Alumni/ae News and Notes

Special Announcement: The Rev. Dr. Mark S. Caruana, D.Min. '03, to receive National Clergy Renewal Program grant

Alumni/ae News & Notes

Class notes below are organized by class prior to 1970 and by degree program in subsequent years.  All alumni/ae are invited to submit notes directly to Hartford Seminary’s Alumni/ae Office or to Class Agents.  We welcome the opportunity to showcase what alumni have achieved in their respective fields and what new perspectives they have gained.

All classes prior to 1970 (by year)

After serving as Archivist at the Franklin College Library, where she supervised the history collections, both of the college and the American Baptist Churches in Indiana, Mary Alice (Wagner) Medlicott, M.A. ’48, was awarded an honorary LL.D. by the college. She continues to reside in Franklin, IN, and has two daughters and four grandsons.

Joy Allan, M.A. ’51, sends greetings from Fife in Scotland, and writes, “I am very fortunate to be still very active in my church and community, and enjoy travelling with friends.  Hartford was very different in my day, but it was the most exciting  and life enhancing period of my life. I travelled the length and breadth of your country, and have returned many times since. The new technology allows us to communicate with ease, and if anyone from the dim distant past still vaguely remembers me, do get in touch. With my good wishes and prayers for Hartford’s continuing good work.”  Joy’s email address is jallan905@talktalk.net.

The Rev. Frank Brooks, M.Div., ’53, visited campus with his son this past June while back east for his 65th Deerfield Academy reunion. Retired from full time parish ministry for 18 years, Frank presently volunteers as Parish Associate at the Bentwood Trail Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX.

Rev. Chuck West, B.D. ’53, recently communicated news of the death of his wife, Mary Ellen, in August of 2011, and shared “best wishes for everyone at Hartford.” 

The Rev. Paul ‘54 and Joanne ’54 Varga are enjoying retirement in Maine, returning to the town of Falmouth and the church there where they were married. In the years between, the Vargas served churches in Walpole, MA, and Portsmouth, VA, near where Paul grew up. In 1991, Paul retired, and he and Joanne became resident members of the Community of Jesus, an ecumenical Christian monastery in Orleans on Cape Cod.

Rev. Robert H. Calvert, B.D. ’55, sent along information on a book authored in 2008 by classmate Dr. Robert L. Polk, B.D. ’55, entitled, “Tight Little Island: Chicago’s West Woodlawn Neighborhood, 1900-1950 in the Words of Its Inhabitants.”  Dr. Polk was born and raised in the West Woodlawn section of Chicago, and went on to serve in a variety of ministerial positions, including 14 years at the Riverside Church in New York City, and as dean of the chapel at Dillard University in New Orleans. Just before his retirement, Dr. Polk was Executive Director of the New York City Council of Churches. Now living in the Philadelphia area, he is able to connect with the Rev. Calvert and his wife Anne, and more Class of 1955 friends, the Rev. Charles Baboian and his wife Sandra.

Akiko Arai, wife of the Rev. Toshitsugu Arai, S.T.M. ’60, writes from Kawasaki, Japan that though he has been recently hospitalized, they both pray “for Hartford Seminary and its mission, not only in its own community, but globally as well.”  Toshitsugu was most recently the Ecumenical Coordinator of the Nippon Christian Academy in Tokyo.

Upon learning of the death of the Rev. Bill Inderstrodt, B.D. ’52, the Rev. Dr. Jay Ebersole, B.D. ’63, wrote to the Alumni Office, reflecting on the lasting relationships he, Bill and others shared, “60 years of our incredible friendships as young seminarians, as married couples, as pastors, loyal alumni, and with such precious memories.” Like the Inderstrodts, Jay met his late wife, Eleanor, while students at the Seminary.

Black Ministry Program

No alumni/ae notes at this time; we welcome contributions from our amazing alumni/ae.

Cooperative Master of Divinity

After studying at Hartford Seminary in the Cooperative Master of Divinity program, the Rev. Charles G. Taylor completed his program at Andover Newtown, and became the minister of the United Church of Ware (UCC) in Massachusetts in April of 2011.

Doctor of Ministry

The Rev. Dr. Ned Edwards, D.Min. ’04, is the Chaplain at Chatham Hall, an Episcopal boarding school in Chatham, VA. In addition to pastoral responsibilities, Ned also teaches religion, this past semester offering courses on the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, and world religions.  He’s especially fond of leading Beatles Worship in Chapel, and reports“ life is good!”

