180th Commencement
Meadville Lombard will celebrate its 180th Commencement the weekend of May 17–18, 2025. Please see the subpages for more information. If you have any questions, please contact our Registrar, Elena Jimenez.
You Are Invited!
The Board of Trustees, Faculty, Staff, and the Graduating Class invite you to attend
Meadville Theological School of Lombard College’s 180th Commencement
Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Central
We welcome all area ministers, alums, institutional representatives from other theological schools, and friends of the school to Meadville Lombard's 180th Commencement Ceremony. If you'd like to join the academic procession, please let us know by emailing Faysha Crosbie by April 28th.
The ceremony will be streamed via Zoom. A link will be available here to stream the ceremony on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. Central.
The Commencement program will be available in a booklet form for in-person attendees. Online attendees can access the program in PDF. It will be available on this page by the day of the Ceremony.
About Meadville Lombard Commencement
The Meadville Lombard Theological School will celebrate its 180th Commencement on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at the First Unitarian Church of Chicago. Since its founding in 1844, the school has graduated preachers, parish and community ministers, chaplains, academics, denominational leaders, and hymnists, all while maintaining its commitment to a multiracial, multicultural, and theologically diverse learning environment. At the forefront of theological education, Meadville Lombard’s educational model incorporates a three-year integrated internship and digital technology within a low-residency program so that students no longer have to reside near the school but can come in regularly for intensive courses as well as accomplish locally their ministerial training. This year most of our students will receive an MDiv degree, some will receive a Master of Arts (Religion) degree, one will receive a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies degree, and some will receive Certificates. In addition, we will award one honorary doctorate. This ceremony brings to a culmination the many years of hard work that all of these graduates have put into obtaining their degrees. Classes, papers, discussion groups, practicums, seminars, and parish/institutional placements all combine finally into this one celebratory moment that the receiving of this diploma signifies. Gowns, hoods, and processions point to this singular triumph that says this person is ready to go out and embody liberal religious ministry in the world.
