Father Nicholas Roth, one of the two co-Valedictorians in the Class of 2014, is the Priest in Charge of Ss. George & Alexandra Orthodox Mission (OCA) in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Community Rescue Mission, a faith-based organization committed to helping the homeless. A U.S. Army Captain and veteran, Fr. Nicholas served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2005—2010.

Matushka Mary is a Speech Language Pathologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Kids First program, an interdisciplinary day health care program for children with special health care needs. Father Nicholas and Mat. Mary enjoy cooking, travel, hiking, and camping.

The Roths have been financially supporting St. Vladimir’s since graduating in 2014. They’ve also given back to the Seminary in other ways: speaking on campus to wives of seminarians during meetings of the St. Juliana Society, and hosting seminarians during the summer through their diocesan internship program.

How would you characterize the impact of St. Vladimir's Seminary?

As a parish priest I see the impact of St. Vladimir’s on a daily basis—not simply in terms of what I received at the Seminary that I now offer to parishioners, but also in the wide range of resources that St. Vladimir’s provides for people growing in their faith.

Additionally, the partnerships that St. Vladimir’s has developed throughout the world, particularly through the Giving Tuesday initiatives, have enabled the growth and continued support of Orthodoxy everywhere: from Guatemala to Kenya. Outside of the Church, initiatives like the Arvo Pärt Project have exposed a whole host of people to the faith who might otherwise never have known about Orthodox Christianity.

What was your first exposure to the ministry of St. Vladimir's? What was it that first impressed you about the Seminary? 

I met an Orthodox chaplain, Fr. Peter Baktis (SVOTS 1985), during my second deployment to Iraq. I was impressed by him and thankful for his pastoral care. I eventually became a catechumen through his guidance.

When I began to consider studying at a seminary, I thought of St. Vladimir’s first, due to Fr. Peter’s influence.

Additionally, the publications of St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press were an integral part of our journey to Orthodoxy, as we searched out quality writings that would help us learn more about the faith.  

Of course, our real introduction was showing up on campus! We didn’t even visit the Seminary before deciding to enroll, since I sent in my application during a deployment to Afghanistan. 

We trusted that God would help us end up where He wanted us to be, and we’re extremely grateful that things turned out the way they did. From the moment we showed up, everyone we met was warm and inviting—both students and faculty—and we knew we’d made the right choice.

In your experience, what makes St. Vladimir’s unique?

One huge draw for us was that all seminarians live on campus. We aren’t simply sitting in a classroom with each other, but we rather are worshipping and living together—faculty and students alike.

In this way, we develop and strengthen relationships with one another that are then carried out into the world as we begin our ministries. Since graduating, I speak nearly every week with at least one person we met during our time at St. Vladimir’s—classmates, wives, or faculty members.  

At St. Vladimir’s we were pushed to achieve balance in our lives—an essential skill for maintaining mental and spiritual health in parish ministry. The time demands of seminary are almost endless: family life, rigorous academics, chapel life, pastoral training, community service—and all with the allure of New York City just a short train ride away! 

These activities compete for time and require seminarians to learn how to maintain a healthy life balance and develop clear priorities. Achieving excellence simultaneously in all areas is unrealistic; but each activity is necessary, and so time management becomes the big challenge.

Why do you give to St. Vladimir’s? 

We want others to have that same opportunity to enrich their knowledge, deepen their faith, and then take what they’ve learned out into the world, offering it back in service to Christ’s Holy Church.

Supporting African students through the St. Cyprian of Carthage Fund

When New Hampshire innkeeper Susan Karalekas watched her son, Cornelius Schuster, drive off to seminary at the start of the 2016–2017 school year, she had no idea that a new chapter in her own life was beginning as well. It started when, through Cornelius, Susan and her husband, Nickolas Lupinin, met Seminarian Simon Menya.

As first-year residents of the Germack Building on campus, Cornelius and Simon became close friends. When Simon returned to Gulu, Uganda, for his wedding in the summer of 2017, Cornelius even journeyed to Africa and served as his best man.