In addition to his work as a consultant in the healthcare field, improving revenue cycle systems in hospitals and medical practices, the Rev. Dr. Mark Heilshorn, D.Min. ’08, continues to do ministry in the area of men’s spirituality, writing and leading both workshops and retreats on the subject. Mark will be teaching a men’s spirituality course through the Spiritual Life Center in West Hartford called “On the Edge of Fire

Programa Ministerios Hispanos

No alumni/ae notes at this time; we welcome contributions from our amazing alumni/ae.

International Peacemaking Program

Jacky Manuputty, M.A. ’11, and a graduate of the Seminary’s International Peacemaking Program, reports from Indonesia that since September of this year, sporadic fighting “has erupted between Muslims and Christians in Ambon, my lovely hometown.  In such condition, we’re hardly able to encourage interfaith groups to promote peace in the public space.” To brothers and sisters in the wider Seminary community, Jacky asks “please pray for us to continuously work for upholding peace in our hometown.”

Islamic Chaplaincy

No alumni/ae notes at this time; we welcome contributions from our amazing alumni/ae.

Master of Arts

After seeing his name on the “lost alumni/ae” list, Dr. Franklin D. Graham, M.A. ’63, reports that he his living in Daytona Beach, Florida, serving as President of Heritage Academy there. 

Stephen J. Nelson, M.A.R.S. ’72, has published “Decades of Chaos and Revolution: Showdowns for College Presidents,” the story and comparison of two eras in higher education history. The first era covers the period of the 1960s through the mid-1970s, and the second is the first decade of the 21st century. Both decades were marked by events that shook the foundations of colleges, universities, and society as a whole. Steve tells the story through the eyes of the presidents of the institutions involved in the chaos of those eras. Steve is associate professor of educational leadership at Bridgewater State University and senior scholar in the Leadership Alliance at Brown University. He has written three previous books about the college presidency: “Leaders in the Crossroads: Success and Failure in the College Presidency,” “Leaders in the Labyrinth: College Presidents and the Battleground of Creeds and Convictions,” and “Leaders in the Crucible: The Moral Voice of College Presidents.” For information on his latest book, go to: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442210820

Craig Phillips, M.A. ’12 and his wife, Mahdiye, have relocated to Falls Church, Virginia, and Craig now works in Washington, DC, at the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID) in the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Among the office’s functions are to serve as an agency liaison to the faith community, most often with faith-based organizations doing development work around the world.

Christopher A. Wright, M.A. ’73, reports that “after 30 years as a photographer involved in black and white large format and historic photography, I published, under the name of my company, “Visions in Silver Photography,” in December 2011, my first book of personal images, along with essays explaining the spiritual background of my personal/artistic aesthetics,” entitled, Still Life—Still Living. In December 2011, Chris participated in a symposium sponsored by the Religion Department of the University of Florida, Gainesville, called “Multidisciplinary Approaches to Plants and Religion,” which included presentations by a variety of experts in ethnobiology, botany, entheogenics and ritual behavior related to use of sacred plants.  More information on Chris’ work and inspiration, as well as on his available and upcoming books, is available at www.visioninsilver.com.

Cooperative Master of Divinity

Along with his contribution to the 2012 Annual Fund, the Rev. Howard L. Harris, M.Div. ’47, included a note which read, “the 77 Sherman St. address has many good memories. It was our address from 1944 to 1947. As Quakers we especially remember Alexander Purdy and Moses Bailey. It was a great growing time in my life and my late wife Rosemary. I am professor emeritus, anthropology, Western Washington University, and 94 years old.  I still teach a couple of correspondence courses.”

International Ph.D. Program

No alumni/ae notes at this time; we welcome contributions from our amazing alumni/ae.

Woman’s Leadership Institute

No alumni/ae notes at this time; we welcome contributions from our amazing alumni/ae.

Alumni/ae Survey Responses:

To read alumni/ae responses to a recent survey on what Hartford Seminary has meant to them as they entered their careers, Click Here

Library Research Opportunity:

When the Hartford Seminary Library, with the help of the American Theological Library Association, began offering free online access to the extensive ATLA database to Seminary alumni/ae, many were in touch to say hello and express appreciation, including the Rev. Skip Ferry, M.Div. ’71, Lady Mandalika, G.C. ’10, the Rev. Francis Acquah, G.C. ’06, Marisa Brown Ludwig, WLI ’05, the Rev. Richard Rinker, M.Div. ’55, Brian Alston, M.A. ’01, and the Rev. Dr. Karen Bailey-Francois, D.Min. ’05.  For information on accessing the ATLA database, please email jlee@hartsem.edu.