Union Theological Seminary President Serene Jones to retire after 18 years of leadership

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York announced Monday that the seminary’s longtime president, the Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, will step down at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, concluding 18 years of transformative leadership.

Image

Following a sabbatical, Jones will return to Union to teach, write and continue her public theological engagement as a faculty member, holding the Johnston Family Chair for Religion and Democracy.

Jones leaves an extraordinary legacy. Since becoming Union's first female president in 2008, she has overseen one of the most comprehensive institutional renewals in the seminary's 188-year history. The faculty's legacy of excellence has been both sustained and renewed to meet the theological challenges of our age, a senior leadership team has been established and nurtured, and a strong Board of Trustees continues to lead the school with wisdom and courage.  Under her leadership, student enrollment and retention have markedly grown and stabilized across all degree programs, as has the range of student services available to support student formation and education.

Academic innovation also has flourished, including the launch of multiple new programs such as the Doctor of Ministry in Spirituality, Leadership, and Justice, a fully online Master of Arts in Social Justice, the one-year Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree offered in local correctional facilities, a redesigned, flexible part-time Master of Divinity program, and a range of certificate, programmatic, and continuing education programs, including the Center for Earth Ethics, the Encore Program for spiritual discernment later in life, the TIDEL program for pastoral innovation, the RISE program for Women of Color in Ministry, and most recently, the Center for Law and Religion.

Under her leadership, Union's commitment to interreligious engagement has also expanded. While continuing to offer sustained attention to Union's Christian roots, the seminary has deepened its engagement with Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, and Indigenous traditions through faculty expertise, programming, course offerings, and dedicated master's programs in Buddhism and Islam.

Union's historic Broadway campus is moving toward the completion of a total campus renewal process, resulting in state-of-the-art facilities with improved accessibility and more energy efficient, greener buildings. She has also increased Union's financial health through effective fiscal management and fundraising, including the recent launch of a $40 million campaign poised to surpass its goal ahead of schedule.

Throughout her time at Union, she also continued the legacy of bringing theology to the public square and assuring Union's reputation as a national and global leader in engaged theology, peace, social justice and faith-based advocacy. Jones has simultaneously strengthened Union's commitment to justice, equity, and inclusion across all dimensions of institutional life, including academics, student experience, hiring practices and governance, ensuring that equity is not just a value but a lived priority.

"President Jones's legacy at Union is extraordinary," said Cliff Hudson, Chair of Union's Board of Trustees. "She led with heart, vision, and unrelenting purpose — guiding Union through a period of remarkable growth, renewal, and impact. She has provided tremendous and courageous leadership during one of the most challenging periods in the history of higher education in this country. The Board is deeply proud of the way she rose to this moment with moral clarity, courage and conviction. We are profoundly grateful for her incredible leadership and the legacy she leaves behind."

Reflecting on her presidency, Jones said, "It has been the greatest honor and privilege of my life to serve as President of Union. I deeply love this community. It has challenged and inspired me in ways that have allowed me to grow and evolve alongside the institution. I am profoundly grateful to our students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and partners — for their trust, partnership, and shared commitment to shaping a seminary that is academically excellent, boldly creative, justice-driven and spiritually alive.”

“In times such as these, it is absolutely critical that Union continues this vibrant global witness against the many forces of destruction that plague our Earth while also being generatively supportive of the many beautiful voices that are standing up for truth, love and justice,” Jones said. “What more important calling could a president and a seminary community be given?” 

Union's Board of Trustees is launching a national search for the seminary's next president. The Presidential Search Committee will be chaired by Rhonda Joy McLean, Vice Chair of the Board.

"We are fully committed to identifying a leader who will sustain and expand upon Union's legacy," said McLean. "Our next president will be called to lead with moral clarity, theological imagination and a fierce commitment to compassion and justice. Union is strong and thriving — and we intend to continue the path we are on. I want to personally extend my deepest thanks to President Serene Jones for her tremendous leadership, unwavering vision, and deep care for the Union community over these past 18 years."