During their African visit, Cornelius and Simon were joined by seminary President The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield. “Together they toured Orthodox churches and ministries in the diocese of northern Uganda,” says Susan. “I followed their daily activities via photos and social media and learned how much one African seminarian can do for his community when he is equipped with a theological education from St. Vladimir’s.”

Simon was ordained to the diaconate while in Uganda that summer, and Susan was impressed by his continued dedication, as he began his third year of study at St. Vladimir’s. “He had left his entire family behind in Uganda to pursue his theological studies,” she reflects. “I hope to meet them someday!

“We’ve had Dn. Simon in our home many times now,” Susan explains. “I feel that he is my Ugandan son, and he calls me his ‘American Mum.’”

In the process of adopting Dn. Simon into her family, Susan also began to feel drawn to the community and mission of St. Vladimir’s. “As an Orthodox Christian from a Russian family, my husband was familiar with the Seminary, but I first visited in March of 2017,” she says. “I have since returned many times to attend services at Three Hierarchs Chapel and to fellowship with the students.

“There are Serbians, Romanians, Coptics, Greeks, Russians, and Armenians among the student body—it’s wonderful!” she notes. “I love the music and the choirs, and I appreciate how the Seminary cares for its students, including my son.”

The missionary spirit is alive at St. Vladimir’s, Susan observes. “Uganda and other African countries have a dire need for Orthodox priests,” she says, “which St. Vladimir’s is proactively addressing through vehicles such as the newly established St. Cyprian of Carthage Fund.”

When she learned about the St. Cyprian of Carthage Fund through a seminary brochure, Susan didn’t waste any time. “I actually contacted them to ask for more return envelopes, so that we could share the good news about the fund with others,” she laughs.

Susan began to write personal letters to friends and family, explaining why she had given to the St. Cyprian Fund, and encouraging them to do so as well. Many of them had already met Dn. Simon; moved by his faith and devotion, they wanted to help.

“I am compelled to support African students who might not otherwise be able to attend,” she says. “People know that when you give to St. Vladimir’s, the impact is exponential!”

Susan Karalekas was brought up in the Orthodox faith by her Greek-American parents. For many years she attended St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Keene, New Hampshire, where she met her husband, Nickolas Lupinin, a specialist in Russian history. They married in 2009. For years, they served in many volunteer positions at St. George: parish council members, editor of the monthly newsletter, webmaster, and communications coordinator.

After attending services at Three Hierarchs Chapel in 2017, Susan felt drawn to attend an OCA parish. She and Nickolas now attend Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, an OCA parish in Claremont, New Hampshire, led by seminary alumnus Fr. Andrew Tregubov.

Susan retired in August of 2017 from her work as a writer and editor in the field of business and technical communications. In 2006 Susan had bought a bed and breakfast in Swanzey, New Hampshire; she and Nickolas are busy managing the historic inn, but Susan notes that she also looks forward to investing her time in helping seminarians.

The St. John Chrysostom Society is a unique group of committed donors who have made St. Vladimir’s mission their own through ongoing, monthly donations. The reasons that people join the Society are as varied as the people themselves! Here is one of their stories.  

On the other side of the country from Manhattan, in a town not far from Seattle, WA, Orthodox convert and law enforcement secretary Vicki Bowerman was listening to an Ancient Faith Radio presentation about St. Vladimir’s Seminary when the appeal was made for listeners to join the St. John Chrysostom Society. “I believe that the only hope for our country, for the world, and for my soul, is an encounter with the living Christ through the Holy Orthodox Church,” she notes. “Finances are always tight, but when I heard the call to give to the Seminary on the podcast, I thought, ‘I’ll just do it!’”

Vicki has never visited St. Vladimir’s, but as a convert she has felt the Seminary’s influence in her life. “There are a lot of fine Orthodox organizations,” she says, “and it’s hard to know which ones to give to, but there’s nothing more mission critical than the formation and preparation of priests for ministry. None of us know how much time we have on earth and I wanted to get serious about laying up treasure in heaven.”

