Owensboro, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2017) – Kentucky Wesleyan College announces a new partnership with the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. Candler is considered one of the nation’s premier theology schools in the United States and beyond. This innovative partnership offers automatic admission and guaranteed scholarships for Kentucky Wesleyan students who qualify for the program.
Candler is a seminary of the United Methodist Church and is grounded in the Christian faith and shaped by the Wesleyan tradition of evangelical piety, ecumenical openness and social concern. Candler students experience rigorous academics, extensive fieldwork and intentional reflection as they prepare for ministry.
Kentucky Wesleyan and Candler are committed to the education of future ordained and lay leaders of the United Methodist Church and its ecumenical partners, and both institutions seek to provide pathways that allow students to progress from a baccalaureate program to an affordable and accessible theology degree program.
President Barton D. Darrell remarked about the partnership, saying, “Kentucky Wesleyan is committed to its connection with the United Methodist Church, and this incredible partnership is an extension of our commitment to offering an affordable high-level, faith-based education. To partner with a premier seminary like the Candler School of Theology at Emory University is confirmation of the high quality faculty, students and staff here at Wesleyan. Presently, Candler has this type arrangement with only two schools in the United States, and we are honored to be one of them.”
Current students and graduates of Wesleyan must meet specific requirements for guaranteed admission to a Candler program with scholarships available in the Master of Divinity or Master of Religious Life degree programs at Candler.
“This is a significant partnership that will benefit our students as they prepare for careers in various areas of ministry,” said Wesleyan Academic Dean Dr. Paula Dehn. “We are thrilled to work with this esteemed institution and excited for the tremendous opportunity for our students.”
Emory is a premier research institution consistently ranked among the top 25 national universities by U.S. News and World Report, and many of the world’s great minds in theological education are on Candler’s faculty. They are passionate about engaging students and driving transformation in the church and society. Seventy percent of Candler alumni are church pastors and others minister in colleges, hospitals, the military and social service organizations.
For more information on the Kentucky Wesleyan and Candler partnership, contact Wesleyan Assistant Professor of Religion Jim Coleman at jcoleman@kwc.edu or 502-553-0504.