August 2025
Dear alumni/ae and friends,
As I reflect on the vibrant life and learning unfolding at Vanderbilt Divinity School, I am continually inspired by the dedication and passion of our students, faculty and community. In these times, when faithful leadership and courageous voices are needed more than ever, the Divinity School remains a beacon for those answering their call to serve. I am pleased to share a few highlights from the year that reflect the faith, leadership and service at the heart of our community.
Throughout the year, we have seen radical hospitality take root in new and powerful ways. We are excited to announce the Turner-Barnett Program for Pastoral Formation, which will provide scholarships and stipends, dedicated mentorship and congregational placements for students called to ministry. We also launched our Practitioner-in-Residence program, which brings experienced faith leaders and activists into the classroom to mentor students and share real-world insight. Additionally, a new grant will give our faculty the opportunity to deepen their understanding of artificial intelligence to better integrate it into teaching and scholarship. Together, these efforts strengthen our commitment to supporting students as they prepare for lives of ministry and service.
Thanks to your continued generosity, we are able to provide vital support for the programs and opportunities that follow, ensuring that our students receive the support they need to pursue their vocation.
Empowering Students Through Scholarships
Scholarships at Vanderbilt Divinity School open doors for students from a wide range of traditions, backgrounds and communities by ensuring that financial barriers do not stand in the way of their calling. Nearly every student receives some form of aid, which allows them to focus on their formation and to graduate ready to serve with integrity and compassion in communities that need them most. Scholarships are essential to attracting and supporting the next generation of leaders.
Supporting Hands-On Learning with Field Education Stipends
Learning in the classroom is only the beginning. Our students gain their deepest insights and skills when field education places them into congregations, hospitals and nonprofits to live out their faith in real time. Field education stipends make it possible for students to accept meaningful placements regardless of an organization’s ability to pay, thus helping them gain practical skills they will need to serve effectively in complex and changing communities.
Advancing Social Justice Through the James Lawson Institute
The James Lawson Institute carries forward a legacy of courageous nonviolence and social change that resonates deeply in today’s world. By supporting this work, you help us nurture leaders who do more than study history—they make it. Building on the legacy of Rev. James M. Lawson Jr., the James Lawson Institute positions Vanderbilt as the premier civil rights and social justice center in the Midsouth, preparing leaders who will drive positive change locally, nationally and globally. This institute is a living reminder that faith-inspired activism is a powerful force for justice and peace in our communities and beyond.
At the Divinity School, we are forming leaders who bring moral clarity and spiritual depth to a world in flux. Our community is defined by its boldness—students and faculty who wrestle with hard questions, who preach and organize, and who serve with humility and lead with conviction. Whether through public theology, chaplaincy, activism, or scholarship, we are preparing ministers and change-makers who will meet this moment with both compassion and courage.
Your generosity helps make all of this possible—in the classroom, in the pulpit and in the community—by providing vital resources that support our students’ formation and expand their capacity to lead. I invite you to make a gift to Vanderbilt Divinity School today. With your support, we will equip the next generation of faith leaders, scholars and justice-seekers to make a lasting impact in ministry and in the world.
Thank you for your past generosity and for considering a gift to Vanderbilt Divinity School today. Please give online today.
Warmly,
Yolanda Pierce
Dean
University Distinguished Professor of Religion and Literature
University Distinguished Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies