Harvard Divinity School’s DivEx Program Marks 20 Years of Impact
For two decades, the immersive program has helped college students and recent graduates imagine new possibilities for studying religion and putting that education to work in the world.
The class ended at 3 pm, but a small group of DivEx participants were not ready to end the conversation.
After attending an open Harvard Divinity School (HDS) course during this year’s program in September, a handful of students gathered on the campus green and continued the discussion for another hour. For Margaret Okada-Scheck, senior associate director of admissions, the moment captured what happens when students who are interested in the study of religion are brought together at HDS.
“They were just so excited,” Okada-Scheck said. “You could see that everything was shifting for them.”
Experiencing HDS Firsthand
That sense of possibility has been at the heart of Divinity Explorations, known as DivEx, for 20 years. The three-day program introduces college students and recent graduates to HDS, its degree programs, and the range of academic and professional paths that an HDS education can open. The School covers participants’ transportation, housing, and meals, allowing students from across the contiguous United States to experience campus, classrooms, and the community firsthand.
Participants attend courses, meet with faculty and current students, learn about admissions and financial aid, and take part in the activities of community life at HDS. They also meet peers who share their questions about graduate study, future paths, and whether they might find a place at HDS.
“What that experience provides for them is confirmation that this idea of studying religion is viable,” said Odeviz Soto, MDiv ’11, associate dean of admissions and enrollment management. “There are other people willing to spend their time and energy—their lives—dedicated to these important questions.”
DivEx welcomed its first cohort of 41 students in 2007. Since then, more than 500 people have participated, according to Okada-Scheck. The program has evolved, but its purpose remains the same: bringing students to HDS, building community, and helping them connect the study of religion and theology with their career interests and goals.
From DivEx to HDS
For Rebecca Villarreal, MTS ’16, who now serves as a research librarian at the HDS Library, the opportunity to visit campus through DivEx was pivotal.
“When my undergraduate advisor told me I could apply to Harvard Divinity School, I laughed,” Villarreal said. “But attending DivEx in 2013 allowed me to explore Harvard—especially when I did not have the financial means to do so on my own—and really imagine myself at a place like HDS.”
The experience helped Villarreal recognize how her academic interests aligned with the opportunities available at HDS and gave her the confidence to see the School as a place where she could pursue her intellectual questions.
The 2026 DivEx cohort outside Swartz Hall. Photo by Kristie Welsh.
Today, Villarreal helps HDS students navigate library resources that were once new to her.
“I enjoy helping people with their research needs, especially since I remember the questions I had about the library as a student,” she said.
For Jesus Murillo, MTS '22, the program also proved decisive. A first-generation, nontraditional student and graduate of Fisk University, an HBCU, Murillo received two full-ride offers from other institutions, but he chose HDS after attending DivEx in 2019.
“DivEx ultimately became the deciding factor in my decision to attend HDS,” Murillo said. “DivEx did more than introduce me to Harvard. It gave me the opportunity to imagine a version of myself that I had not yet learned to see. It opened a door, but more importantly, it gave me the confidence to walk through it.”
For Ke’Von Singleton, MDiv ’26, DivEx affirmed a calling he was already beginning to discern. While exploring graduate theological education, Singleton learned about the program from a mentor.
“When I came here for DivEx, I knew I had to be here,” Singleton said in May 2026. “I believed that HDS was where my education, along with my calling, could be cultivated.”
At HDS, Singleton combined classroom study with ministry as executive pastor of Western Avenue Baptist Church in Cambridge, MA. His plans after graduation included continuing his ministry, pursuing doctoral study, and expanding access to theological education through his work with young adults.
Lasting Value of DivEx
Although DivEx is an admissions program, Soto said its impact is not limited to participants who eventually enroll at HDS. Some attend other divinity schools or pursue different academic and professional paths. Whatever direction they choose, he hopes the experience gives them greater confidence in what comes next.
“Whether they apply or not, we want them to be courageous in their next steps,” Soto said. “Their time here should give them the tools to reflect a little bit more on what they want to pursue afterward.”
The connections formed through DivEx can also last well beyond the three-day program. Former participants have remained connected with members of their cohorts even when they attended different graduate schools, while faculty members around the country continue to recommend students for the program.
Ultimately, Soto hopes participants leave DivEx recognizing not only what an institution like HDS can offer them, but also what they can contribute wherever their paths lead.
“You have gifts and talents,” Soto said. “Hone in on what those gifts and talents are and bring them forward for the sake of others.”
Banner photo of DivEx 2019 by Justin Knight.