Vicki’s family was chrismated in the Orthodox faith out of an evangelical Protestant background, with the encouragement of their convert-friendly Antiochian parish in Southern California. Later, they moved to Washington State; thirteen years ago, she was hired by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office as a Law Enforcement Secretary for the local sheriff’s department.

“The guys I work with are amazing; every day we see people with real hardships and mental illness, but our law enforcement officers are wonderful, patient people. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the suffering that comes through the front door of our office, but I’m blessed with co-workers who seek peace and are patient—spiritual qualities sought by those of us who are Orthodox Christians.”

Now that her three sons and daughter are grown, Vicki is a “mom” to Oso (a German Shepherd), Bridge (an Aussie Retriever), and two feline family members, Little Brother and Pumpkin. She is also learning the ropes as a chanter in her parish, and plans to continue her membership in the St. John Chrysostom Society as long as she can. “It’s been my experience that God honors our commitment to His work; when I put Him first, He takes care of me and things always seem to come out okay in the end.”

Donald J. Tamulonis, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.P., is a busy man! Dr. Tamulonis is a long-time member of St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s Board of Trustees; he is director of Neurology and Director of the Stroke Center and Dean Martin Neuromuscular MDA Clinic, St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Youngstown, OH; associate professor of Medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine; and he serves as a subdeacon at St. John the Baptist Church, Campbell, OH (OCA).

During a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees on campus, Dr. Tamulonis shared why he continues to support SVOTS after all his years of service—and how he helped bring a new SVS Press Book to light through his generosity!

Decades of Service and Giving: Dr. Donald J. Tamulonis, Jr. from St Vladimir's Seminary on Vimeo.

Making the choice to volunteer a great deal of your time and energy--even for a cause you believe in--is no easy decision. So what makes these women leaders, all members of St. Vladimir's Seminary's Board of Trustees, do what they do? To find out, Director of Advancement Sharon Macrina Ross sat down with The Honorable Catherine R. Fuller, Dr. Carla Ann Newbern Thomas, and Prifteresha Sharon Andrzejewski-Rubis, Joan Farha, Dr. Melody M. Thompson, and Tatiana L. Hoff.

Matushka Laurel Magruder works in the banking industry and enjoys serving as a Sunday School teacher at their home parish, St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Baltimore, MD. Deacon James and Mat. Laurel are blessed with two children. 

Deacon James received the M.Div. from St. Vladimir's Seminary in 2003 and a Ph.D. in art history from Johns Hopkins University in 2014. Currently he teaches art history courses at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County and is attached to St. Andrew.

What would American Orthodoxy look like, had SVOTS not existed?

This question was posed to SVOTS alumnus Dn. James and his wife Mat. Laurel Magruder. Deacon James paused thoughtfully before replying.

“St. Vladimir’s is unique; it has bridged the gap between ‘the old country’ and newer generations in Orthodoxy,” he noted. “In so doing, the Seminary rendered the teaching and practice of the Orthodox Christian faith comprehensible for so many—it has bridged the gap.

“St. Vladimir’s has also opened up Holy Tradition to people who don’t hold theological degrees and don’t have ethnic Orthodox roots,” Dn. James continued. “Since its inception, the Seminary has not ceased to remind us that our Faith is a living tradition.”

As a college freshman, Dn. James had no idea that his assignment to help clean up the reading room in his school’s chapel would change his life. Picking up a copy of the Antiochian Archdiocese’s magazine The Word, he encountered the Orthodox Christian faith and immediately wanted to learn more.

Then in Oregon that summer, Dn. James first heard of St. Vladimir’s Seminary when the deacon at his hometown’s OCA mission parish gave him SVS Press books to read.

“In the 1980s,” Dn. James recalls, “in any given category, St. Vladimir’s was producing most of the English-speaking content, whether it was books, or music, or teaching cassette tapes. It’s hard to imagine how Orthodoxy in this country could have moved out of its ethnic communities without St. Vladimir’s Seminary.”

