Unitas Distinguished Alumni/ae Awards

The Unitas Distinguished Alumni/ae Awards, established in 1994, bear witness to the faith and perseverance of living Union alumni/ae who exemplify the Seminary’s academic breadth, its diversity and inclusiveness, and the range of vocations its graduates follow. Recipients represent all of the Union graduates who have distinguished themselves in the church, academy, and society across the country and around the world.

2012 Unitas Distinguished Alumni/ae Award Recipients

Each October during Union Days alumni/ae, through the Alumni/ae Council, honor their own with the Unitas Distinguished Alumni/ae Awards. The recipients represent all union graduates who have distinguished themselves in the church, academy, and society across the country and around the world.

David Gushee M.Phil. '87, Ph.D. '93

Serves as Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University. He has published many books, and many scholarly essays and articles. He remains committed to bridging evangelical Christianity and public engagement in areas of social ethics and justice.

Andrea Smith M.D.iv. '97

Serves as associate professor in the Department of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California, Riverside. She is the co-founder of INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, the Boarding School Healing Project, Evangelicals 4 Justice, and the Critical Ethnic Studies Association.  She is the author of Native Americans and the Christian Right: The Gendered Politics of Unlikely Alliances (Duke) and Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide (South End Press). She previously served as US Coordinator for the Ecumenical Association of Third  World Theologians.  

Thomas J. Philipp M.Div. '62

Tom has been in the ministry for 50 years, serving as both a campus minister and as a pastor of a congregation at the same time. Before retiring in 2006 he was Executive Minister of Long Island Campus Ministry serving the several campuses on Long island, and the Pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Merrick. Since retiring he has been the Temporary Supply Pastor at South Haven Presbyterian Church in Brookhaven, NY. In 2001 he received the Higher Education Honor Roll Award of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The National Campus Ministry Association has recognized his work on several occasions. He  was the recipient of the  Rev, Bea Blair Courageous Service Award from Family Planning Advocates of New York for his work with members of the State Assembly and Senate to pass the Right to Choose legislation to make abortion legal in  New York. This was prior to Roe vs.Wade.  Recently he did similar work to pass same gender marriage legislation in New York State. He was a founder and past President of the Long Island Crisis Center and founded its Pride For Youth program meeting needs of teenage GLBT youth. As a peace advocate he presently serves as President of the South Country Peace Group and convener of the Presbytery’s Middle East Study Group 

Dennis Wiley M.Phil. '85, Ph.D. '88

Has served as pastor of Covenant Baptist United church of Christ in Washington, DC, for 27 years. The Reverend Dr. Wiley is a distinguished theologian, a prominent civic activist, and a gifted musician. Among his numerous civic and denominational commitments, Dr. Wiley is in the forefront of the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality for all persons.

Unitas Distinguished Alumni/ae Award Recipients

2011

Rev. John Collins '61
The Rt. Rev. Disani Christopher Senyonjo '66, '67
The Rev. Dr. William Epps '69
Dr. Elizabeth M. Bounds '86, '94

2010

Wayne C. Hartmire '60
Dwight N. Hopkins '84 '87 '88
Mary Evelyn Tucker '82 '85
Walter Wink '59 '63