NATIONAL CAPITAL EXPERIENCES FOR SEMINARIANS

Wesley offers innovative National Capital Experiences for Seminarians (NCES) during the Spring and Summer semesters via in-person immersion(s) and online sessions. View the details below.

The application deadline is December 15, 2024.

HOW TO APPLY

Non-Wesley students, click here to complete your 2025 application. Applicants from participating schools need to have a letter of good standing from your registrar, Dean, or Ethics faculty (or designated faculty representative). Questions? Email admissions@wesleyseminary.edu.

*Current Wesley students may sign up for NCES in the Registrar’s office.

Note to Applicants

You should submit the application no later than December 15, 2024

NCES is open to current students in good standing at any accredited seminary who has completed at least one year of a degree program at an accredited seminary and is recommended by his or her home seminary.

Students from participating institutions are charged for tuition at their home institution's regular tuition rate and pay these charges through their home seminary. If you are uncertain if your school is a participating institution, see the list below, or if you would like to find out how it can join, please reach out to Admissions at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu.

Other NCES students pay tuition directly to Wesley Theological Seminary at Wesley's regular tuition rate listed on the application.

For more information, contact our Admissions offices by email at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu or 202-885-8659.

NCES FACULTY

NCES Faculty

Dr. Lorena Parrish
Associate Professor of Urban Ministries
Director, Community Engagement Institute & Center for Public Theology

Dr. Parrish earned her Ph.D., M. Phil. and M.Div. at Union Theological Seminary and an M.S.S.W. from Columbia University. An ordained Baptist minister, Dr. Parrish’s academic specializations include Urban Ministry; Womanist Theology; Theology, Ethics and Popular Culture; Theology and the Black Church; and Practical Theology.

Professor Lucila Crena

Assistant Professor of Ethics and Public Theology

Professor Creana holds a BA in Economics with highest honors from Emory University, a MTS from Regent College (Vancouver, Canada) and will defend her Ph.D. in Theology, Ethics, and Culture dissertation at the University of Virginia this Fall.

APPLY NOW TO NCES

Wesley Theological Seminary housing: A community for students, fostering growth, connection, and shared academic journeys

Spring 2025 Semester

IS-350-JT Disrupting Inequities in Our Food System: Cultivating Food Justice in Charleston, SC

2 credits, January 3 - 10, 2025

Disrupting Inequities in Our Food System: Cultivating Food Justice in Charleston, SC

This week-long immersion course to Charleston, South Carolina examines food justice, history and the intersections of the diverse theoretical, applied, theological and ethical perspectives that inform the food system in the United States.

Instructors:

Dr. Lorena Parrish

Rev. Dr. Yvette R. Blair-Lavallais

Pre-trip virtual session: December 28, 2024

*January 3rd is student's travel day!

Students are responsible for travel costs.

Questions? Contact Admissions@wesleyseminary.edu for assistance.

IS-350 Disrupting Inequities in Our Food System: Cultivating Food Justice in Charleston, SC

EP-282-HB Faith, Politics & Public Square

3 credits, Hybrid, (Online with One week In-person), Professor Lucila Crena

A spring semester course with weekly meetings that include a seminar on public theology, social ethics, and political analysis, paired with conversations with lobbyists, public officials, activists, denominational leaders, and others engaged in practices of public witness.

Before the Hybrid week in-person, this class will meet via Zoom on Mondays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm ET. This class will meet on campus each during day the week of March 10 to 14, all other weeks assignments are online. After the Hybrid-week classes will be online.

***Seminarians at accredited institutions are invited to cross-register for one or both courses and are eligible to also enroll in additional Wesley courses during the selected term(s). Commuter/Temporary housing is available during this week if students register and apply by December 1, 2024. Learn more about commuter housing here.

For more information, contact our Admissions offices by email at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu or 202-885-8659.

Participating Institutions

In addition to institutions of the Washington Theological Consortium, the seminaries in the following listing have become Participating Institutions in NCES with designated faculty representatives:

Asbury Theological Seminary • Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries • Bangor Theological Seminary • Boston University School of Theology • Candler School of Theology, Emory University • Catholic Theological Union (Chicago) • Christian Theological Seminary (Indianapolis) • Columbia Theological Seminary (Georgia) • Drew University Theological School • Duke University Divinity School • Earlham School of Religion • Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary • Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary • Harvard University Divinity School • Iliff School of Theology • Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta) • Lancaster Theological Seminary • Lexington Theological Seminary • Meadville/Lombard Theological School • Methodist Theological School in Ohio • Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary • New Brunswick Theological Seminary • Northern Baptist Theological Seminary • North Park Theological Seminary • Pacific School of Religion • Palmer Theological Seminary • Perkins School of Theology • Pittsburgh Theological Seminary • Princeton Theological Seminary • School of Theology at Claremont (California) • Southern Methodist University • Union Theological Seminary (New York) • United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio) • United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities • University of Dubuque Theological Seminary • Vanderbilt University Divinity School