Washington AIDS International Teens (WAIT) in the United Kingdom Since my graduation from the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) in 1989 I have held leadership positions in the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification-UK (FFWPU-UK) and its affiliate organizations for the past 28 years, as well as pursuing a career in youth development. Of all the assignments I’ve had, and all the work I’ve been involved in, what I’ve been the most committed to is what I am working on now, WAIT-UK! Ever since I met the American WAIT team in 2004 (on three separate occasions in 2004, in...

Growing People For someone whose early life was impacted by constant moving, Karen Wilkening’s past few decades have resonated with the kind of stability and family life she longed for as a child. Born in Denver, Colorado her childhood was marked by constant uprooting. By the time she was ten her family had moved eight times due to her father’s frequent job transfers. When she was eleven her parents parted ways. She admits that because of the constant moving it was not easy to make and keep friends. Karen states, “The solid family I longed for simply wasn’t there.” Her mother, a...

I am very pleased to report that the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) acted on June 22 to accept the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) “Progress Report” and to notify us that our next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2023-2024. This brings to a close a nearly four-year re-accreditation cycle which began with submission of our self-study in July 2013, three follow-up monitoring reports & team visits, and the recent progress report that was submitted on April 1. I am extraordinarily grateful to our UTS team, particularly Drs....

From the Sea to the Desert: Preserving History in Many Landscapes  Born on the Channel Island of Jersey between England and France, Simon Herbert’s journey has taken him far afield from his original homeland. Raised with his older brother, Paul, Simon loved the many aspects of island living. The ocean was a constant presence and he enjoyed the opportunities that proximity to the water presented; boating, boogie boarding and walks on the beach were frequent past times. While in high school he built his own kayak and added surfing the waves to his water sports.  Simon left Jersey...

A glimpse into the future of education at the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) was on display Monday, June 19 at the Barrytown campus in upstate New York. A day-long seminar was held for the faculty, administration and staff of UTS, at which time the learning management system (LMS) called Canvas by Instructure was introduced. The message is clear and definitive – online learning is very much the future of higher education, and the world of edtech and the virtual classroom is not only here to stay, it continues to evolve and adapt to improve the user experience.  Lisa...

Nothing in this world can take the place of being tenacious. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Tenacity and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”Calvin Coolidge Carol Pobanz (UTS ’80) I graduated from the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) with the Class of 1980, the fourth graduating class. I was invited to attend previous...

On the Path to International Parenthood – An interview with Christine Edwards (UTS’84) Born as a Big Apple baby, Christine’s parents moved from Manhattan, NY to Princeton, New Jersey when Christine was only four. Her mother was from Switzerland and her father, an African American, was from Washington, D.C. The move to Princeton was sparked by a magazine article that Christine’s mother had read which indicated that Princeton was more accepting of interracial couples; that was a motivating factor, as in the late 1950s and early 1960s interracial marriages were often frowned...

UTS administrators often attend Association of Theological Schools (ATS) events. Experience shows that it is important for UTS to stay current with the conversations which are part of the theological landscape in North America. UTS has affiliate status with ATS. Robin James Graham, UTS Director of Advancement and Communication Where else can they go, and what else can they do? Guiding MDiv graduates into fields other than congregational ministry According to the latest findings from the 2015–2016 Graduating Student Questionnaire (Table 24: Position Expected after Graduation...