For Cherry Hill Seminary, 2024 was a year of steady growth, continued system improvements, and celebration of our students’ and faculty members’ accomplishments. The following is a summary of key achievements.

Programs

Our programs—the courses we offer and our degrees and certificates—are the core of who we are as a Seminary. As a business, they are our product; as a religious education organization, they are our outreach and gift to the world. Ensuring the integrity of our programs is critical for serving our students, who are the reason Cherry Hill Seminary exists.

Our Academic Dean, Margo Wolfe, PhD, reports that 2024 was a year of meaningful alignments and growth. The three Master of Divinity programs thoughtfully reviewed their course requirements and offerings, aligning them more closely with our students’ evolving needs. These refinements provide clearer pathways to success, fulfillment, and deeper engagement. These updates are reflected in the newly revised student handbook, with corresponding changes being incorporated into Populi, our learning management system.

We also expanded the resources for thesis preparation, offering stronger support for those approaching the final stages of their degree journey. These enhancements are outlined in the updated handbook to guide faculty and students better.

In a spirit of collaboration, Cherry Hill Seminary entered into conversation with United Theological Seminary, laying the groundwork for shared courses that foster interfaith dialogue and broaden the classroom experience for all students. We are excited about the possiblities this opens up for partnerships with other schools.

The Spiritual Direction Certificate third cohort proceeded through most of their second year in the (two-year) program. (A fourth cohort begins in March 2025.) The first class of the Certificate of Writing as a Spiritual Practice completed their program and produced an anthology of work (Hypatia Dreaming) from their year-long immersive studies with Rev. Diane Cacciato. A second group will begin in 2025.

The Community Ministry Certificate (CMC) continues to fill an important need for non-graduate education, training, and spiritual development for grassroots leaders. They are individually mentored for thirteen months by one of our eight faculty-mentors.

Dana Doerksen, MLIS, has provided valuable coordination for library information services for the past year. She conducts periodic training seminars for students and faculty and writes a column for the newsletter. Ms. Doerksen is also the point of contact for individual student and faculty requests.

The Coming to the Center podcast continues to hold one interview each semester with thought leaders, scholars, and experts in Pagan spirituality. The programs are free and open to the public. Guests in 2024 included Padraic Fitzgerald and Chas Clifton. Spiritual Direction Certificate (SpiDir) Coordinator and faculty member Rev. Amy Beltaine continues to host A Spiritual Feast, a twice-monthly online ritual open to all, with a committee of students and others.

Prison chaplains and others continue to contact the seminary regularly inquiring about resources for their Pagan inmates; mail from inmates is now referred to CrowMoon Ministries as the Seminary has phased out the Pagan Life Academy printed and mailed lessons.

A total of 99 registrations were received for the following courses, which were offered in 2024:

Mason Davenport of the Washington, DC area began as our new Student Services Coordinator. Mason’s work greatly enhances our ability to serve both students and faculty and expands our utilization of Populi software.

At the close of the year, thirteen students were pursuing a graduate degree, twenty-one a Community Ministry Certificate, eleven a Spiritual Direction Certificate, and many students or guests signed up for individual Insights and other courses. Four students received their Certificate of Writing as a Spiritual Practice.

Volunteers

The Seminary has always relied heavily on the selfless support of gifted volunteers. Our department chairs, librarian, and marketing coordinator are all volunteer positions. One could also say that our staff offer considerable volunteer talent since their salaries continue (at this time) to fall far below what they might earn in similar positions at other institutions. We are profoundly grateful for this group’s invaluable contributions.

We especially appreciate our Seminary Librarian, the Votaries Alumni Circle, the Board of Directors, and the Advisory Council, which is available to leadership and staff who have specific questions related to a Council member’s expertise. The Votaries Alumni Circle remains a vital link between graduates and the ongoing life of the Seminary.

Last year, the Votaries awarded the fifth annual Wendy L. Griffin Professor of the Year Award, choosing Rev. Diane Cacciato for this honor. Students in Cacciato’s writing program were especially impressed with her close attention to their work, willingness to spend time outside of class with individuals, and, most of all, her strong positive affirmation and encouragement.

During the same December ceremony, the Seminary gave Dr. Jeffrey Keefer the Hypatia Award for Excellence in Education in recognition of his lifetime of service to higher education, especially his long dedication to Cherry Hill Seminary. Executive Director Holli Emore said in presenting the award, “Occasionally, there is someone who has so enriched the life of our Seminary, who has exemplified our ideals of scholarship combined with service to others, that we are compelled to recognize that person’s unique contributions.”

For the third year in a row, our students served as volunteer chaplains on duty in a Memorial Room the Seminary has created at Mystic South Pagan conference in Atlanta in July. When the conference restarted after a several-year hiatus because of COVID, CHS was asked to provide this service, knowing that many were still grieving the loss of loved ones and the changes caused by the pandemic.

A special altar in a quiet room holds a sort of tabletop “tree” onto which visitors may tie a strip of cloth in remembrance of a loved one or for a special prayer.

A register allows them to enter the name of the one being remembered and any special messages. The volunteer chaplain is simply nearby, holding space for visitors but available should someone wish for support.

In 2025, we will return with the Memorial Room, graciously staffed by our trained students.

Systems

Late in 2024, the Board of Directors asked the Executive Director to hire an outside consultant in early 2025 to redesign our main website. Our Student Services Manager, Mason Davenport, continues to help us move forward in effective use of our Populi student system.

Governance

The Board of Directors met monthly to review Seminary business, examine and receive financial and other reports, and discuss matters deemed important for board consideration.

Our budget reflects the board’s attention to both operations and programming. Although staff direct and are in charge of daily management decision-making, board members bring considerable expertise to their board service; they often advise the director, e.g., on budgeting, program strengthening, accreditation application preparation tasks, or marketing.

Contributions

Donors continue to provide about twenty percent of the Seminary’s annual budget. In 2024, that was $19,279 from 73 donors. Fundraising not only brings in critical funds but also engages individuals who give, empowering them to be part of our service to the wider communities of our students.

A View of 2025

In the year ahead, Cherry Hill Seminary looks forward to welcoming a growing number of students to each of our programs.

We are actively building faculty capacity, strengthening infrastructure described above, and developing our leadership. Our new website and logo will roll out in late spring 2025.

Our vision of the future is to continue our work towards accreditation while providing the best possible education to serve the spiritual needs of Pagans and other Nature-Based Spiritualities.

For more information about Cherry Hill Seminary, visit us at www.cherryhillseminary.org.