A few years later, Laurel and James met, fell in love, and eventually married. Their study of Orthodox Christianity became a mutual quest and in July of 1996 (many books, CDs, and conversations later!) they were received into the Church through St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Since my childhood, my desire has been to serve in ministry,” Dn. James notes. After visiting three seminaries, the Magruders settled on St. Vladimir’s.

During their seminary years, Mat. Laurel found a job in Yonkers and also earned her MBA degree through New York University (NYU). She says that their time at St. Vladimir’s marked the beginning of new growth in her Orthodox Christian journey.

“The Seminary helped me begin to integrate the Orthodox faith into my own life as we attended services at the Chapel and participated in community life with other couples.

“St. Vladimir’s was the first place where I could see the fullness and integration of Orthodox Christian faith and practice within the life of the family.”

Deacon James adds, “Through our shared life in the Chapel and around campus, we got to know our clergy professors in the context of their families. They modeled for us the importance of time management, and how to cope with the realities of life in ministry. The faculty was very open with us about their challenges and struggles.”

“From the beginning, we were also impressed that the community was so pan Orthodox,” Mat. Laurel adds. “There was greater flexibility and openness at St. Vladimir’s, since students came from every tradition, and many states and countries.”

After seminary, Dn. James completed his Ph.D. in Art History at Johns Hopkins University, and Laurel continued in her career. Eventually a son and a daughter were added to their family, and James was ordained to the diaconate.

Love for seminarians motivates Dn. James and Mat. Laurel to support St. Vladimir’s. “We hope other families can benefit from their time at St. Vladimir’s, just as we did,” Mat. Laurel says. “Budget concerns add a tremendous amount of stress for many families in ministry—we want to help alleviate that burden.”

Deacon James agrees, “It’s our responsibility to make sure that seminarian families have all they need to succeed in ministry. One great way to do that is to offer seminarians a debt-free foundation.”

Giving gratitude to the founders and benefactors of the Sacred Art Institute at St. Vladimir’s Seminary:
In honor of Drs. Frank and Alcides Kulik

Much has been publicly reported about the ongoing work toward the Institute of Sacred Arts (ISA) at St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVOTS). It would be remiss, however, not to credit the founders of the Institute for their vision and the receipt of their $250,000 gift in 2013. 

Drs. Frank and Alcides KulikThe founders are an Orthodox Christian couple, Drs. Frank and Alcides Kulik, who have been faithful donors to the Seminary and other institutions and churches for many years.  They decided at that time—following lengthy conversations with the Seminary’s Office of Advancement and administration—to take a bold and sacrificial step and help create an Institute of Sacred Arts with their donation. They have dedicated much of their lives to beautifying Orthodox churches and collecting and preserving sacred liturgical objects. These good works culminated in Kulik’s desire to articulate a vision for the Institute and to find a home for it at St. Vladimir’s Seminary.

Their initial donation was intended to establish an endowment to pay for expenses associated with the academic and practical teaching of Church arts in iconography, iconography, mosaics, architecture, carving, stone and wood work, glass, stitching, and other sacred art disciplines. Disbursements from the endowment’s earnings have helped to fund the annual salary of an adjunct professor, courses in iconography, and other summer programs for the practice and training of iconographers. Their intention and hope was that other funding would be obtained and that their endowment would grow and eventually provide permanent funding to hire a full-time professor. This endowment would provide funds to sponsor annual seminars and courses, provide for the publication of books and media, and to include the teaching of the sacred arts as part of Seminary curriculum and degree work.

This initial gift created a permanent endowment, and it has helped convince other individuals and foundations about the importance of the sacred arts and to donate to this grand idea.  After the Seminary applied for a $250,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation in 2018, the Foundation recognized the extent of the Seminary donors’ support and commitment. This support helped in part to pave the way for the Luce Foundation to award its grant funding to the Seminary for the sacred arts.  It is noteworthy to add that in 2017 another devoted friend of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, who also supports the same vision behind the Institute, donated a significant gift of $500,000 for a permanent endowment referred to as the Leonid Ouspensky and Vladimir Lossky Endowment for the Sacred Arts.

