This issue of Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa is momentous, as it marks both the publication’s forty-fifth year and its transition to an online, open-access publication. Its evolution also epitomizes the kinds of things that have characterized Theta Alpha Kappa as an organization these last five years.
The journal has a distinguished history in its traditional print format, and for decades it has published student articles developed from outstanding submissions for TAK’s annual Albert Clark Awards at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The decision by the editorial leadership of JTAK and the national board of TAK to transition to the new format was not undertaken lightly. Instead, it was the result of multiple years of study and deliberation, with crucial leadership from our outgoing and incoming editors and important input from other board members with relevant editorial and online publishing experience. We were ultimately convinced that the best way to expand the journal’s accessibility and readership is to utilize the kinds of online opportunities now available and so essential to most people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the process we also made the important decision to expand the TAK board with a new associate editorial position whose duties will also contribute to other TAK programs. Previously the journal was available in print chiefly to recent TAK inductees, chapter representatives, libraries of institutions with TAK chapters, and those individuals who opted for paid subscriptions, while PDFs of articles from most past issues were accessible online to those with institutional subscriptions to the Atlas database. Now, however, for the first time the journal will be easily accessible online to any interested reader.
It is traditional for the national board president of TAK to contribute a historical retrospective for the fall issue of JTAK every fifth year, and it is my privilege to undertake this duty for 2022. As noted above, the developments concerning the journal aptly exemplify two major themes of these last five years in TAK’s history: efforts to expand the reach, diversity, and influence of TAK, and initiatives arising from the coronavirus pandemic intended not just to help the society survive, but also to thrive.
Founded at Manhattan College in 1976 (and now approaching its fiftieth anniversary in 2026), Theta Alpha Kappa has chartered over 360 chapters at colleges, universities, and seminaries of various sizes, orientations, and affiliations throughout the United States. The society remains a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and values its formal relationships with both the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature.
Our society’s work is undertaken almost exclusively by volunteers. We exist and function thanks to the dedication of the local chapter representatives who identify, induct, and nurture the students whose excellent work the society honors and promotes, the generosity of those mentors who further agree to evaluate papers submitted for the Albert Clark Awards, and the service of the national board members who seek to organize and administer programs for the benefit of the chapters and individual members. The contributions of these volunteers to TAK, our students, and our disciplines have been especially vital these last five years, as we all have endured the unanticipated disruptions and adaptations prompted by the pandemic while already facing the financial and other challenges of an era in which many departments of religion and theology have suffered severe cutbacks or even elimination. Despite these many challenges, we have successfully advanced the work of the society.
As one might expect, the major issues tackled by the national board since 2017 include some things that are readily evident to most chapters and inductees (such as the journal transition discussed above). Others are less visible yet indispensable for the smooth functioning of the organization as a whole. For the first time in many years the board approved a modest increase in the individual induction fee (from $25 to $30). We did not increase the annual chapter fee paid by our host institutions, but we added the option for chapter fees to be paid electronically. We are very grateful to our valued vendor partner Kenneth E. Jernigan and Associates for new shipping and payment methods (including less expensive options) for induction and regalia orders that have benefitted many chapters and inductees, and especially for their cooperation with implementation of our new alternate induction order procedures. This optional procedure initially was prompted by the academic disruptions of the pandemic but has also been beneficial for our chapters at multicampus and online institutions. Indeed, the very presence of TAK chapters at these latter kinds of schools was a new development for TAK since 2017. Like the American academic world more broadly, TAK traditionally had been oriented almost exclusively toward nonprofit institutions and classroom-focused models, but chapters at regionally accredited schools with various configurations have now joined the ranks of the society. Other new initiatives these last five years have included complimentary TAK memberships and more substantive orientation materials for new faculty members who take on chapter representative duties. We have clarified application and evaluation criteria and implemented new electronic submission procedures for the Albert Clark Awards and Graduate Fellowship Awards programs, and we have updated selection criteria and nomenclature for the Kathleen Connolly-Weinert Leadership Award and the related KCW Student Award (formerly the Moderator’s Award). Projects in progress (but not yet completed) include transformation of the former “chapter handbook” into materials more accessible for contemporary chapter use, along with revisions of the TAK website www.ThetaAlphaKappa.org.
Though much less visible to most TAK members than the things just described, one of the most urgent matters addressed by the board since 2017 was database management, as our needs had far outgrown the capacity of volunteer board members. Our contract with an outside provider (now renewed for a second term) has been extremely beneficial and has evolved to include webmaster duties and multiple technical logistical matters for our awards programs. The board has also given considerable attention to other organizational matters, including revisions of our constitution and bylaws as well as the board policies and procedures document. We continue to work on processes for new board member orientation and guidance, especially appropriate in light of the board expansion noted above and the fact that almost half of our board members have not yet met in person due to the pandemic. The board has long viewed service to students in the society as its top priority, and we are increasingly focused on the diversity of students in our chapters, whether in terms of academic focus, institutional context, ethnicity, age, or opportunity. Soon we will begin a formal strategic planning process to guide future TAK initiatives and implementation of resources. During the pandemic the board has appreciated the efficiency of online board meetings, both for our mandated spring and fall meetings and for other important sessions, and we anticipate continuing to utilize this communication model for much board business. That said, we also certainly look forward to resuming personal gatherings, not just in the board context but also for the annual business meeting and reception for TAK chapter representatives and other members in conjunction with the AAR–SBL Annual Meeting.
Five years ago few of us could have imagined how our lives would be changed and our academic institutions transformed because of the pandemic. That is also true for Theta Alpha Kappa. May the next five years be much less disruptive but equally rich with new opportunities.
