News of Alums & Friends

Congratulations to Jaewoong Jeon (current resident) and Evelyn Shih (former resident) who were married July 1. Jaewoong is a PhD student in History at the UC; Evelyn is a PhD student at Berkeley.

Congratulations to Liv Gibbons (2008) and Elijah Buck on the birth of their daughter Isla on June 21. Isla is already going places!

House Scholar Hyein Park, a third-year MDiv student, will receive the Soongook Choi Scholarship from the North American Pacific Asian Disciples (NAPAD). The late Soongook Choi was a professor and president of Seoul Christian University, and later pastor of Chicago Christian Church and a chaplain. From 1989 to 1997, Dr. Choi served on DDH's Board of Trustees.

Six members of the Disciples Justice Action Network (DJAN) leadership team gathered at University Church on June 16. They included Harvey Lord (1960), founder of DJAN, who is seated in the photo, and, standing at the right: Ken Brooker Langston (1985), Director of DJAN, and Thandiwe Gobledale (2009), Decisions Team member. Also pictured are Ann Marie Coleman, Don Coleman, and Jay Wilcoxen.

Pumsup Shim was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at University Church in Chicago on June 2, 2013. Jinsuk Chun, Executive Pastor of North American Pacific Asian Disciples (NAPAD), preached. Pum received his STM degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in May; he received his MDiv from the University of Chicago Divinity School in 2012.

Holly McKissick (Trustee) is the author of Tall Poppy: How to Lead without Losing Your Head published in May by Abingdon Press. The book explores the benefits and risks of "Tall Poppy leadership" in congregations: "While there are risks to standing out, there are also benefits: tall poppies have the best view and are positioned to have the clearest vision of the horizon." She writes about courage, resilience, and "listening for God's prompting" as a leader moves forward through inevitable conflict.

Jem Jebbia (current resident) will serve as Vice-President of the Divinity Students Association and Elijah Kindred (current resident) as treasurer for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Greening the Divinity School, co-led by Hannah Campbell Gustafson (current resident), received the Sustainable Actions for a Greener Environment award from the University's Office of Sustainability for the year 2013. Greening the Divinity School  aims to improve the environmental sustainability of our community, our events, and Swift Hall. The steering committee often meets at DDH.

Congratulations to Sarah and Ian Gerdon (former resident) and their son Liam; they welcomed Cassian James Deogratias Gerdon to the world on May 9, weighing 7 lbs., 9 oz. All are doing well.

Congratulations to Mallorie and Julian DeShazier (Trustee) on the birth of their daughter, Dania Elle, born on May 4.