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Kelly Jo Fulkerson, MDiv

Kelly Jo Fulkerson does not come from a religious family. She joined her first church at age 13, with a group of friends. But in college, her ideas about religion broadened and she began to explore the possibility of studying theology after graduation. Then, a fellowship with the Fund for Theological Education in summer 2005 exposed her to her first ecumenical worship service, and her interest in ecumenical theology drew her to HDS. "Harvard Divinity School," she says, "became a place of convergence for me," a place where she could work out her personal beliefs while studying theology and preparing for meaningful work.

When she arrived at HDS, Kelly Jo believed she would concentrate on Islamic and women's studies, but the course "Trauma and Feminist Theology" shifted her path a bit. Now she is focusing on trauma and its effects at national and international levels, with an emphasis on women.

As for the personal side of her experience in Cambridge, a year into the master of theological studies program, Kelly Jo says: "When I started, I would have described my personal faith as 'broken,' but now it is 'hopeful.' " She credits much of this change to the community at HDS, which she says "fosters sensitivity to the individual, not just to the academic." She plans to apply for a Fulbright fellowship to spend a postgraduate year working in a clinic in Ethiopia that helps child brides.

Profile Posted July 2007. Photograph by Stephanie Mitchell.