Graduation 2023

The 2023 Commencement Exercises

On Thursday, May 11, 2023 St. Mary’s Seminary & University held its 2023 Commencement for graduates of  St. Mary’s School of Theology (and the Ecclesiastical Faculty) and St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute. The Commencement Speaker and Recipient of an Honorary Degree was Mary Pat Seurkamp, Ph.D., President Emerita of Notre Dame of Maryland University.

For full size images of the class pictures in this article, use these links:

• Ordinand graduates.
• All School of Theology graduates (those receiving the M.A. and M.Div. degrees as well as the S.T.B. and S.T.L. degrees).
• St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute graduates.

School of Theology and Ecclesiastical Faculty

Twelve students were awarded degrees from the School of Theology:

Master of Arts in Theology

• Mark Henry Donohue
• Jacob Gindhart
• Nicholas Mwai
• Peter Vincent Myers
• Thomas Whiteford

Master of Divinity

• Michael Joseph Boris
• Javier Anotnio Fuentes Cabrera
• Jeffrey Donovan 
• Onyedikachukwu Chibundu John Enemuo
• Paul Kongnyuy
• Sampson Onyeaso Onwumere
• David Wang

In 1822, Pope Pius VII established the seminary the country’s first ecclesiastical (pontifical) faculty with the right to grant degrees in the name of the Holy See. The seminary continues to offer the pontifical STB (Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology) and STL (Licentiate in Sacred Theology) degrees for all qualified students. The 2023 degree recipients of the ecclesiastical faculty were:

Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB)

• Michael Joseph Boris
• Javier Anotnio Fuentes Cabrera
• Jeffrey Donovan 
• Onyedikachukwu Chibundu John Enemuo
• Paul Kongnyuy
• Nicholas Mwai
• Sampson Onyeaso Onwumere
• David Wang

Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL)

• Joseph N. Franz
• Emily Hicks
• Banadzem Francline Javlon
• Andrew Lacovara
• Mbomnda Tekam Patrick
• Kegham Jude Thaddeus Sango
• James Michael Starke

St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute

St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute conferred master’s degrees on 14 students. Additionally, one individual received the graduate certificate of advanced studies:

Master of Arts in Theology

• D. Karen Hill Douglass
• Jerry Donyel Edmonds
• Julian Fuller (recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theological Studies)
• Byron Lane Huffman
• Devron R. McCleod
• Samuel Gatua Muiruri
• Gwendolyn Mullen
• Mary Jo Wiese (recipient of the Robert F. Leavitt Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theological Studies)
• Galen Andrew Zook

Master of Arts in Christian Ministries

• Marc Anthony Bowman
• Kenneth Joseph Goedeke, Jr. (recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Study and Practice of Ministry)
• Michele Maher Hunter
• Nkolika Genevieve Jackson
• Jennifer D. Minor (recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Study and Practice of Ministry)

Certificate of Advanced Studies in Theology

• Matthew C. Fuhrman

One of the highlights of this year’s graduation was the awarding of the first-ever Doctor of Ministry degrees at St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute. The two recipients with the titles of their theses are:

Doctor of Ministry

• Allison Raye Harmon (thesis: Reading Joseph in Community: Identity Matters)
• Joyce E. Vance (thesis: “Out of the Mouths of Babes:” Revitalizing Greater Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church’s Children’s Ministry)

Commencement Speaker/Honorary Degree

The 2023 Commencement Speaker was Dr. Mary Pat Seurkamp, President Emerita of Notre Dame of Maryland University and past member of the St. Mary’s Board of Trustees. She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa.