One of the bright spots in the life of Winebrenner Theological Seminary is Commencement. Our seminarians work hard for two, three, four, or more years to get to this place of completion, accomplishment, and next steps. What one might expect would be a solemn service of devotion became, well, that and so much more.
On Saturday, August 1, our faculty and staff arrived three hours early and spent quality time laughing, visiting, and catching up as we took photos, first as professional “head shots,” then in our regalia, then as a group. We were joined by some of our Trustees who arrived a few minutes later bringing more laughter and re-connecting. Upstairs, in the graduates’ robing rooms, the good-natured excitement of “I’m so happy to finally meet you, face-to-face” quickly became the broad smiles and noisy chatter of ready friends that followed the joyful crowd down the stairs and into the TLB auditorium for their group and individual photos.
The camaraderie transcended degree programs. Clinical counselors rubbed shoulders with chaplains, pastors, and pastoral counselors. Studied theologians relaxed with cultural theologians and all of them welcomed their professors into the conversations.
For three days before the Saturday Commencement Exercises, a large gathering of 2nd year MACC students met for our first-ever, ground-breaking Residency Intensive. They came from points far and near: Colorado and California, as well as Alger, Dayton, Findlay, Fostoria, and Tiffin. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings found the students studying specialized clinical tools and techniques for clinical counseling, then using the afternoon to practice on a collection of “experimental subjects” who got the chance to give their Academy-Award winning performances as “clients.” But on Friday evening the real fun began as the graduating MACC students showed up from Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Wisconsin as well as Euclid, Findlay, Lima, Toledo, Westerville, and Wellington in Ohio. Long-time friends—who had never met before—found their virtual friendships blossom into reality.
What we all witnessed that Friday night with the MACC students, and on Saturday with the MDiv and the MAPT graduates, with several of our current students and our beloved alumni, were real friends who have managed to create deep, indelible friendships while learning together online. What so many said could not be done happened despite the doomsayers: we grew a seminary family across the country and around the world. Even though five of our graduates from California, China, Colorado, Louisiana, and Washington could not join us for Commencement, we received fun photos from some of them that only added to the celebration. Together, and separated by distances measured in hours and days, Winebrenner is a family.
Commencement weekend found us sharing the same air and rubbing shoulders in real life with genuine friends. The relationships that began online in our virtual classrooms have become authentic friendships that will continue to grow both digitally and in real life. The environment for Commencement was charged with joy and triumph mixed with a little melancholy, enveloped by friendship that may last a lifetime. Solemn? Perhaps in some ways. However, we worshipped together, laughed together, and experienced life together, and it was downright fun.
The celebration continues: this Fall we have students attending classes from their homes and workplaces in Bangladesh, Canada, China, India, and Kenya as well as 28 states from Florida to Washington, from California to New York, and from Texas to Montana. When we gather for a 6:00 pm class session, some of our students are sitting at their breakfast table at 3:00 am their time or at their office during a long lunch. New friendships are being forged that will endure for decades to come.
But Commencement weekend was like a joyful playground filled with children laughing, playing, and enjoying each other’s company. Can you imagine a Commencement weekend that is like Homecoming or Old Home Week? Alumni could organize a Friday dinner for the entire alumni community or for individual graduating classes. Former faculty and staff could return and reconnect with one another and with former students. Current students could meet long before their own Commencement celebrations. It could happen. It should happen. The laughter, conversations, and exuberance would sound very much like children on a playground. We truly are a global family.
- Dr. Martin Johnson, Chief Academic Officer