Board of Directors 2018-2022
2018
President: Kelley Coblentz Bautch (2016–2019)
Vice President: David Nikkel (2017–2020)
Secretary: Eric F. Mason (2017–2020)
Treasurer: Christopher McMahon (2018–2021)
JTAK Editor: Bernadette McNary-Zak (2017–2022)
At-Large: Michael Berger (2017–2020)
At-Large: Sharon Betsworth (2017–2020)
At-Large: Andrea Stanton (2018–2020)
At-Large: Ellen M. Umansky (2016–2019)
2019
President: Kelley Coblentz Bautch (2019–2020)
Vice President: David Nikkel (2017–2020)
Secretary: Eric F. Mason (2017–2020)
Treasurer: Christopher McMahon (2018–2021)
JTAK Editor: Bernadette McNary-Zak (2017–2022)
At-Large: Michael Berger (2017–2020)
At-Large: Sharon Betsworth (2017–2020)
At-Large: Dexter E. Callender Jr. (2019–2022)
At-Large: Andrea Stanton (2018–2020)
2020
President: Eric F. Mason (2020–2022)
Vice President: David Nikkel (2020–2023)
Secretary: Andrea Stanton (2020–2022)
Treasurer: Christopher McMahon (2018–2021)
JTAK Editor: Bernadette McNary-Zak (2017–2022)
At-Large: Michael Berger (2020–2021)
At-Large: Julye Bidmead (2020–2021)
At-Large: Dexter E. Callender Jr. (2019–2022)
At-Large: Elena Procario-Foley (2020–2023)
2021
President: Eric F. Mason (2020–2022)
Vice President: David Nikkel (2020–2023)
Secretary: Andrea Stanton (2020–2022)
Treasurer: Michael Berger (2021–2024)
JTAK Editor: Bernadette McNary-Zak (2017–2022)
At-Large: Julye Bidmead (2021–2024)
At-Large: Dexter E. Callender Jr. (2019–2022)
At-Large: Christopher McMahon (2021–2023)
At-Large: Elena Procario-Foley (2020–2023)
2022
President: Eric F. Mason (2022–2025)
Vice President: David Nikkel (2020–2023)
Secretary: Julye Bidmead (2022–2023)
Treasurer: Michael Berger (2021–2024)
JTAK Editor: Dexter E. Callender Jr. (2022–2027)
At-Large/JTAK Associate Editor: Andrea Stanton (2022–2025)
At-Large: Christopher McMahon (2021–2023)
At-Large: Elena Procario-Foley (2020–2023)
At-Large: L. D. Russell (2022–2025)
At-Large: Robert E. Seesengood (2022-2024)
Award Winners
Kathleen Connolly-Weinert Award
2018
Dr. L. D. Russell, Elon University
2019
Dr. C. David Grant, Texas Christian University
2020
Dr. Jenny Veninga, St. Edward’s University
2021
Dr. Ellen M. Umansky, Fairfield University
2022
Dr. Leo M. Madden, Ohio Dominican University
Moderator’s Award
2018
Victoria Oakley, Elon University
2019
Brennan Steed, Texas Christian University
2020
Jessie Guerriero, St. Edward’s University
2021
Tracy Ferguson, Fairfield University
2022
Cameron Clutter, Ohio Dominican University
Albert Clark Award
2018
First Place, Undergraduate
Evangeline Giaconia, Appalachian State University
Second Place, Undergraduate
Jakob Breuning, University of North Carolina-Charlotte
First Place, Graduate
David D. M. King, University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology
Second Place, Graduate
Rebecca Serbu, Lee University
2019
First Place, Undergraduate
Kristina J. Meyer, Elon University
Undergraduate
Kira Nelson, Christopher Newport University
First Place, Graduate
Joshua Paul Smith, University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology
Second Place, Graduate
Rebecca David Hensley, University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology
2020
First Place, Undergraduate
Kathryn Gerry, Elon University
Second Place, Undergraduate
Emma Welch, Samford University
First Place, Graduate
Molly Smerko, Union Presbyterian Seminary
Second Place, Graduate
Rebekah Gordon, Florida State University
2021
First Place, Undergraduate
Stephanie Gemmell, George Washington University
Second Place, Undergraduate
Rebecca Leppert, George Washington University
First Place, Graduate
Ryan Duerr, University of Dayton
Second Place, Graduate
Melanie Mohsen, George Washington University
2022
First Place, Undergraduate
Jason Bystrom, California State University, Chico
Second Place, Undergraduate
Nicholas Hom, Elon University
First Place, Graduate
Jonathan Contarero, Evangel University
Graduate Fellowship Awards
2018
First Place
Mitchell Mallary, Judson University
Second Place
Peter Yuanxi Chen, Pomona College
Third Place
Samuel Stubblefield, Indiana University
2019
First Place
Anya Fredsell, Elon University
Second Place
Anderson Clayton Moss, Young Harris College
Third Place
Victor Knight IV, Campbell University
2020
First Place
Jennifer Greenburg, Washington University in St. Louis
Second Place
Hannah Thorpe, Elon University
Third Place (tie)
Skylar Berlin, Michigan State University
Third Place (tie)
Fiona Chen, Fordham University
2021
First Place
Margaret (Maggie) Akinleye, Wheaton College
Second Place
Victoria Hallard, University of the Redlands
2022
First Place
Philip Lindia, Wheaton College
Second Place
Kimberly Fromkin, Valdosta State University
Third Place (tie)
James Nicholson, Truman State University
Third Place (tie)
Renee Susanto, Pomona College