Gordon-Conwell to Confer 11 Degrees at May 18 Jacksonville Commencement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Contact: Chris Anderson, 978-646-4064
[email protected]
JACKSONVILLE, FL (May 16, 2019) — The Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Board of Trustees will confer 11 master’s degrees during commencement exercises at 10 a.m., May 18, at the Jacksonville campus. Total degrees to be conferred at Gordon-Conwell’s four campuses in Jacksonville; Charlotte, NC; and South Hamilton and Boston, MA, include 330 master’s degrees and 51 doctoral degrees.
The commencement speaker will be Dr. Scott W. Sunquist, President-Elect of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Dr. Sunquist served as the Dean of the School of Intercultural Studies and Professor of World Christianity at Fuller Theological Seminary from 2012–2018 and taught for seventeen years prior at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Dr. Sunquist and his wife, Nancy, served as missionaries in the Republic of Singapore from 1987–1995, where he was the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church and lecturer in church history, ecumenics, and Asian Christianity at Trinity Theological College. Prior to this, he was a campus staff member with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Virginia and Massachusetts. Dr. Sunquist received his B.A. in History Education from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; his M.Div. (Summa cum Laude) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Among the Jacksonville graduates is Erin George, who will receive her Master of Arts in Christian Leadership. Upon beginning her master’s program, Erin relocated to Jacksonville with her husband Ben and their three children to plant New City Church in the heart of the city. Erin has a passion for discipleship and building community through authentic relationships. Gifted in writing and teaching, Erin has written numerous studies and assisted in writing publications. Prior to her church-planting venture, Erin’s previous experience was in corporate retail with Fortune 500 Company, LBrands where she performed business analysis, training, and development.
Gordon-Conwell—Jacksonville, the seminary’s fourth campus, was founded in 2006 and graduated its first class in 2010. The Jacksonville campus offers three ATS-accredited degrees—the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Thought and the Master of Arts in Christian Leadership—through an adult learning format, emphasizing both hands-on training and in-class learning.
The Jacksonville campus is located at 7235 Bentley Rd. in Jacksonville.
On-site contact: Jerrica Roberts, [email protected] or 904-383-3396.
ABOUT GORDON-CONWELL
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is a multidenominational, evangelical Protestant graduate school serving nearly 1,800 students on campuses in South Hamilton and Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; and Jacksonville, FL. Students represent more than 85 denominations and 50 foreign countries. The seminary ranks as one of the largest in size among the 251 seminaries accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. Gordon-Conwell offers many degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels and has gained an international reputation for leading faculty in the areas of biblical studies, ministry and theology.
ABOUT DR. SCOTT W. SUNQUIST
DR. SCOTT W. SUNQUIST will be the seventh president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary on July 1, 2019. Dr. Sunquist served as the Dean of the School of Intercultural Studies and Professor of World Christianity at Fuller Theological Seminary from 2012–2018 and taught for seventeen years prior at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Dr. Sunquist and his wife, Nancy, served as missionaries in the Republic of Singapore from 1987–1995, where he was the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church and lecturer in church history, ecumenics, and Asian Christianity at Trinity Theological College. Prior to this, he was a campus staff member with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Virginia and Massachusetts.
He received his B.A. in History Education from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; his M.Div. (Summa cum Laude) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. In 2017, he was the Senior Scholar in Residence at the Overseas Ministries Study Center, New Haven, CT.
Dr. Sunquist has published extensively since 1987, focusing on missions, evangelism, church history, and church planting with a special focus on Asian Christianity. His 2015 book The Unexpected Christian Century: The Reversal and Transformation of Global Christianity, 1900–2000 received the “Fifteen Outstanding Books of 2015 for Mission Studies” by the International Bulletin of Missionary Research and the American Society of Missiology Book of Excellence Award for 2015. These are only the most recent accolades in a history of honors and awards for publications such as Understanding Christian Mission: Participation in Suffering and Glory; History of the World Christian Movement, Volume 1: Earliest Christianity to 1453; and History of the World Christian Movement, Volume II: Modern Christianity from 1454 to 1800.
Dr. Sunquist is married to Nancy Sunquist. They have four adult children and nine grandchildren.
ABOUT ERIN GEORGE, FEATURED GRADUATING STUDENT
ERIN GEORGE will receive her Master of Arts in Christian Leadership. A native of Pennsylvania, Erin has called both Boston and Columbus, OH, home. Upon beginning her master’s program, Erin relocated to Jacksonville with her husband Ben and their three children to plant New City Church in the heart of the city. Erin has a passion for discipleship and building community through authentic relationships. Gifted in writing and teaching, Erin has written numerous studies and assisted in writing publications. Prior to her church-planting venture, Erin’s previous experience was in corporate retail with Fortune 500 Company, LBrands where she performed business analysis, training, and development. Outside of school and church, Erin and her family love the Florida sunshine, throwing neighborhood parties, and time at the beach.