At this time and with the direction of the founders, the Seminary is now able to honor these founders and benefactors and their donations. St. Vladimir’s Seminary is also now able to publicly pay them gratitude for their remarkable gifts. The founders also intend to provide in their estate an intention to create a named and fully funded faculty chair for the Sacred Arts.

St. Vladimir’s Seminary is well positioned to house and operate the Institute. For eighty years the faculty of SVOTS has taught practical, technical, cultural, historical, and the theological aspects of music and iconology within the core curriculum and elective courses. SVS Press has extensively published works on the Orthodox Church arts.  Virtually no other seminary or divinity school integrates the arts into their teaching of subjects with the consideration of how art, music, and aesthetic experience function in liturgy and prayer life.

Endowment gifts are recorded as restricted for the specific purpose of the endowment. The principal is generally left whole and the annual earnings are used for the intended purpose of the fund.  If you are interested in supporting any of these endowments or contributing to the important ongoing work of the Sacred Arts at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, please contact Ted Bazil, CFRM, Senior Advisor for Planned Gifts.

Rick and Jean Wagner hail from St. Paul, Minnesota. Rick completed his undergraduate education in chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill and then earned a Ph.D. at Duke University. Jean attended Duke University in Biomedical Engineering, obtaining both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. After Rick finished a NIH post-doctoral Fellowship at the Pennsylvania State University, the Wagners moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Rick joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota and Jean went on to become an Information Technology project leader and manager for several companies. The Wagners attend St. Mary Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis.

Longtime donor to St. Vladimir’s Dr. Carston "Rick" Wagner has enjoyed a distinguished career as Professor and Endowed Chair in Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota. As director of the Wagner Research Lab at the University, Dr. Wagner (who goes by his nickname Rick) enjoys his work with bright young graduate students.

In the field of medicinal chemistry, Rick and his team of graduate students study drug design and development. Over the years, their work has evolved so that it now focuses on anti-cancer and anti-viral research, and they’ve been discovering new ways to treat pain and to use the immune system to target and kill cancer cells. He also teaches pharmacy and graduate student classes at the University.

As a mentor and an academic, Dr. Wagner respects the formation of lives that takes place at St. Vladimir’s.  

“The Seminary is the preeminent scholarly center for modern Orthodox theological scholarship, education and theology in the world,” Rick says, “and lately they’ve been expanding the boundaries of pastoral training by providing opportunities for seminarian education outside of the Yonkers campus in hospitals, parishes, and even prison.

“St. Vladimir’s has also been strengthening their leadership, the faculty, and the financial and operational foundations of the school,” adds Dr. Wagner. “With these positive moves, it’s a critical time for those of us who love the Seminary to step up and push the fulfillment of the Seminary’s mission to new heights.”

Dr. Wagner and his wife Jean have been supporting St. Vladimir’s for 13 years, most recently as members of our community of committed monthly donors, the St. John Chrysostom Society. The Wagners converted to the Orthodox faith as students at Duke University, and at their home parish of St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis (OCA) they have been volunteers and supporters of Orthodox Prison Ministry-Minnesota and FOCUS-Min.

As lifelong learners, Rick and Jean appreciate the resources of the Seminary that benefit laypeople. In addition to reading SVS Press books, Dr. Wagner has attended several summer institutes at St. Vladimir’s and has benefitted from the liturgical instruction in the well-regarded Diaconal Vocations Program that meets on campus every summer.

“St Vladimir’s is a leader in the U.S. and internationally—other organizations look to the Seminary for theological and scholarly leadership,” notes Rick. “A world without St. Vladimir’s would be a world without the great writers and professors who have shaped the Church over the last 50 to 60 years. 

"And the impact of the Seminary reverberates far beyond the Yonkers, New York campus," adds Dr. Wagner. "Worldwide Orthodoxy has been greatly impacted by St. Vladimir’s. The Seminary is continuously pointing the Church around the world towards the vision of a united, engaged communion.”

