The Theodore J. Wardlaw Presidential Endowment recognizes President Wardlaw's unique gifts and memorializes, in perpetuity, his leadership and tremendous contributions as president of Austin Seminary during the first quarter of the 21st century.
To read more about the Theodore J. Wardlaw Presidential Endowment and how to honor Ted’s legacy, click here ....
José Irizarry to become Seminary's 10th president
A native of Puerto Rico, Irizarry has served as Vice President of Education at the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) since 2016. A scholar in the field of practical theology, Irizarry teaches at Villanova University and has held teaching and administrative positions at various educational and theological institutions in the US and Puerto Rico. Learn more here ...
Coming in January: Israel Tour
Learn from peacemakers in the region by joining Professor David Jensen and Rabbi Neil Blumofe on a special tour of the Holy Land, January 2-13, 2023. The tour, open to Austin Seminary students, alumni, and the public, will visit wonders of Israel including Jerusalem's Old City, Garden of Gethsemane, and Shabbat at the Western Wall; biblical sites Capernaum, Bethlehem, Hebron, and the Dead Sea; the city of Tel Aviv and much more.
• Learn more and register here...
Professor Aymer Becomes Dean
Tell me about your family and your family of origin:
I was born in Barbados to a Jamaican and Antiguan mother and father. They met when my father was in seminary in Jamaica and came to the US when he began his PhD at Drew. I am the oldest of three sisters.
Laurent is my husband and he was born and raised in France. He has a PhD in computer engineering from the University of Paris and currently works as a software engineer in Austin. Gabriel is my son and will be nine in September as he begins the third grade. Laurent’s brother and his family live and teach in Athens, Greece, which is where we are headed on vacation this summer.
It is fun for me to imagine that I was Gabriel’s age when my family moved to New Jersey for my father to attend Drew. It was there I learned to ride a bike (and skinned my knees riding around campus!) and pick apples from the campus trees.
Where did you receive your formal education?
I was a US history major in college and received my degree from Harvard University. I received my MDiv and PhD from Union Theological Seminary in New York.
What was your journey to get to Austin?
I left New York City just before 9/11 in 2001 to teach at the Interdenominational Center in Atlanta, where I was for fourteen years. I met Laurent while in Atlanta, as he was doing .com work there. We moved to Austin when I was called to teach New Testament at Austin Seminary in 2015; I am beginning my eighth year here.
What three words would your friends use to describe you?
Gregarious. Kind. Thoughtful.
What excites you the most about the upcoming academic year?
I am excited to see how all of the new faculty and the seasoned faculty combine to create some new things on campus. I’m not sure how to even imagine what those things might look like, but it is exciting to know that there is so much potential.
What does success look like for you in your new role as academic dean and what potentially impedes that success?
I think success looks like facilitating the faculty as a body as they discern where God is leading us forward—helping us move forward in what the dreams are and integrating one another into those dreams.
The biggest impediment is that we are human! We have to remember that 25% of our faculty is new, and a third has been here five years or less. We are still figuring each other out and will work through conflicts and not let them stop us as we learn. It is an immense gift to have this kind of new energy and it will also bring challenges. We are also still obviously working through integrating back into a somewhat post-pandemic life with new tools, new electronic systems, and a new degree program (MAYM).
What is something that the Austin Seminary community likely doesn’t know about you?
I love to crochet! I don’t get to do it very much—I have a lot of half-completed projects around my house as evidence of that. I’m also a 4-in-hand handbell ringer. I began ringing in 2001 and absolutely love it, though I don’t get to do it as much these days. My whole family is very musical. My husband plays the saxophone, my son is a pianist, and I enjoy playing some piano and singing. Music is our shared language.
That leads to an obvious next question of what would be the one song you would choose to sing at karaoke?
That’s a hard question! I love so many kinds of music. Anything with a melody and a story is wonderful music to me. I think I’d like to sing “Snowbird” by Anne Murray or “Black Butterfly” by Deniece Williams.
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My Seminary Spot
Each month we feature one of our new banners inspired by our community's reflections on special places around campus.
In this month's banner, President Ted Wardlaw cherishes all that Shelton Chapel symbolizes for the Austin Seminary community.
Get the latest news from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in their digital monthly eNewsletter. Features on events, students, faculty, and alumni can be sent directly to your inbox.
Get the latest news from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in their digital monthly eNewsletter. Features on events, students, faculty, and alumni can be sent directly to your inbox.
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