School Notes: Yale Divinity School
September/October 2014

Annual fund milestones

The Yale Divinity School Annual Fund, 100 percent of which is applied to student financial aid, raised $445,978 this year, the second highest total in the history of the campaign. Nearly 1,900 YDS alumni contributed, for a participation rate of 28.6 percent. Among the professional schools at Yale, only the Schools of Law, Management, and Medicine had a higher total or a higher percentage of participation from alumni. The only higher annual fund for YDS occurred in 1992–1993. As part of the YDS Annual Fund, the Class of 2014 made a gift of $11,673 and achieved a participation rate of 74 percent.

A professorship in Catholic theology

Teresa Berger, professor of liturgical studies since 2007, has been named the inaugural Thomas E. Golden Jr. Professor of Catholic Theology. Professor Berger holds doctorates in both liturgical studies and constructive theology. Her scholarship explores the intersections of both disciplines with gender theory. Catholic students at YDS do not usually pursue ordination; however, Berger believes studies in Catholic theology are critical to a more global perspective on Christianity, since Roman Catholics make up more than half of all Christians around the world. The professorship expands Catholic resources at YDS, as students from the Roman Catholic tradition are a growing presence at YDS, and now form the second largest denominational group.

New dean of admissions

Vernice Randall ’11MDiv has been appointed associate dean of admissions and financial aid, after serving as interim in the position since December 2012. In her first year, the admissions office achieved a record 64 percent yield of accepted students.  Under her leadership, the admissions office has boosted the number of applications by 10 percent, besting our peer institutions, and has worked hard to increase applications from underrepresented groups. Randall is also well known at YDS as a gifted preacher, and she teaches as an adjunct lecturer in homiletics for Principles and Practices of Preaching.