Seven seminarians from the Serbian Orthodox Church are enrolled at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in the 2018-2019 Academic Year. The Serbian Scholarship, so generously established by some of the Seminary’s outstanding servants and donors, pays for up to three Serbian Orthodox students each year to attend seminary. Funding is needed, however, for the other four. St. Vladimir’s Seminary needs your help to raise $25,000 to cover the cost of tuition, books, and room and board for these future leaders of the Serbian Church.

Dr. Veselin Kesich (+2012) taught New Testament studies from 1953-1991, and served as acting Dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary from 1983–1984.The archives of St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVOTS) are filled with Serbian names. Over its eighty-year history, the Seminary has counted numerous Serbian Orthodox among its faculty and student body. That long, distinguished list includes His Grace Bishop Firmilian (Ocokoljich), Dr. Veselin Kesich, His Grace Bishop Irinej (Dobrijevic), and St. Nikolaj Velimirović, who also taught at St. Tikhon’s Seminary in South Canaan, PA and Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY. You will also find Serbian Orthodox among St. Vladimir’s Seminary’s most generous supporters and donors, who have worked tirelessly to help maintain the long, fruitful relationship between the Seminary and the Serbian Orthodox Church.

His Grace Bishop Irinej (Dobrijevic), a SVOTS alumnus, currently serves on the Seminary's Board of Trustees.“Thirty or forty years ago, the cream of the crop of Serbian priests came from St. Vladimir’s Seminary,” said Dr. Brian Gerich, trustee emeritus, who served on the board of St. Vladimir’s for more than twenty years. “They were huge leaders, and because of that the Seminary has always been highly regarded in the Serbian Orthodox community in North America.”

More than one graduate of the Seminary has touched the life of Gerich, his family, and his parish, St. Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Alhambra, California. His pastors, all SVOTS alumni, have included Protopresbyters Dennis Pavichevich (+2018), George Gligich, and Nicholas Ceko, who is now dean of the Cathedral and is assisted by Priest Norman Kosanovich, also a SVOTS alumnus.

“The first alumnus to serve us was Fr. Dennis Pavichevich,” Gerich recounted. “When Fr. Dennis joined us, he was ‘on fire’ for Jesus Christ, and he taught us the importance of a eucharistic life. He also spoke about how St. Vladimir’s had changed his life.”

Protopresbyter Dennis Pavichevich (+2018) graduated from SVOTS in 1975“From then on, we made sure every priest we had after Fr. Dennis was a graduate of St. Vladimir’s, if we could.”

Serbian Orthodox students started enrolling at St. Vladimir’s Seminary in the late 1940s, hailing from the United States, Canada, and Europe.

“The Serbian Orthodox became involved because they saw the importance of St. Vlad's and the quality of its faculty and teaching, and what they were doing in producing priests,” said Ted Bazil, senior advisor for Advancement, who himself has held a long association with the Seminary. “We have seen perhaps a hundred Serbian Orthodox students graduate from St. Vlad’s over its history.”

In the 1990s, members of the Serbian Orthodox Church began establishing the Serbian Scholarship at SVOTS, so that no young Serbian men would be turned away from becoming priests. Brian Gerich was among those generous donors along with fellow trustee emeritus Mitchell Zunich and Mr. and Mrs. Petar Gerich.

Trustee Emeritus Dr. Brian Gerich served on the board of St. Vladimir's Seminary for more than twenty years.“Mitch Zunich, my good friend, said, ‘I will join you,’ and that's how it started,” Brian recounted. “Ten years ago, I asked for all the people that had received those scholarships. It's a huge list.”

“If you end up with 30 or 40 thousand dollars’ worth of debt, how are you going to pay that off on a priest’s wages? My goal is to make sure the Serbian Orthodox seminarians have no debt—and if there are no Serbian students, then any other student who needs help.”

Another longtime trustee from the Serbian Orthodox Church, Alex Machaskee, also established a liturgical music scholarship fund at the Seminary. He calls SVOTS the “citadel” of Orthodox theological teaching.

