In 2003, Howard joined the Admissions and Financial Aid Office here at CTS. Coming from a customer service and an analytical background, Howard enjoys both the interaction with current and prospective students as well as the number crunching that is required for financial aid. He also brings a lot of love and experience with local congregations that come with being a long time active lay member of the United Church of Christ.

A few years ago, a friend invited me to attend an Indiana Fever basketball game in Indianapolis. As I watched the game, ate popcorn and socialized, I noticed that during every time-out someone would use a t-shirt launcher to shoot t-shirts into the bleachers for eager fans. I jokingly told my friend Shelia, “The next t-shirt is mine!” Amazingly enough, during the next time-out a t-shirt was launched high into the bleachers and landed into my hands. My friend was overjoyed and shouted, “You are in the right place at the right time!” That’s exactly how I felt my first day of work at Chicago Theological Seminary. I was greeted by a welcoming community. The energy and the spirit that were in the atmosphere confirmed that I was in the right place at the right time.

My name is Ayanna Garrett and I am the new addition to the CTS community. I work in the admissions office as the Assistant Director of Recruitment Initiatives. As the days have quickly flown by, I have met with students, staff, professors and others in the community. I have sat in on classes, toured the building and started building relationships with prospective students. The most powerful moment has been participating in a chapel service dedicated to encouraging site and CPE supervisors who oversee the students. The spirit of love manifested itself in the chapel and impacted us all. It is evident CTS is a place of inclusivity, all are welcome here. I feel honored to be a part of this community.

I invite you or someone you know to be a part of our community as well. If you or someone you know desires to be a leader for the NEXT, CTS is the perfect place for you. We are a progressive seminary seeking to have a great impact on the world around us. I invite you to give me a call or email me so we can talk further about the rich opportunities that abound at CTS.

Few people understand the transformative powers of CTS quite like Lisa. She enrolled as a student in 2008, earning a Master of Divinity degree as well as a Master of Sacred Theology with an emphasis on Interreligious Engagement. She is a Member in Discernment with the UCC Grand West Association in Southwest Michigan and maintains her membership at First (Park) Congregational Church in Grand Rapids, MI. As a student, her internship experience included faith-based community organizing work in Kalamazoo and ministering with The Night Ministry, a Chicago-based outreach program serving homeless and vulnerably housed youth on the streets of the city. She served as the Director of Youth Ministry at Portage United Church of Christ from 2001 - 2010. Lisa joined the staff of CTS in June of 2012. Her sense of call, her belief in the importance of rigorous, progressive, theological education, and her skills in accompanying others on their unique paths to ministry inform her work in Admissions and Recruiting.