Society of John Wesley Award of Merit

“Each year, the John Wesley Society Award is awarded by the alumni themselves, under the guidance of the previous awardees. This year, the recipient is The Reverend Doctor, Bishop Robin Dease. She has earned both the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Wesley. 

Robin grew up in Brooklyn, New York, one of 13 siblings. She graduated from Claflin University in Orangeburg in 1992. She later returned to Claflin as an adjunct professor and then became chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy. But she understood her call to be to the pastorate and served as a pastor and a District Superintendent in the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church and served on many denominational and conferences boards and committees. She demonstrated she is a pastor to pastors, establishing a clergy wellness program which was vital to sustaining the community of clergy in South Carolina. Dease worked to keep people at the table during a tough time in our denomination. 

In 2022, Dease was elected bishop by the 2022 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church and consecrated on November 4, 2022. During the election process, her name was placed in nomination from the floor as an episcopal candidate. But she felt a strong sense of obligation to her newest appointment, a cross-racial appointment where she was finding new life and energy after her time on the cabinet. She withdrew but was once again written in as a candidate by the body. And to no one’s surprise here at her Alma Mater, she was elected. Her first assignment as bishop is to the North Georgia Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church and she began service in North Georgia on January 1, 2023. Bishop Dease, please accept this reward from Wesley and your sister and brother alumni who are proud of you.”