How DivEx Helped Me to Better Understand Divinity School

I used to think Divinity School was basically "pastor school."

Though I practiced my faith in my personal life, and spent several years studying religion as a double major in political science and religious studies in college, I knew very little about what divinity school actually was. At the time, all of my professional experience was in politics and government, and I was preparing to move to Washington, D.C. to work in consulting. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that religion mattered deeply in public life—that if you want to understand politics, you also have to understand the moral and religious frameworks people bring to it.

Then, right after graduation, one of my professors sent me information about DivEx.

My immediate reaction was: How would divinity school make sense for someone like me? I don’t plan on pursuing a distinctly religious professional path, so how could I integrate this into my career?

But the more I learned about Harvard Divinity School, the more intrigued I became. Yes, HDS prepares pastors, rabbis, and other religious leaders. But it also trains organizers, writers, educators, nonprofit leaders, healthcare workers, and people working in government and public policy. At HDS, “ministry” is understood broadly: as work rooted in service, meaning-making, and engagement with the world. 

DivEx completely changed the way I thought about divinity school. Through conversations with faculty, staff, and current students, I started to see how studying religion could sharpen my understanding of political behavior, ethics, and public life. The program made it clear that religion isn’t some side note to politics—it’s often right at the center of how people understand justice, community, and power.

Just as important, DivEx gave me a glimpse into the vibrant culture of HDS. Between office hours with professors, dinners with students, and packed days of programming, I got a real sense of the intellectual curiosity and warmth that defines the community here. My fellow "DivExers" came from all over the country and from wildly different backgrounds, but we shared the same curiosity: Could divinity school fit into a profession that may not look traditionally religious?

The answer, at least for me, was yes.

Now, after completing my first year as an MTS student, I can honestly say that DivEx gave me an unusually accurate preview of what HDS would feel like. The three-day program is immersive, engaging, and active, and each aspect of the program breeds great food for thought in your grad school discernment journey.

So, if you’re even remotely considering divinity school—whether to be clergy or something entirely different—apply to DivEx. You do not need to have everything figured out. You just need curiosity and a willingness to explore something new.