The Rev. Dr. Marsha Foster Boyd (Ph.D. '95) has been elected president of the Ecumenical Theological Seminary (ETS) in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Boyd is currently director of accreditation and leadership for the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Her doctoral studies at the Graduate Theological Union focused on religion and psychology.

For Dr. Boyd, the move is a natural. In her role at the Association of Theological Schools, she has been working with ETS on its accreditation, and so joins the seminary as a true kindred spirit. "Like the Graduate Theological Union, ETS emphasizes the discussion among a wide variety of groups and peoples, so it's very much part of who I am as a person," she said. "They focus on the inner city, building bridges among races, among all kinds of traditions."

Dr. Boyd has had an accomplished career, from her work as an itinerant elder and pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church to serving as dean of Payne Theological Seminary and as associate professor of pastoral care and counseling at United Theological Seminary. She is the first African American woman to serve in both of these academic positions, as well as the first to work on the professional staff at ATS.

"It is very exciting to have a GTU alum move into such a position of responsibility in theological education. Of course, Marsha has been doing some wonderful things all along, but this new appointment as president of Ecumenical Theological Seminary will give her a chance to have even greater effect for good," said Arthur Holder, dean and vice president for academic affairs at the Graduate Theological Union.