“Through its leadership, faculty, and press, the Seminary is respected throughout the world for its scholarship,” said Machaskee. “Once when I was in Jerusalem and attended an Arab Orthodox church, I mentioned to the priest that I was on the board at St. Vlad's. He became ecstatic at the news and gave me a whole loaf of holy bread!”

Seminary Trustee Alex Machaskee established a liturgical music scholarship at St. Vladimir's.Machaskee added that he is pleased that the Serbian students he has met through St. Vladimir’s have been exemplary.

“We have several St. Vlad's alumni as priests in Northeast Ohio, and I am very proud of the service they provide to their churches and congregations,” Machaskee said.

Servants for the Serbian Orthodox Church continue to be formed at St. Vladimir’s. Seven students from the Serbian Church are enrolled as seminarians in the current academic year (2018-2019): Dorde Tomic, Dn. Stefan Djoric, Mihajlo Gnjatic, Miroslav Miljevic, Stefan Mastilovic, Nebojsa Varagic, and Dn. Larry Soper (pictured below). Another Serbian, Alumnus Fr. Aleksa Pavichevich (’08), is a Doctor of Ministry student.

“Having more Serbian Orthodox students around me this year influenced me in every aspect of my life at St. Vlad’s,” said second-year seminarian Dorde Tomic. “I could feel the presence of Serbian spirit all the time, which both challenged me and encouraged me to improve my knowledge day by day.”

The large number of Serbian Orthodox seminarians at SVOTS is cause for celebration, but also cause to renew commitment to current and future seminarians from the Serbian Church. The Serbian Scholarship, so generously established by Brian Gerich and others, pays for up to three Serbian students each year to attend seminary. Funding is still needed, however, to cover the cost of tuition, books, and room and board for the other four. The Seminary needs to raise $25,000 before the end of the 2018-2019 academic year in May to clear all debt before the other Serbian Orthodox students can register for next year.

"We are thankful to God for the visionary founders of the Serbian Orthodox Scholarship, and we are thankful to God for our alums and current students who benefit from it,” said Seminary President Archpriest Chad Hatfield. “However, we need to raise $25,000 to meet the expenses of those Serbian Orthodox seminarians not covered by this scholarship fund. Together, I am confident that we can give these outstanding ordination candidates the boost that they need."

Gerich, despite being among those visionary founders, remains humble about his giving.

"People who read Scripture or listen to homilies hear often the commandment to go out and baptize all nations,” said Gerich. “For some people, they may not feel educated enough or confident enough.”  

“Early in my adult life, I realized that I did not have a calling to be an evangelist. But I remember a pious old priest once told me that a well-educated priest, over the life of his service to God, will touch ten thousand lives. That is something that I could get involved in by supporting the Seminary financially. If I could give someone an education at St. Vladimir's, and that person goes out and touches ten thousand lives, that's a bargain.” 

Long may the connection between the Serbian Orthodox and St. Vladimir’s continue!

Fr. David Barr (SVOTS Class of ’83), pastor of St. Elias Orthodox Church in Austin, Texas since 2004, recently participated in a phone interview with Ginny Nieuwsma from the Seminary’s advancement team. We appreciate the time he took to answer her questions.

He emphasizes the unique place of St Vladimir’s Seminary.

FDB: What makes St. Vladimir’s exceptional is that it is the American seminary that is the salt and light to all of North American society, not just a particular ethnic segment of it. It is not the center of just one jurisdiction, but a center for all Orthodox Christians, enabling us to present the timeless truths of Christ and His Church to the world.

St. Vladimir’s has never been just “the OCA Seminary.” Orthodox Christianity is multi-ethnic and ours is not a one-jurisdiction school. We incorporate a variety of Orthodox traditions in the chapel and classroom. This is what makes us completely unique.

GN: The last few years at SVOTS have been ones of growth and change. What is your perspective on the Seminary’s direction at this time?

