Passing the Baton

Dear Ones,

It’s a time of great transition – not just for Starr King School for the Ministry, but for myself, as I conclude my service as president of Starr King.

My service and commitment to Starr King began long before I became its president. My introduction to the school came as a new member of its Board of Trustees in the 1990s. I arrived at my first board meeting, my infant son in my arms, (he is now 31 years old), as the school was beginning to ask the question, “What are the qualities of ministry that will be needed in the 21st Century?”

What was clear to us then was that Unitarian Universalist and progressive religious leaders in the 21st century would need a broader multicultural, multi-religious education that stood in opposition to oppressive systems that harmed us all, and that we would need that perspective to guide our congregations and communities into the future. It was from those deep conversations that our commitment to Educating to Counter Oppressions was born; from there, the school began to build a faculty and create an educational model that would best equip our students for this vital religious leadership.

Starr King’s commitment did not come without difficulty. During these years, the school lost some of its largest donors and supporters. My predecessor, the Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, along with the Provost, Dr. Ibrahim Farajajé, and board members (including myself) were ridiculed and attacked, even by UU clergy; Dr. Farajajé was subjected to death threats. All these disruptions in the life of the school came not from outsiders, but from UU clergy and laity who were not ready to take up this counter-oppressive mantle or felt actively threatened by it. Yet under the Rev. Dr. Parker’s leadership, along with the commitment of our faculty, staff, and board, Starr King persevered. We continued to innovate in order to equip the next generation of progressive religious leaders. And eventually, the UU universe caught up to Starr King’s remarkable vision.

It’s been a profound joy and privilege to build on this legacy and commitment over the past 11 years as president. Together, we have worked to strengthen the school’s foundations. We have continued to innovate and experiment to create new pathways for people to learn at Starr King as they prepare for different forms of religious leadership. The school and its people have been both nimble and resilient in the face of two difficult and adversarial presidential administrations, a global pandemic, profound economic shifts, and larger shifts within theological and higher education. Even with all these changes, we have graduated nearly 200 Unitarian Universalist and progressive religious leaders who are equipped to meet this moment, with the tools to guide and challenge their congregations and communities. Starr King continues to be a force multiplier in the great work of changing our world.

I am immensely grateful to all of those people who have been part of my journey over the past 11 years – particularly our committed and brilliant staff, faculty, students, graduates, board members, and donors. Together, you have sustained and made better the work of our beloved school. Thank you for your love, support, and dedication.

Our world is in a time of great transition. We are living in strange, uncertain times, as authoritarianism rises in our country and around the world, as many of our communities are under threat by our federal government, and as many of the values and commitments we hold most dear are being demonized by those in power. Higher education as a whole is being attacked by our government, particularly those institutions that are committed to justice, equity, and inclusion. And theological education has shown itself to be just as vulnerable to these trends as any other part of our society. Lingering inflation, widespread decreases in enrollment, and changing dynamics within religion and religious communities – all these things make the work of theological education more challenging than it has ever been.

In the face of all these changes, I am excited to pass the baton to our incoming President, Dr. Stephanie L. Krusemark. It has been wonderful to get to know and work with Dr. Krusemark over the past few weeks. Her many years of experience in higher education, particularly in theological schools, has helped to make her an extraordinary leader. She has the deep experience, proven skills, and expansive vision to help Starr King meet this moment and take the school into its next chapter. I am looking forward to seeing all she will accomplish.

Together, Dr. Krusemark and I will be speaking about Starr King’s past and present – as well as its future – throughout our time together at General Assembly this week. You can learn more about some of those opportunities to connect with us at GA at www.sksm.edu/ga.

Let me end by echoing the words I shared a little over a year ago, when I announced my decision to conclude my service as president: Thank you for this opportunity to serve the school that I love and, in so doing, to serve the faith that I love. It has been a lively 11 years at Starr King – filled with joys and sorrows and a deep and abiding love for all that Starr King is and does for the world. I am deeply proud of all that we have accomplished together. And as Dr. Krusemark begins her work, I know that so much more is yet to come! I hope to see you this week in Baltimore.

Faithfully,

Rosemary