Boshart reappointed for a second term as bg真人 President
Published: June 15, 2023
By Annette Brill Bergstresser
ELKHART, Indiana (Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary) 鈥� The Board of Directors of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (bg真人), Elkhart, Indiana; the Board of Directors of (MEA); and the are pleased to announce the reappointment of David Boshart, PhD, as President of bg真人 for a second four-year term, beginning July 1, 2023.
A Presidential Review Committee formed by the bg真人 Board and chaired by board member Sue Neeb of Goshen, Indiana, recommended Boshart鈥檚 reappointment after conducting a comprehensive review process of his work. According to bg真人 Board Chair James Gunden of Sellersville, Pennsylvania, the process included surveying bg真人 faculty and staff, current students and recent alumni, board members, members of bg真人鈥檚 constituency in the U.S. and Canada, and organizations and individuals who are served by or collaborate with bg真人.
The bg真人 Board expressed gratitude for the review committee鈥檚 work and unanimously approved the nomination to reappoint Boshart during its April 20鈥�22, 2023, meeting at bg真人. In early May, the MEA Board and MC Canada Joint Council gave unanimous approval as well.
鈥淒avid has proven to be an exceptional leader for bg真人,鈥� said Gunden. 鈥淔aculty and staff have been energized by his leadership and have valued his humble nature as he has built relationships within and outside of bg真人. His many years of experience in church leadership have served to strengthen the seminary鈥檚 domestic and international partnerships. As a board, we鈥檙e excited to invite him to continue his service in this role.鈥�
Neeb said the feedback received by the review committee showed widespread affirmation for Boshart鈥檚 leadership and support for his reappointment as President.
鈥淭he overwhelming sentiment is that he is just the right person for this role at this time, and people are immensely grateful for who he is as a person and for his leadership gifts,鈥� she reported on behalf of the committee.
鈥淢any people noted David鈥檚 highly effective leadership skills and the ways in which he guides and supports bg真人 employees in working toward the seminary鈥檚 strategic goals 鈥� which he has also helped refine and focus,鈥� she said. Respondents described Boshart as being collaborative, approachable, empowering, and good at listening and building trusting relationships, she added.
鈥淗e was also widely affirmed for his open, honest and caring presence, both on campus and beyond,鈥� she said.
During Boshart鈥檚 first term, which included the global COVID-19 pandemic, the seminary saw increases in enrollment 鈥� both in numbers and diversity; expanded its global partnerships; and launched its Doctor of Ministry in Leadership program 鈥� all while reaching financial equilibrium.
鈥淯nder David鈥檚 leadership 鈥� and building on foundations laid by previous President Sara Wenger Shenk 鈥� international education has blossomed into the bg真人 Global Leadership Collaborative, in partnership with and in collaboration with ,鈥� Gunden noted.
In 2021, the seminary also conducted a listening process with church leaders in the U.S. and Canada that resulted in the creation of Practical Leadership Training modules that will launch this August. The modules are designed to help pastors and leaders increase their capacity to provide effective Anabaptist leadership in a variety of settings. bg真人 leaders are currently collaborating with Mennonite Education Agency and (SeBAH) to offer the first Spanish-language graduate-level certificate program in Mennonite Church USA.
Neeb noted that Boshart鈥檚 many connections to the Mennonite Church in the U.S., Canada and around the world bring vitality to the seminary鈥檚 work and collaborative relationships.
鈥淒avid has been instrumental in connecting bg真人 with the wider church in new ways, asking the question, 鈥榃hat does the church need from us?,鈥� and then responding to the answers with focused strategic plans,鈥� Neeb reported for the committee.
Boshart said he is 鈥渉umbled and deeply grateful鈥� for the church鈥檚 invitation to a second term as bg真人 President.
鈥淚 understand leading the bg真人 learning community to be a sacred trust,鈥� he reflected. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been an honor to serve bg真人 alongside a team of mature and spiritually grounded administrators, faculty and staff who love Jesus and the church.
鈥淚n the next four years, I hope to strengthen our partnership with the church so that we can both broaden and deepen the reach of all we are doing in order to educate followers of Jesus Christ to be leaders for God鈥檚 reconciling mission in the world.鈥�
Boshart joined bg真人 on Jan. 1, 2020, serving as the fourth president since Goshen Biblical Seminary and Mennonite Biblical Seminary incorporated as Associated (now Anabaptist) Mennonite Biblical Seminary in 1994. He had been a pastor for more than 25 years in Mennonite congregations in Iowa and Virginia and had most recently served for 10 years as Executive Conference Minister of of Mennonite Church USA. He also had served on the 鈥� including as Moderator (2017鈥�19) 鈥� and on the bg真人 Board.
Boshart earned a PhD in Leadership Studies with an emphasis in Missional Theology from the Andrews University (AU) School of Education in Berrien Springs, Michigan. His doctoral dissertation was published as (Wipf and Stock, 2010). He also earned a Master of Arts in Religion with a major in New Testament Theology from Eastern Mennonite Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Theology from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), both in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He has served as Appointed Associate Professor at the AU School of Education and as an adjunct faculty member at bg真人 and EMU.
In addition to Neeb, the 2023 Presidential Review Committee included bg真人 Board members John Daniels of Sarasota, Florida; Gerda Krause of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; and Mandy Yoder of Goshen, Indiana; an bg真人 Teaching Faculty representative, Rachel Miller Jacobs, Associate Professor of Congregational Formation; an bg真人 student representative, Anteneh Setegn of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and MEA Executive Director Michael Danner (ex officio). Jolene VonGunten of MEA provided administrative support. Neeb expressed gratitude for the many persons across the campus community and the church who responded to the survey.
Located in Elkhart, Indiana, on ancestral land of the Potawatomi and Miami peoples, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary is a learning community with an Anabaptist vision, offering theological education for learners both on campus and at a distance as well as a wide array of lifelong learning programs 鈥� all with the goal of educating followers of Jesus Christ to be leaders for God鈥檚 reconciling mission in the world. ambs.edu
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