Yale Divinity School’s E-News Update

Welcome to October's E-news update!

You’re Invited: Fall Open House 2009

What better time to visit New England than fall!  Yale Divinity School’s Fall Open House is fast approaching.  The Open House program provides a wonderful introduction to life at YDS and I strongly encourage those who can make it to New Haven on Monday, November 2, 2009 to join us for the day!  Registration is quick and easy through our secure site.  Register now for Fall Open House

The schedule of the day’s events has not been finalized yet, but it will include:

an opportunity to worship in Marquand Chapel, meet and greet our community at coffee hour, learn more about Berkeley Divinity School and the Institute of Sacred Music, and an overview of the admissions and financial aid process.

Our friends at Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal seminary affiliated with Yale Divinity School, have extended an invitation to all Open House participants to their daily morning prayer service at 7:30 a.m. in St. Luke’s Chapel at the Berkeley Center on 363 St. Ronan Street (just a short walk from YDS).   Berkeley will also host a Choral Evensong at 5 p.m. in Marquand Chapel on Monday evening.  All are welcome to attend.

Hotels: two area hotels have reserved a block of rooms for our event.  The New Haven Hotel is $119 a night (203-498-3100) and the Clarion Hotel and Suites in Hamden, CT (you will need a car if staying at this hotel).  The rate at the Clarion is $105 a night and you can reach them by phoning 203-288-3831.  Please make your reservations by October 24, 2009.  Thank you.

Apply Online Now

Many of you are diligently working on the YDS application.  If you haven’t yet started an application, there is still plenty of time to do so.  Our secure and user friendly application is available at the following web site:

https://apply.divinity.yale.edu/apply.

Please call me or e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns about the application; I am happy to assist you!

The Yale Divinity School application is inclusive of Berkeley Divinity School. 

For a list of important dates please see the chart below. 

To learn more about YDS please visit us on the web www.yale.edu/divinity or click the link to access the application instructions. 

Yale Divinity School Bulletin is our course catalogue and can be accessed online! 

**Please Note: The application for the Ph.D program in Religious Studies is available through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences web site.  Yale Divinity School does not facilitate the Ph.D program.**

To learn more about YDS please visit us on the web www.yale.edu/divinity or click the link to access the application instructions. 

Yale Divinity School Bulletin

*All admissions applications submitted after the priority filing deadline will be subject to a $100 application fee.

Please note: the application for the Ph.D in religious studies can be accessed through Yale's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Attention International Applicants

Please note you are required to submit scores from the IELTS (www.ielts.org) in order to be considered for admission.  Yale Divinity School DOES NOT accept scores from the TOEFL.  Please be certain to schedule your test well in advance to meet appropriate application deadlines.  The IELTS may be waived if the applicant received a degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning or an international institution where English is the primary language of instruction. For more information on this requirement please read the application instructions carefully.

***Application Note: If your letter writers will be sending their letters of recommendation via U.S. Mail, please make certain the recommendation form accompanies the letter.  The form can be downloaded through the application.  Letters are not considered complete without this form. Thank you!*** 

YDS Fun Facts

• YDS boasts students from nearly 40 different Christian denominations
• Marquand Chapel hosts a service every day at 10:30 a.m.  For more information: Marquand Chapel (And it is followed by coffee hour!) 
• YDS offers Joint Degree Programs with 7 other Yale schools and 2 Schools of Social Work (Yeshiva University and the Univ. of Connecticut).
• YDS offers several exciting  International Exchange Programs in England, Germany, Hong Kong, and Singapore
• Our students can participate in over 20 different clubs and activities—ranging from denominational groups to the Earth Cares Committee, Committee on Social Justice, and LGBTQ Coalition.  Check out the Office of Student Life page for a full listing…click the link for the Community Life Committee.
• Are you musically inclined?  YDS has a men’s and women’s a cappella group, a gospel choir, a Marquand Chapel Choir, a Praise and Worship Band, and several opportunities through the Institute of Sacred Music to show off your musical gifts.

Note from the Road

Fall recruiting travel is in full swing!  So far I have had an opportunity to meet many of you as I continue my travels throughout the U.S.  Please be sure to check out my schedule—it is conveniently posted to the web site 2009 Fall Recruiting Schedule; I update it regularly. 

Upcoming stops: Chicago, Michigan, Atlanta, and Ohio!

Am I scheduled to come to your home state, but don’t see your school listed?  Want me to come and talk to your church or discernment group?  Call or e-mail me (my contact information is at the bottom of this correspondence) and perhaps I can consider adding another stop along my journey. 

Also, please visit the YDS website for a listing of “Faculty on the Road” to see if any of our faculty members will be presenting a lecture or serving on a panel in a city or college near you.  This feature can be found the YDS home page, just below the Events Calendar; click on the faculty members name for more information about the speaking engagement.

Yale Divinity School on Facebook

Reflections

Reflections is a magazine of theological and inquiry published twice a year by Yale Divinity School.  Fall 2009’s edition entitled, “How firm a foundation? Churches Face the Future,” will be released shortly. Subscriptions to Reflections are free and orders can be placed online: Subscribe to Reflections. 

Visiting Campus:

Yale Divinity School encourages visitors to campus, especially when classes are in session so you can get a sense of the many gifts our community has to offer.  Classes begin September 2, 2009.  Please click on the Visit YDS page for more information or you may use our Online Scheduler to book your visit.

Next month: More information about Joint Degree Programs, a final report from the road, and more!

Want more news and information from YDS?  Check out our web site: www.yale.edu/divinity!

As always please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail me if you have questions or concerns!  See you in August!

Melissa Pucci, Associate Dir. of Admissions