LTSS Alumni


LTSS Alumni Day

Alumni Day 2024 will be Wednesday, April 17, and Thursday, April 18.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

6-9 p.m. \ 2024 LTSS All Alumni Reception \ Student Union
All alumni and their guests are invited to a reception at the Student Union. Appetizers and drinks will be provided.

Please note that the originally planned 50th reunion dinner for the Class of 1974 will be folded into the All Alumni Reception.

Thursday, Apr 18, 2024: LTSS Alumni Day

9 a.m. \ Registration \ Student Union
Enjoy coffee and light breakfast pastries while you check in and catch up with fellow classmates

10 a.m. \ Yost Lecture \ Stavros Lecture Hall
This year's Yost Lecture features Dr. Jacqueline Grant, a prominent figure in the fields of theology and religious studies. Dr. Grant is also known for her significant contributions to womanist theology. 

*Stream online via YouTube.

11:30 a.m. \ Holy Eucharist Service \ Christ Chapel
Holy Eucharist service led by Kevin Strickland '08, bishop of the Southern Synod. The service will include a memorial service for alumni who have died in the past year.

In addition, we will celebrate the presentation of the Bedenbaugh Award to The Rev. Susan Crowell '95. 

*Stream online through the Christ Chapel LTSS Facebook page. 

12:45 p.m. \ Alumni Day Lunch on the Quad 
Join us for a barbecue lunch immediately after the chapel service on the Quad.

2:15 p.m. \ Legacy of Love: Honoring the Past, Investing in the Future \ Christ Chapel
Join in a discussion about the seminary's January 2025 move to Lenoir-Rhyne's Hickory campus. We will also use this opportunity to recognize the class of 2024 and all alumni celebrating milestone reunions. The alumni engagement efforts aim to connect LTSS alumni with the seminary and one another through a variety of programs, both formal and informal.

We offer opportunities to return to campus and foster a sense of community among seminary alumni.

The Future of LTSS
Lenoir-Rhyne University has announced the move of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary to the university’s main campus in Hickory in January 2025. The move will become official when the LR Board of Trustees takes final action at its March 2024 meeting.

Regular updates are being shared on the university website and with with LTSS community.

Learn More

Alumni Board


The LTSS Alumni Board works to find opportunities for LTSS alumni to engage with the seminary and with one another and generally further the interests of LTSS.

The board meets regularly and is led by the president and governed by bylaws.

Terms expire in 2024

  • The Rev. John Stirewalt ’81, MDiv'88

Terms expire in 2025

  • The Rev. Josh Tucker MDiv'13 (president)
  • The Rev. Stephen Mims '96, MDiv'00 (vice president)

Terms expire in 2026

  • The Rev. David Coffman MDiv'01
  • The Rev. David Drysdale MDiv'12
  • The Rev. Susan Thisell MDiv'15

Terms expire in 2027

  • The Rev. Jackie Utley MDiv'09