![Sunshine reflecting off of the HDS Library](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-06/04232018-SpringCampus-7491%20%281%29.JPG?h=820671ad&itok=0lid2DaY) # Our Work Continues May 22, 2025 Dear Alumni & Friends, The HDS campus is in bloom, and plans for Commencement are underway. As I reflect on my first full year as Dean, I wanted to take a moment to reach out to you, our dedicated alumni and friends of the School, to say thank you for all that you do to bring the mission of this School to life in your own ways and in your own communities. As you may be aware, Harvard has been in the news quite a bit lately. We are working our way through contingency plans for an array of uncertainties. I want to add a bit more context to the breaking news cycle. Harvard is responding to unprecedented threats to academic freedom, to federal funding that supports life-saving research, and to the education of students we are entrusted with as an institution dedicated to teaching and learning. In the words of President Alan Garber: “No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” I encourage you to read [President Garber's message](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=bf77a76dfc23d21094a95c7bb1af65f07e6224e55eba60660482b892bb86451c7f11f504135fca087ac4f0a522b3e923a8c461eaf6c37ba8), "The Promise of American Higher Education," to learn more about the University’s stance. Please feel free to reach out to our [alumni relations team](mailto:alums@hds.harvard.edu?subject=) with any questions, as well. In addition, task forces working at the request of President Garber recently released [their findings](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=bf77a76dfc23d21095ce78257fb54907eca47aa879e72b52e32b8efed3b4531901d450cbcc2f7a569b631fd75c7e740a0ed40ba7ed5aa45f) on antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias and anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian bias across the University. I want to acknowledge that these reports detail painful and sobering lived experiences of some of our community members. Combatting all forms of bias and hate is integral to realizing our shared vision at HDS. Moving forward, the findings and recommendations from these reports will inform how we approach this crucial work. In my time as Dean, we have initiated a number of events and discussions, including the [People of Faith in Times of Crisis](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=bf77a76dfc23d2101b34d074ddbad29554bb901ea452b2fa1f9e8ea5d071a9bb1990a6c05a3ed937c558ea47193b127c4fbc1490f677ac1b) and [Love through a Multifaith Lens ](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=bf77a76dfc23d210b10e77437a776de31992fc61f2de4281b9203ae4fb43c3e5019851e0c7ae810698f160a55c81bed16ff7f4f1f09fd6f0)event series, as part of our larger efforts dedicated to building a beloved community here at HDS and beyond. Furthermore, we continue to focus on academic excellence and the power of multireligious education. Three faculty searches in the areas of Islam, Judaism, and Religion, Violence, and Peace are currently underway, and we are hopeful that they will come to fruition. Additionally, we have been developing plans for initiatives focused on Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim spiritual life and leadership. Please know that I take the commitment to reaching our fullest potential to heart, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn with and from our community. I appreciate each of you for all that you have shared through your time, your messages, and your experiences. Together, we will continue work that matters—bridging divisions across religious and cultural differences, having difficult conversations with care, and remembering that we have more in common than what divides us. Despite the challenges, there has been good news from HDS that may not have received as much attention. I would like to share a few highlights with you from this past year. - Each of the three [2025 Guggenheim Fellows](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=bf77a76dfc23d210fe183d2b8491289d2d0119d088a35b9dbee8c17a7a4ebccfbe14589bfae3c1df4d50f329f5c923dd85b92d8dca04299d) in the religion area of study have connections to Harvard Divinity School: Annette Yoshiko Reed is the Krister Stendahl Professor of Divinity and Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at HDS, Dianne Stewart, MDiv ’93, is an alumna who now teaches at Emory, and Tulasi Srinivas was a research associate with the Women’s Study of Religion Program from 2022-23. - Francis X. Clooney, Parkman Professor of Divinity and Professor of Comparative Theology, and Robert Franklin, MDiv ’78, were recently elected to the [American Academy of Arts and Sciences](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=bf77a76dfc23d21006fcca711729ab19affef60db2555d9219d2b78818081446888746f09cf8aa16a9c60432196c33cb1fc5ea08f750c398). - Earlier this month, we celebrated remarkable community members and the power of storytelling in our annual [Peter J. Gomes, STB ’68 Distinguished Alumni Honors](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=8876de4304bd7c9aa81154108e1d83e0345be3007b9826d6ab9faa560158cebf639bcbdc6e2b521b9a5f8fd55fa070cb0b95bde829521812) event. - HDS saw the highest number of applications on record for this year’s admissions cycle—demonstrating demand by prospective students to study religion in our multireligious environment. - After an extensive review process, the Association of Theological Schools granted HDS a 10-year reaccreditation—a testament to the quality teaching and learning that happens here. Additionally, we are working toward the culmination of a year-long strategic planning process, which builds on the School's strong foundation while looking toward the future with a clear vision. Speaking of good news for the year, I have had the privilege of meeting and talking with many of you on campus, at community tea gatherings in several cities, and at conferences, such as the American Academy of Religion annual event. The conversations we have had—from passionate calls for constructive change to deeply moving testaments of how an HDS education makes a difference in the world—remind me that the only way through these trying times is together. Many of you have kindly asked what you can do to help support Harvard Divinity School in this moment, to which I say: Share your story about how the HDS experience has shaped you and the work you do with your family, friends, and the wider community—especially with our [alumni relations](mailto:alums@hds.harvard.edu?subject=) and [communications](mailto:comms@hds.harvard.edu?subject=) teams. And [please consider making a gift](https://click.hu.harvard.edu/?qs=8876de4304bd7c9abe699e55a56890a8f6b09617d91824c98aa48146a871c029b45d79a11f6539dd2efcdb70bdefba23336e52046237cc2c) to preserve financial aid and other essential resources that make a multireligious education possible. During these challenging times, your stories, your voices, and your support are more vital than ever. Thank you for being a valued member of the HDS community now and always. Sincerely, ![signature](/sites/g/files/omnuum5526/files/2025-04/Frederick-Signature-w312_0.jpg) Marla F. Frederick, PhD Dean of Harvard Divinity School John Lord O’Brian Professor of Divinity Professor of Religion and Culture Professor of African and African American Studies (FAS)