Perkins School of Theology’s Annual Distinguished Alumni Award and Seals Laity Award
Call for Nominations:
Perkins School of Theology’s Annual Distinguished Alumni Award and Seals Laity Award
DALLAS (ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½) – Perkins School of Theology at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Methodist University is accepting nominations for two prestigious annual awards, the 2024-2025 Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2024-2025 Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award. Nominations for each award will be accepted through Monday, March 3, 2025.
For the first time, Perkins School of Theology is bringing together the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award in one special celebration. Recipients of the two awards will be honored at the Perkins Awards Banquet at 6:30 p.m. on April 7, 2025, in the Great Hall of Prothro Hall, 5901 Bishop Blvd., on the campus of Perkins School of Theology.
Details on each award and the nomination process are as follows:
The Distinguished Alumni Award
Presented annually, the Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes Perkins graduates who have demonstrated effectiveness and integrity in service to the church, continuing support for the goals of Perkins and ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, distinguished service to the community, and exemplary character.
To be considered, nominees must be alums of Perkins School of Theology, including Course of Study School graduates. Criteria for selection of awardees will be made by a subcommittee whose members will be appointed by the Perkins Alum Council.
Two recipients were honored in 2023: the Rev. Dr. Clayton Oliphint, M.Div. ’88, D.Min. ’96, and the Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Pace III, M.Div. ’82. For a list of all past awardees, visit Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients.
Those wishing to nominate a Perkins graduate for the 2024-2025 award must compile the following materials:
• A letter of nomination describing the candidate's vocational highlights and other accomplishments.
• Letters of recommendation from at least two additional people who also support the nominee.
These materials should be submitted together by completing the online form. To access, click
The Seals Laity Award
The Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award is presented annually to a layperson in the United States who exemplifies an exceptional commitment of service to Christ through faith and action in the church, community, and world. Awarded first in 1993, the award has been presented to more than 50 distinguished laypersons throughout the years.
The Seals Award receives support from the Howard-Holbert Endowment Fund, and honors Judge Woodrow B. Seals (1917-1990), a distinguished layperson whose interest and energy were instrumental in establishing the Perkins Theological School for the Laity (now the Perkins Summit for Faith and Learning.)
The most recent Seals Award recipients, honored in 2023, were Dr. Yvette Richards, a longtime community leader and national and conference leader in the United Methodist Church, and Shelley Lee, a leader in United Women in Faith and in the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church. See a complete list of past recipients here.
Nominations must include:
• A 600 to 1,000-word biographical narrative, including examples of the nominee’s activities showing commitment to Christian service in the church, community, and world.
• Two letters of recommendation from clergy and lay leadership of the nominee’s congregation and/or denomination.
• Contact information for the primary sponsor who will serve as the contact for Perkins School of Theology.
These materials should be submitted together by completing the online form. To access, click . Selection will be made by a committee of the Perkins Lay Advisory Board. Nominations remain active for three years including the year of submission.
View Additional Information about the Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award.
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Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of . Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Ministry, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Pastoral Music as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with The Graduate Program in Religious Studies at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½'s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.