Indiana Wesleyan University names new president of Wesley Seminary

"I know that God is going to use me in a powerful way to continue to help Wesley Seminary grow," she said. "The team that envisioned Wesley Seminary gave birth to this beautiful place. Dr. Schmidt's leadership propelled us from zero to 500. And I'm excited about playing a part in the future of the Seminary. I feel passionate about our role in kingdom building."

Derr succeeds Jo Anne Lyon, who has served as the interim president since the departure of Wayne Schmidt, D. Min., the first president of Wesley Seminary, which opened in 2009. Schmidt left after being elected General Superintendent of the North American General Conference of The Wesleyan Church in 2016.

"Dr. Derr has earned a reputation as an advocate and resource for an array of church ministries, an effective administrator and a wise and dynamic leader," said David Wright, Ph. D., president of Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) in announcing Derr's appointment to the IWU community. "We are grateful that God has prepared Dr. Derr for this work and look forward to her leadership."

In addition to chairing the Seminary faculty, she has served as a member of the University Faculty Senate and has been active on numerous university committees. She is currently part of the team developing a

Doctor of Ministry in Formation, which is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2018, and she was an integral part of developing the Master of Arts in Children, Youth and Family Ministry.

Wesley Seminary serves more than 500 students in 34 states and 11 countries. The Seminary, which offers programs in Spanish, has a diverse student body that is almost 40 percent ethnic minority.

"Wesley Seminary is a special place that has developed quality programs and faculty since it opened in 2009 on Indiana Wesleyan University's Marion campus," Wright said. "It is being used by God to engage and equip pastors to lead their churches and reach individuals for Christ."

Derr has a Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University and a Doctor of Education in Christian Education Leadership from Regent University.

She is married to Wayne Derr, and they have four adult children, Jerica, Zachary, Tyler and Anna.

About Indiana Wesleyan University
Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is a Christian comprehensive university of The Wesleyan Church that is committed to global liberal arts and professional education. The university system includes IWU—Marion, where about 3,000 students are enrolled in traditional programs on the main campus in Marion, Ind.; IWU—National and Global, which includes more than 10,000 adult learners throughout the world who study online or at 15 education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio; and Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesley University, which offers a practical and student-centered approach for busy, working ministers. IWU's DeVoe School of Business, the School of Nursing, the School of Health Sciences, the School of Educational Leadership, the School of Service and Leadership, and the Division of Liberal Arts are all housed within the National and Global campus.More information is available at www.indwes.edu.

About Wesley Seminary
The Indiana Wesleyan University Board of Trustees formed Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University in April 2009 so that the university has a seminary with a practical and student-centered approach for busy, working ministers. The Wesley Seminary model allows ministers to stay in their current ministry setting while attending seminary. In addition to a Doctor of Ministry, the seminary also offers Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, and a Master of Practical Theology, as well as certificate programs in church revitalization; children, youth and family ministry; and church planting and multiplication. More information is available at www.indwes.edu/seminary.

Indiana Wesleyan University Contact:                                                          
Jerry Shepherd, Associate Vice President                                                   
Adult Enrollment Services                                                                                 
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SOURCE Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University

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