Presbyterian College celebrates 30 years of church leadership through Celtic Cross program
The Clinton, South Carolina institution celebrates a transformative program founded by the Rev. Dr. Bob Smith
Presbyterian College celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Celtic Cross program this spring with a heartfelt luncheon during the “Thriving in Ministry” conference, honoring the transformative church leadership program that has shaped generations of students pursuing both professional and lay ministry.
Held as part of PC’s Ecology of Calling Initiative, supported by a $1.25 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Thriving Congregations Initiative, the event brought together alumni, students, mentors, and the program’s founder, the Rev. Dr. Bob Smith, to reflect on the legacy and future of a program that has left an indelible mark on the church and the college alike.
Rooted in vision, sustained by community
Smith, a 1961 graduate of PC and the retired director of church relations, founded the Celtic Cross program in 1994 to address a growing need: keeping students connected to the church during their college years.
“I spent my whole career working with young people, except for the years I was in Congo,” Smith said. “And I saw these kids coming here, coming out of programs like I directed. I thought, we need to have something to continue the relationship, because most kids drop out of the church during college years.”
With help from students and support from faculty and staff, Smith created an experience that paired students with mentor pastors and congregations. The program also provided opportunities for worship leadership, mission trips and participation in national church gatherings including the General Assembly.
“It really is great,” Smith said, looking around the luncheon at alumni he worked with years ago. “They’re the reason I did it. This was just an opportunity to extend those relationships.”
A legacy measured in leaders
By conservative estimates, more than 300 students have participated in Celtic Cross over the past three decades. Roughly a third have pursued professional ministry as pastors, chaplains, missionaries or church staff members.
“We celebrate that with pride and joy,” said the Rev. Dr. Buz Wilcoxon ’05, PC’s Lassiter Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life. “But we also celebrate that about two-thirds are regular people who are also wonderful leaders of the church — elders, deacons, volunteers, and faith-informed leaders in their lives.”
For Wilcoxon, the program proved life-changing on multiple fronts.
“When I was trying to figure out what school to go to, Celtic Cross and Student Volunteer Services were the two programs that tipped the scales and told me that PC was the right place,” he said.
At one of the first events held during freshman orientation — a Celtic Cross-sponsored ice cream social in the fellowship hall at First Presbyterian Church of Clinton, Wilcoxon met his future wife. As a participant in the Celtic Cross program, Wilcoxon was also mentored by the Rev. Allen McSween at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Greenville, where he served during his first call to ministry as associate pastor.
“I’ve said for a long time, Celtic Cross gave me a PC education, my call and my first job, and the love of my life,” he said. “So, I am eternally grateful for this program, for Dr. Bob’s vision in founding it.”
Professors and mentors who matter
Dr. Peter Hobbie, professor emeritus of religion, was one of the program’s most influential mentors. His name came up frequently during the luncheon.
“It’s really not about me, though,” Hobbie said. “I think it’s the institution and what it’s always stood for. I’m hoping it will be here a long time.”
The Rev. Joe Evans ’02, now senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Marietta, Georgia, echoed that sentiment.
“I am confident that I would not be a Presbyterian minister at all were it not for my participation in Celtic Cross and the influence of Peter Hobbie,” Evans said.
Called by the Spirit — and Bob Smith
The Rev. Jennifer Fouse Sheorn ’96, pastor of Triune Mercy Center in Greenville, was among the program’s earliest participants.
“I remember Dr. Ron Burnside driving us in a snowstorm like it was a rodeo,” she said with a laugh. “It was a way to get to know faculty. And the Holy Spirit was at work — I never thought I’d go into ministry. I was a preacher’s kid who said, ‘Hell no.’ But now, 30 years later, I see a former student of mine leading worship at the church that first sponsored Celtic Cross. It’s humbling.”
The Rev. Betsy Turner ’04, designated pastor of Druid Hills Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, recalled a pivotal moment when she found a flyer in her mailbox in Springs Campus Center.
“It was for a university ministry internship at Clemson,” she said. “I always said the Holy Spirit sent me that flyer. But I suspect it was actually Bob Smith.”
Turner also credited a simple conversation with Smith for reshaping her future.
“I was an English major trying to figure out what to do,” she said. “He asked, ‘What brings you joy?’ I said I liked my classes with Peter Hobbie. And Bob said, ‘Maybe take some more.’ That was the push I needed.”
Stones of remembrance
The Rev. Whitney Moss ’00, pastor of Fountain Inn Presbyterian Church, keeps a tangible reminder of her time in the program.
“In my office, I have a little Celtic cross I received during our end-of-year worship at First Presbyterian,” she said. “That little rock is one of the foundational pieces that PC gifted me with.”
She recalled the value of being paired with a mentor pastor and worshiping with their congregation throughout the year. “It created relationships that are still foundational to me.”
Small moments, lasting impact
The Rev. Natalie Raygor ’04, associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, spoke about how her experiences in Celtic Cross shaped her identity and ministry.
“I think back on the trip we took to Scotland and the relationships we built — not just with PC students but with mentors,” she said. “Those little pieces carried me forward. Dr. Bob even adopted my brother and me for a while. The meals we shared meant the world.”
Looking ahead with gratitude
As the luncheon concluded, the recurring theme was clear: Celtic Cross didn’t just prepare students for ministry. It built lasting relationships, provided spiritual grounding, and shaped lives in ways no one could have predicted — especially its founder.
When asked if he envisioned a program that would last for decades, Smith chuckled and replied, “Never in a million years.”
And yet, because of a vision born out of love for young people and the church, hundreds of lives have been touched — each one bearing the mark of a Celtic Cross.
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