UCC - Carol E. Lytch selected as president of Lancaster Theological Seminary

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Lytch selected as president of Lancaster Theological Seminary

> Written by Staff and Wire Reports
> June 22, 2011
> The Rev. Carol E. Lytch. (Photo provided)

The Rev. Carol E. Lytch, a nationally recognized
leader in theological education, has been
unanimously voted by the Board of Trustees to
become the next president of UCC-related Lancaster Theological Seminary.

Lytch, who was selected June 15, will assume her
role as Lancaster's 11th president in mid-August.

"I feel tremendously blessed to be given the
opportunity to serve the Lancaster Seminary
community as president," said Lytch. "I have been
aware of the seminary's good work for over 10
years, since the school received grants from
Lilly Endowment for innovative programs for
pastoral renewal and for youth vocational exploration.

"I look forward to engaging the United Church of
Christ and other churches and the wider public to
the aspirations of seminary so that dreams are
fulfilled beyond all that we ask or imagine."

Lancaster Seminary Trustee Richard Kratz, who
chaired the presidential search committee, said
Lytch was the ideal candidate. "Dr. Lytch
absolutely personifies the optimistic commitment
to the future of the Christian church that the
school seeks to encourage in its students," he said.

> Lytch is currently the assistant executive
> director of the Association of Theological
> Schools (ATS), where she oversees professional
> leadership initiatives for seminary presidents,
> deans, development officers, chief financial
> officers and student personnel administrators.

Dr. Daniel Aleshire, executive director of ATS,
said, "Carol's years of work at the Association
of Theological Schools have given her a keen
understanding of the most important work that
seminaries need their presidents to do ? making
friends for the school, building its capacity and securing its future."

A cum laude graduate of Mount Holyoke College,
Lytch earned her M. Div. from Princeton
Theological Seminary and Ph.D. from Emory
University within the department of ethics and
society. Her dissertation focused on the faith
development of church-affiliated high school youth.

Lytch has also served as coordinator of the Lilly
Endowment's Program for Strengthening
Congregational Leadership. She was also visiting
scholar and researcher-in-residence at Louisville
(Ky.) Presbyterian Theological Seminary. A
minister in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., she
served early in her career as co-pastor of First
Presbyterian Church in Cranberry, N.J., with her husband Steven.

The search was led by a 10-member committee

appointed by Trustees. It included five board
members and representatives from the faculty,
staff, students and alumni/ae. The board also
engaged independent consultant Rebekah Burch Basinger as search counsel.