FDB: St. Vladimir’s is on a good track. I’m very impressed with the new academic dean—on paper he reminds me of the late dean Fr. John Meyendorff. He is a well-educated, pious, and humble man. I’m looking forward to more of our alumni meeting him as time goes on.

Just as Frs. Meyendorff and Schmemann and many other outstanding professors came from Europe, again we have a dean from “across the pond.” Here we have a stirring of the waters and the opening up of new possibilities. Remember, at the present time there is no place in America to earn a Ph.D. at an Orthodox institution, so it makes sense to bring in someone like Dr. Alex Tudorie. He has earned not one but two doctorates from a distinctly Orthodox school and environment in Romania, and this will offer something fresh to students at St. Vladimir’s.

GN: Despite your busy schedule, you have invested in SVOTS both through financial contributions and by serving as Alumni Association Board Chair for not one but two terms! Can you tell us why?

FDB: I really care about the Seminary and firmly believe in the importance of sound theological education. My concern is that today we don’t always value this enough. We think we can learn everything through the internet but in this, we lack discernment about what it really takes to lay a solid foundation for the life of ministry.

Frequently I am reminded of how well St. Vladimir’s prepared me for my priesthood, enabling me to articulate the Faith and deal with the many preconceptions of the people who come through our doors. We must prepare to “give an answer to the hope that is in us” (I Peter 3:15), explaining to those who are spiritually hungry what it means to be an Orthodox Christian.

I am glad and grateful that there are over 180 graduates who are serving within my Antiochian Archdiocese as priests and hierarchs. Four of our current hierarchs, including my own bishop, are alumni. SVOTS nurtures Antiochian seminarians in various ways such as by serving Byzantine Vespers in the Chapel. There is an ongoing commitment to Antiochian seminarian preparation.

GN: What part did St. Vladimir’s play in your preparation for the priesthood?

FDB: The Seminary played a central role in my preparation. My professors are still a part of my life. When I serve I often think of Fr. Alexander Schmemann, and when I make a liturgical decision I’ll often ask myself what he would have done.

St. Vladimir’s formed my entire liturgical life since I learned about the daily life of the Church there. Without this, I would not have been prepared to serve well. You can’t learn the services and the full liturgical life by reading web articles, or by any method other than showing up in Three Hierarchs Chapel twice a day! 

GN: Father David, in addition to being our Alumni Association Board Chair, you are also an archpriest in the Antiochian Archdiocese. Could you catch us up on your pastoral ministry?

FDB: We’ve spent the last fifteen years in Austin, and through God’s grace our parish is growing tremendously—it’s overwhelming! We have two liturgies on Sunday and both are full. We serve 250-350 families or between 500-900 members (depending on how you count!). We’ll probably bring in 18 catechumens on Holy Saturday and that’s very typical.

As the oldest Orthodox church building in central Texas, we are located just four blocks from the Capitol. Since no expansion downtown is possible, we are building a north campus outside of the city’s core in order to house a satellite parish. 

GN: Can you identify the factors that have been responsible for the growth of St. Elias?

FDB: We have a good location downtown and are easy to find. We also have a strong web presence in which our yearly September catechism class is prominently advertised. I get emails from people all the time who have found us on the web. 

A parish always needs a site with good navigation, but then it’s important to respond to inquirers positively and quickly! Our first contact with a seeker is frequently an email, but then we grab personal time with people whenever possible over coffee or lunch. 

Also, our parish is a mile from the University of Texas at Austin and we are blessed with an active Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF). For instance, we have a Chinese student from the University who has been coming to St. Elias. He’s a very literate Bible reader who had never been outside of China until he came here and found us!

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The Very Rev. David Barr chairs St Vladimir’s Alumni Association. In addition to his duties as pastor of St. Elias Orthodox Church in Austin, Texas, Fr. David serves as dean of the Central Texas Deanery, vice-chairman of the Department of Inter-Orthodox and Inter-faith Relations of the Antiochian Archdiocese, and director of the St. Romanos Chanter's Training Program. Father David and Khouria Luanne have two children, Samuel and Christina, and two canine family members named Bella and Bailey Mae.