Alpha Delta Epsilon Chapter, Mercer University
Chapter representative Prof. Paul Lewis reports that the chapter sponsored two campus-wide events this academic year. In the fall semester, an interdisciplinary panel discussion marked the 100th anniversary of the “Scopes Monkey Trial.” Faculty from History, Political Science, Biology, and Religion participated. At the spring event, Dr. Penny Elkins, incoming Mercer President, gave a lecture about the enduring value she finds in her own undergraduate Christianity major.
Alpha Lambda Upsilon Chapter, Queens University of Charlotte
Prof. Hadia Mubarak, chapter representative, reports that on March 26, 2026 the chapter inducted Clarke Lawson, Ela Kirsch, and Isabella Nead. Nead was the recipient of the chapter’s TAK Undergraduate Achievement Award. In addition, the chapter gave two “Best Essay” awards: one to Maria Lukashenok for her analysis of the exegesis of the Joseph narratives in the Qur’an and another to Jordan Sanders for his study of the Ethics of Xenotransplantation. Prof. Mubarak shares a photo from the event.
Alpha Nu Pi Chapter, HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership
Chapter representative Prof. Thomas J. Ward reports that the chapter co-sponsored an Annual Research Day on November 25, 2025 at which students and faculty shared current research projects and activities. HJI alumnus Dr. James Rodgers Fleming, Charles A. Dana Professor of Science, Technology, and Society Emeritus at Colby College, gave a keynote address on his decades of research on climate change. Bruce Clarke, a Doctor of Ministry candidate at HJI, was recognized as the student winner of research day, receiving a $500 prize for his work on “Intergenerational Worship grounded in Unification Theology.”
TAK’s 50th Anniversary Chapter Activity Grant Program
Theta Alpha Kappa continues the new Chapter Activity Grant Program to support chapters’ work with students. Grants, up to $250, support chapter-sponsored special events such as a lecture on campus, an outing to a relevant museum, or a student conference. Five awards are available per round of funding, and applications for the next round are due by September 15, 2026. Any chapter current on dues may apply for a Chapter Activity Grant. The application form is available at: https://forms.gle/jpBEGU8dvWzJ72GLA. Future rounds of grant funding will be available in February 2027, September 2027, and February 2028.
2025 Kathleen Connolly-Weinert Leadership Award
The Theta Alpha Kappa Board is pleased to announce Prof. Dexter E. Callender, Jr. as the recipient of the KCW Leadership Award. Callender has taught at the University of Miami (FL) since 1995 and is the author of Adam in Myth and History (Harvard Semitic Studies, Eisenbrauns, 2001). A recipient of the 2000 Provost’s Excellence in Teaching Award at Miami, he was also named “Professor of the Year” by Miami’s Pan-Hellenic Association in 2001. He is a specialist in Hebrew Bible and the history and literature of the ancient Near East, with particular research interests in myth theory and the nature of religious discourse. Callendar regularly teaches courses in religion and the Hebrew Bible at the introductory and advanced levels, including: “Religion and Culture in the Ancient Near East,” “Prophecy and Prophetic Literature,” and “Method and Theory in the Study of Religion.” He is currently completing a monograph on myth, angels, and ambiguity and is working on a commentary on the books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah for the Illuminations Commentary Series published by Eerdmans. Since 2015 he has served as the chapter representative of the Alpha Beta Upsilon chapter of TAK. From 2019–2022, he served as an at-large TAK board member, and as JTAK editor from 2022-25. Congratulations, Dr. Callender!
Dr. Callender has selected Kirtan Patel for the KCW Student Award. Patel was inducted into TAK this spring and additionally received the chapter’s Theta Alpha Kappa award. Patel is senior at the University of Miami with double majors in Religious Studies and Political Science. He reflects, “as the son of first-generation immigrants from India, I was raised in a home where education and religion were central pillars of daily life.” Following his first year of study at Miami, Patel took a year’s leave to volunteer in the construction of one of the world’s largest Hindu temples, an experience which redoubled his interest in and commitment to the study of religion. His primary academic interests are in religions of the East and in the philosophy of religion. After graduation this spring, Patel will begin a career with his family’s business in Texas. Following some time in that endeavor, he plans to pursue further academic study. Congratulations, Mr. Patel!