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.

David Vargas (1971; Trustee) was elected as President Emeritus of the Division of Overseas Ministries (DOM) at DOM's Board meeting, held April 17-18, 2013. He served as President of DOM and Co-Executive of Global Ministries from 2003 until 2010, when he retired. Since his retirement, he has occasionally served DOM and Global Ministries as a representative at their request.

Congratulations to House Scholar Brandon Cline, who has been selected as a Marty Center Junior Fellow for the 2013-14 academic year. Brandon is a PhD candidate in Early Christian Literature; his dissertation is entitled "Petition and Propaganda in Ancient Rome: Justin's Apologies in their Roman Imperial Context."

Congratulations to Kerry Waller (2000) and Ben Dueholm (former MND chef) and their son Soren on the birth of Elijah Alexander on May 5.

On March 19, Spencer Dew (1998) was interviewed by Melissa Block on NPR's All Things Considered about the Moorish Science Temple of America. He has received archival research grants for a forthcoming book on the group, which was founded by Noble Drew Ali in the 1920s. Listen to the interview here. The story was also picked up by CBS This Morning on March 25. Read his earlier piece for Sightings, "Sovereign Citizenship, Religion, and Law: The Case of Moorish Science" (29 July 2010), here.

Jennifer G. Jesse (1985) is the author of William Blake's Religious Vision: There's a Methodism in His Madness, published in February 2013 by Lexington Books. She "concludes that by analyzing the dramatic character of Blake's works theologically through this wide-angled, audience-oriented approach, we see him orchestrating a grand rapprochement of the extreme theologies of his day into a unified vision that integrates faith and reason."