Serving an Ever-Changing World

Rev. Dr. Nola Reed Knouse S’09 Vice Chair, Campaign Committee Member, Seminary Board of Trustees

We are at the height of an interesting time in seminary education. Never has the world had a greater need for the compassion of our seminary students through their faith and understanding—to find direction in life, comfort in community, and solace in relationships. As Andy Hart shared, Moravian University and Moravian Theological Seminary are engaged in an ambitious endeavor, entering the public phase of a comprehensive campaign called Lighting the Way.

Lighting the Way for Our Students. Moravian Theological Seminary aims to increase endowments and scholarships, mainly through a seminary scholarship fund, to allow more students to grow in their theological understanding without the worry of economic burden. We can invite the global community to enter our doors by providing international scholarships. Every day, we at the seminary strive to provide excellence in teaching, scholarship, leadership, and service.

Lighting the Way for Their Future. Moravian Theological Seminary is looking to guarantee our students world-class theological education and experiential learning opportunities. Through this investment, we can instill within our students core values of leadership and continual inquiry and reflection—values that extend far beyond the walls of the seminary into the ever-changing world.

Lighting the Way for the Next Generation. Moravian Theological Seminary will provide the best and most current facilities and technology. Investing in these tools will ensure that our students, regardless of their location in the world, have access to lifelong spiritual, vocational, and personal growth and an uninterrupted connection with the seminary community.

As vice chair of the campaign committee and a member of the seminary board of trustees, I assure you the gifts of this transformational campaign will shed light on our current students and on the generations that will grace our seminary for years to come. Please join us in Lighting the Way for Moravian University and Moravian Theological Seminary.

Gently Beside Me

Benitta Ngobeni ’22, G’23

I graduated in May 2022 with a BA in accounting, and I am currently pursuing my MBA at Moravian. I’m often asked why I did not spread my wings and go to a different university for grad school. The answer I give is that I am part of the 4+1 program and can obtain my MBA in a year. The real reason, however, is even simpler: This is my home. The truth is, outside of Moravian, I have no home in this country. No house, no family—heck, not even a dog.

When I was 18 years old, I left the only home I had ever known, leaving behind my mother, father, and three brothers in South Africa as I journeyed to America to pursue higher education. When I was moving, I had one main fear: How am I going to do this alone? With no friends and no family, I had no idea how I would navigate this country.

Before I even stepped foot on Moravian’s campus, it was made clear to me that as long as I was here, and a part of this community, I would never be alone—that there would always be someone to hold my hand and light the way for me.

It started with Boris Kirov, former assistant director of global inclusion, picking me up from the airport in 2018 and helping me get situated with blankets and pillows so I could sleep because, at that moment, all I had was two suitcases of clothes and a heart full of dreams and fears.

It continued in 2019 with Anize Appel, executive director of the center for global education and associate dean for study abroad, encouraging me to stop hiding my light and let it shine. To allow my voice to be heard, not just to express my own thoughts and opinions but also to be a voice for the voiceless. That’s how I found the confidence to lead, taking on roles such as president of the Black Student Union and later a senior resident advisor and president of the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society.

Then 2020 arrived and changed the course of our lives. The world felt dark, and I felt alone and scared. Everyone left campus and went back to their homes. The only problem was, I, and many other international students, had no home. It was then that I learned that not only do I have a home in Moravian but a family that comes with it. Alexis Kersten and other members of housing and residential life stepped in for many students in need and allowed us to stay on campus. Professor Jane Berger, who was the interim dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the time, helped me get an internship that summer and made sure that I always had enough to eat. The darkness did not even have time to put its feet up before my Moravian family swooped in with a light so bright that even my fears were blinded.

Along came 2021, and with it my personal COVID diagnosis. I hadn’t even sneezed before Nicole Lloyd, executive vice president for university life, chief operating officer, and dean of students, stepped up and organized food and resources for me. Despite telling my mother that I was fine, she insisted on calling Jane Berger and asking her to be a mother to me during this time. Much like Nicole, Jane did not hesitate to step in.

And finally, 2022 is here, and I stand before you as a young, black, and African woman who graduated summa cum laude and will be taking on a full-time job at a big-four public accounting firm in Houston. At no point on my Moravian journey did the odds seem stacked in my favor; however, I stand here because of each person who has taken me by the hand and walked gently beside me or gone ahead of me on the open road and beckoned me to follow them. I stand here because of the scholarships afforded to me and the generous donors who supported my journey, without even knowing my name or story. Simply put, you’ve changed my life. Thank you for all that you’ve done for me and will continue to do for students like me.

The brilliant effect of philanthropic support is reflected in the many stories students share about their journey to Moravian and the experiences that have shaped and prepared them to pursue their best lives. The generosity of alumni, friends, and families also ensures leading-edge facilities for future generations.