, visions, and strategic directives.
Read Dr. Aloyo’s Weekly Expressions of Abundance and Grace to the Columbia.
Academic Year 2023-2024
The Rev. Dr. Victor Aloyo, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., is the son of the late Esperanza Aloyo and Victorino Aloyo from Vieques, Puerto Rico. He has been married to Suzette Aloyo for over thirty-six years and is blessed with two daughters, Kayla Cristen, an aerospace engineer working in Huntsville, AL, and Alyssa Nicole, serving as a DEI administrator in Nashville, TN. Victor currently serves as the eleventh President of Columbia Theological Seminary. Previously he served as the Associate Dean of Institutional Diversity and Community Engagement at Princeton Theological Seminary and as Organizing/Lead Pastor of Iglesia Presbiteriana Nuevas Fronteras in North Plainfield, NJ. Victor received a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and Sociology from the College of New Rochelle, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate in Executive Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, focusing his dissertation on navigating diversity and inclusion within a framework of social justice.
As the Chief Diversity Administrator at Princeton, Dr. Aloyo was directly responsible to the seminary president on diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence. Victor served as the institution’s Primary Designated School Officer with the United States Customs and Immigration Service, the Title IX and Title VI Coordinator, and the Director of the Office of Multicultural Relations. Victor led the institution in developing a Diversity Action Blueprint detailing specific goals, objectives, and assessment criteria for all DEI and Belonging Initiatives. Victor served as Interim Director of Alumni Relations within the Advancement department, a member of the Committee on Accreditation for three cycles, Task Force on the Historical Audit on Slavery, and Long-Range Strategic Cohort. Victor also directed the Seminary’s Urban Ministry and community engagement efforts by cultivating sustainable partnerships with community organizations, educational institutions, worship centers, and community residents in the City of Trenton and Greater Mercer County.
Dr. Aloyo’s leadership responsibilities included service as Director of Urban Ministry at the New York City Mission Society, Senior and Organizing Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of The Redeemer of East Brooklyn for ten years, moderator of the Presbytery of New York City, and chair of the General Council of the New York City Presbytery. Victor also served as a member of the board of trustees of the New York Theological Seminary, the Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Holmes, N.Y., and the New York City Presbytery, while spearheading the organization of La Promesa Presbyterian Church in Flushing, Queens (currently Iglesia Cristiana La Promesa). Dr. Aloyo, with a cohort of elders, deacons, and young adults from churches in New York, New Jersey, Long Island, and Pennsylvania, for over thirty years, directed a youth & young adults ministry predominantly from inner-city contexts at the Presbyterian Center in Holmes, N.Y. Victor is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Presbyterian Foundation, the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, and the Covenant Architects Network. For eighteen years in Plainfield, NJ, Victor served as a field education supervisor/mentor for over sixty-three seminarians creating a unique teaching church ministry model.
Dr. Aloyo mentions that he “is blessed and humbled” in leading, with the support of the Board of Trustees, Faculty, Students, and Administrative Staff, a world-class institution serving the Southeast, the nation, and the globe. At Columbia Seminary, Dr. Aloyo posits that in collaboration, “we will continue to bring to life the Seminary’s critical mission of inspiring and challenging every student to a life of leadership and purpose for the glory of God. We will strive to embrace every story through our curriculum, policies, campus life, and virtual platforms because we belong to each other on this journey to become world changers, discoverers, explorers, curators, and stewards of God’s abundance and grace.”
Moved by The Spirit – Driven by Our Values
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Isaiah 61:1
The Lord’s anointed one brings good news to the humble, cares for the broken-hearted, proclamations of release to the captives, and comforts those who mourn. But that is not the end of the action; it is just the beginning. Then, the humble, broken-hearted former captives and mourners will rebuild, restore, and raise up. Indeed, those who were lowly will ascend to the positions of priests and ministers of the Most High. They will be ministers for the God who loves justice. The lowly will be recognized as God’s own people who are adorned with the righteousness God inspires them to perform. This is the ministry that Jesus announces for himself, and challenges those who follow him to undertake.
Good morning, Seminary Community that includes our students, alums, faculty, staff, trustees, partners, and collaborators! We are here to celebrate the great calling in our lives as children of the Most High and as an educational institution of the Presbyterian Church created close to 200 years ago to serve Christ and the Church in preparing and equipping bold and innovative servant-leader-scholars! To serve as the 11th president of this esteemed institution is an honor and a joy!
Read the full address here.
Columbia Seminary
Moving Toward Our Third Century
Abundance & Grace: A Blueprint for Flourishing in Faith & Hope sets forth the Seminary’s core values and is the plan to for how we will continue to nurture imaginative leaders for the church and the world.
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Answer the Call
For those who are discerning a call, Columbia is a place where you can flourish in hope and faith. It is a place where you can take a transformative journey that places hope above fear, love over hate, and joy beyond despair. I invite you to imagine what could be as, together, we shape the not yet.
Apply NowAs we continue to prepare for the commencement of classes, we wish to provide the following information for your review and preparation. Although the numbers of known infections and hospitalizations remain low, Georgia hospitals have reported a rise in COVID-19, and the Department of Public Health (DPH) advises people to take precautions. Although the public health emergency has ended, it does not mean COVID is gone. The following is some helpful information for your review and consideration.
WHAT TO DO
Columbia Seminary still requires that all students and employees adhere to CDC guidelines regarding vaccinations and boosters, testing, mask use, and isolation. If you are sick, whether with COVID or anything else, STAY HOME. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, STAY HOME:
If you have questions about what actions to take if you are experiencing COVID-like symptoms, or if you have recently been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID, please refer to the following chart for further information:
Scenario | Should I test? | Should I begin Isolation or Quarantine? (For vaccinated individuals) |
I have been in close contact with a person who may have COVID and I am not experiencing any symptoms. | Optional | Not required. |
I have been in close contact with a person who has a confirmed positive case of COVID and I am not experiencing any symptoms. | YES. Get a PCR 3-5 days post exposure. PCR tests are the most effective at catching asymptomatic COVID cases. | If you do not have symptoms, you are not required to quarantine, regardless of vaccination status. Wear a mask around others for 10 days post-exposure. |
I have been in close contact with a person who has a confirmed positive case of COVID and I am experiencing symptoms. | YES. A single positive PCR test result OR two positive antigen test results 36-48 hours apart are acceptable to confirm a positive case. A negative antigen test result should be followed up with a PCR test. | If you are experiencing symptoms, quarantine until you receive test results as indicated to the left. If your case is confirmed positive, begin isolation. If you receive a negative PCR result, you may end your quarantine. Wear a mask around others for 10 days post exposure and until your symptoms resolve. |
I am experiencing COVID symptoms, but I am not sure if / when I could have been exposed. | YES. A single positive PCR test result OR two positive antigen test results 36-48 hours apart are acceptable to confirm a positive case. A negative antigen test result should be followed up with a PCR test. | If you are experiencing symptoms, quarantine until you receive test results as indicated to the left. If your case is confirmed positive, begin isolation. If you receive a negative PCR result, you may end your quarantine. Wear a mask around others until your symptoms resolve. |
I am recovering from a confirmed positive case of COVID and want to end my isolation period. | Optional | You may end isolation after 5 full days if you remain fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved. Continue wearing a mask around others for an additional 5 days after ending isolation. |
MASKS
VACCINATE
MORE INFORMATION
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html
If you have questions, please email covidresponse@ctsnet.edu
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