A First at a Century-Old Seminary: A Black Woman Takes Charge
Rick Rojas of The New York Times writes about the Rev. LaKeesha Walrond, the new president of New York Theological Seminary in New York City. The former pastor of First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem, which grew from 300 to 10,000 congregants during her tenure there, Walrond is the first African-American woman to lead the 119-year-old seminary. Rojas writes, “The small seminary has played an influential role in New York City’s religious community, and specializes in putting theological education to work in urban settings.” But enrollment is waning, and Walrond hopes to draw a new generation of pastors and religious scholars.