On May 22, 2024, at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Austin, TX, the Class of 2024 graduated amid the 73rd Commencement Exercises of Seminary of the Southwest. Among the 36 graduates were those receiving Masters degrees in Divinity, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and Spiritual Formation. A diploma in Anglican Studies was also awarded, as well as Honorary Doctorates to Dr. Willie James Jennings and Ms. Day Smith Prichartt.
Dr. Jennings, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale Divinity School, also preached. His sermon was titled, “Hold on to this for me.”
“What a privilege to honor Willie James Jennings as a scholar, teacher, and person of faith,” said the Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge. “As he always does, Willie blessed us in person and in preaching with his intellect, passion, and compassion.”
Southwest awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity to Jennings in recognition of his many contributions to the academy and theological education, especially in regards to the literature he has written that help form Southwest Divinity students. Ms. Smith Pritchett received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters and was recognized for her many contributions to the life of seminarians, but most notably for her long service as Executive Director of the Episcopal Evangelism Society, which has awarded dozens of grants to seminarians and Southwest alumni to fund a variety of creative evangelism project. Ms. Day Prichartt recently retired as Executive Director of EES.
“What a gift to be able to honor the leadership and vision of Day Smith Prichartt. Day‘s transformation of EES has been inspiring,” said Kittredge. “She has been a productive partner with Seminary of the Southwest in evangelism and a dear friend of mine for many years. How good that she is an officially a permanent member of the Southwest community.”
The evening before, graduates celebrated their last Holy Eucharist on campus as students, and were presented each with their Seminary Cross – a cross designed by James Avery that Southwest graduates have received for generations. At that service, Dean Cynthia Kittredge delivered the sermon, her last in Christ Chapel after 25 years of service to Southwest.
