Ph.inishe.D.

Fall 2024 • $99.00 Online Course

The Ph.inishe.D. online course provides inspiring content with course facilitators who have completed the doctoral journey, as well as practical tools and resources for learners to build scholarly careers. This course is designed for late-stage doctoral scholars of color who are past course work.

Online Course - Enrollment is closed for 2023

Build community with other scholars of color and complete your Ph.D. with confidence

Led by experienced facilitators who have successfully completed their own doctoral journeys, this course is tailored to meet your unique needs. Packed with invaluable resources, insightful discussions, and practical guidance, it is designed to equip you with the tools and knowledge necessary to build a scholarly career. Join a vibrant community of like-minded individuals who understand the challenges you face and will propel you toward success. Embrace this opportunity to unlock your full potential and make your mark as a scholar of color in the academy.

Course Leadership

The Ph.inishe.D. leaders are selected by the FTE team for their experience and for being role models and passionate scholars. We are here to accompany, encourage, and support you through the course offering.

Kimberly D. Russaw is the Associate Professor of Old Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA where she blends intellectual rigor with an infectious passion for teaching. To prepare for this ministry, she earned the Master of Divinity degree (Biblical Studies) from the Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta, GA), and the Master of Arts degree (Hebrew Bible) from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN). When Russaw completed her Ph.D. in Religion at Vanderbilt University, she joined a select cadre of African American scholars who passionately teach the next generation of Christian leaders at our seminaries, colleges, and universities. Russaw is the author of Daughters in the Hebrew Bible (Fortress Academic, 2018) and Revisiting Rahab: Another Look at the Woman of Jericho (Wesley's Foundery Books, 2021).). Dr. Russaw has written several articles and essays such as “Veils and Lapcloths: The Great Cover Up of Bynum, the Bible, and Black Churches,” “Wisdom in the Garden: The Woman of Genesis 3 and Alice Walker’s Sofia,” and “Undaunted: Reading Miriam for the Sisters They Tried to Erase”. Additionally, she has contributed to online spaces such as OnScripture, Church Anew, Huffington Post Religion, and The Christian Recorder on topics such as the Bible and popular culture.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, she is an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Rev. Dr. Kimberly Russaw

Dr. Jonathan Calvillo is Assistant Professor of Latinx Communities at Candler School of Theology. His work examines how distinct Latinx populations build communities of belonging through faith and creativity, often in the face of systemic exclusion. His current projects focus on how churches shape Latinx civic engagement, how lived religion influences Latinx ethnoracial identities, and how young Latinx creatives have responded to urban inequalities through artistic resistance. The author of numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, Calvillo published his first book, The Saints of Santa Ana: Faith and Ethnicity in a Mexican Majority City (Oxford University Press), in 2020.

Dr. Jonathan Calvillo

Rev. Dr. Darlene M. Hutto, affectionately known to many in FTE's network as "Revvy Rev" is an ordained Itinerant Elder, African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). She is a creative and lover of all things liturgical. At FTE she is responsible for partner relationship building, designing events, and overseeing work with young adult leaders. She engages in strategic initiatives and design and enjoys accompanying our FTE partners across the board. She holds a BA degree in Religion and Philosophy from Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, OH, and a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, GA. Reverend Hutto completed a Doctorate in Ministry degree at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in May 2023.

Pre-Gathering Workshop: Igniting the Pen: Unleashing the Power of Storytelling in Youth Theology Programs (Brian Hull and Darlene Hutto)

Join Brian Hull, director of partnerships at Asbury’s Youth Becoming Leaders YTN program, and Darlene Hutto, FTE’s director of community engagement as we harness the power of storytelling and resource sharing to ignite your passion for writing and empower you to articulate the profound impact of your youth theology programs. Through engaging discussions, an interactive session, and hands-on activities, we will guide you on a journey of self-reflection, exploration, and collective growth. This workshop will serve as a platform to showcase the successes and failures of planning, programming, and returning to the work of cultivating young people in a post-pandemic reality. Join us as we collaborate, imagine, and discern a brilliant resource project to share with adjacent constituent groups.

Rev. Dr. Darlene M. Hutto
Explore the Course



Hear from Christian leaders who have heard the

Hear from Christian leaders who have heard the "sound of the genuine" and are leading change in their community.

Witness inspiring stories from leaders in the academy who are shaping the future of theological education.

Witness inspiring stories from leaders in the academy who are shaping the future of theological education.

Participate in activities that will help you reflect on your own journey and discern your next most faithful step.

Participate in activities that will help you reflect on your own journey and discern your next most faithful step.

Take inventory of the skills and passions you embody and discover ones the community sees in you.

Take inventory of the skills and passions you embody and discover ones the community sees in you.

The resources are rich, comprehensive, and thoughtful for meaningful engagement and the community is validating and informative. Being in conversations with course participants helped me over the last hurdle of exam preparation. NaShieka Knight

Community Gathering Schedule

This course includes five live, instructor-led discussions held over Zoom. This time provides an opportunity to interact with peers and mentors.

Sept. 7 at 7pm (EST)
Sept. 14 at 7pm (EST)
Sept. 21 at 7pm (EST)
Sept. 28 at 7pm (EST)
Oct. 5 (Break)
Oct. 12 at 7pm (EST)
FAQs

The Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) is a leadership incubator that inspires young people to make a difference in the world through Christian communities. Since our founding in 1954, FTE has provided resources, events, networks, grants, and fellowships to cultivate tomorrow's leaders, pastors, and theological educators.

This course is for is designed for late-stage doctoral scholars of color who would benefit from a community of support and practical advice on successfully completing their programs.

Upon completion, you will join FTE's network of alumni which includes pastors, professors, deans, presidents of organizations, civil servants, and non-profit leaders who are leading their communities, congregations, and society. You will also have exclusive and early access to FTE's Doctoral Fellowship application.

This course will take 15 hours to complete over six (6) weeks.

Yes, if you meet the requirements set forth in the course you will received a certificate that you can post to your LinkedIn profile and download to share.

Yes, NovoEd have a mobile app, you can access the course anytime and anywhere you want.

Have a question?

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