LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Southern Seminary and Boyce College close 2025 with deep gratitude for the Lord’s kindness. This year brought significant steps in theological resourcing, strong indicators of institutional health, and clear evidence that God is still calling men and women from around the world to serve Christ’s church. With 800 graduates sent out and 5,018 students preparing for ministry and service, the work remains focused on training faithful Gospel servants for a lifetime of ministry.
Institutional Strength
At the 2025 Alumni & Friends Luncheon held in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, President R. Albert Mohler Jr. reported on the strength and reach of Southern Seminary and Boyce College. He highlighted a spiritually vibrant student body, a once-in-a-generation faculty, and alumni who are serving with conviction across the globe. Boyce College, he noted, has “outperformed everything we were told was possible,” with strong employment outcomes and a student culture marked by seriousness about the Gospel.
Trustees reinforced this picture of health in their most recent meetings. At the Fall 2025 Trustee Meeting, they affirmed the seminary’s enduring commitment to theological integrity, faithful stewardship, and the preparation of ministers for the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond. Earlier in the year, trustees adopted a 2025-2026 operating budget of $56 million, a 4.7 percent increase over the previous year, reflecting both growth and careful financial stewardship in service to the seminary’s mission.
The academic year was framed by services that anchored the community in Scripture. Spring convocation reminded students that theological study must not only increase knowledge, but teach them to “know as we ought to know” for the sake of God and his church. At Fall convocation, President Mohler’s address, “Christ the Only Foundation,” called students and faculty to remember that every course, sermon and assignment rests on the unchanging truth of Christ.
Logos Max and digital textbooks for every master’s student
A major milestone in 2025 was the launch of Southern Seminary’s partnership with Logos Bible Software. Beginning this fall, every master’s-level student, whether online, modular, or on campus, receives full access to Logos Max along with all required textbooks at no additional cost.
This initiative removes the recurring burden of textbook purchasing, guarantees that students have the right resources on day one of each course, and places a world-class digital theological library in their hands for long-term ministry. The partnership reflects the scale and diversity of Southern’s master’s program, which now includes more than 2,400 master’s students, over 400 international students, and representation from 59 countries.
Training scholars for the strengthening of the Church
Southern Seminary’s faculty and students continued to serve the wider theological community. At the 2025 annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society in Boston, over 40 representatives from Southern Seminary and Boyce College participated through paper presentations, moderated sessions, and research collaborations, reflecting the institution’s deep engagement with evangelical scholarship in service to the church.
On campus, the 2025 Greek and Hebrew for Life Conference drew pastors, students, and teachers who want to keep the Bible’s original languages active in preaching and teaching. The event showcased Southern’s longstanding commitment to rigorous exegesis and language training as essential tools for faithful ministry.
In October, the seminary announced a significant leadership transition in the School of Theology. After a distinguished tenure as dean, Hershael W. York will conclude his service at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. Andrew T. Walker has been appointed to serve as the next dean beginning August 1, 2026. In accepting the role, Walker underscored his priorities of confessional fidelity, pastor-forming scholarship, and tangible support for faculty as they teach and write for the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond.
Boyce College: Preparing students for ministry and the marketplace
At Boyce College, 2025 was marked by both academic expansion and spiritual momentum. In May, the 27th commencement ceremony gathered graduates, families, and friends on the Seminary Lawn for a day marked by gratitude, joy, and hope. Graduates were sent out to serve Christ and his church with the knowledge and character formed during their years at Boyce College.
Boyce College continued to grow as a place where students prepare for both ministry and marketplace callings. This year, the college expanded its Business Administration degree with a new emphasis in Information Technology, equipping students for roles in IT support, cybersecurity, network management and digital systems administration. The program combines coursework in programming, systems management and database design with the opportunity for hands-on experience through internships, all grounded in a distinctly Christian worldview.
Outside the classroom, Boyce students continued to make an impact in athletics. In March, Boyce Men’s Basketball player Daniel Smith received the 2025 Pete Maravich Award from the National Christian College Athletic Association, and in November, Boyce Men’s Soccer player Ben Sowers won the Kyle Rote, Jr. award, in each case a recognition that honors both athletic excellence and Christlike character. Also this year, Freshman Alex Morton claimed the first men’s individual national title in Boyce College history, finishing first in the NCCAA DII Cross Country National Championships.
Graduates sent out with conviction and joy
Commencement services remain some of the most significant moments in the life of Southern Seminary and Boyce College. In May, Southern Seminary’s graduates were reminded that their preparation was never an end in itself, but a means of being “set loose for the gospel,” committed to preach the Word, shepherd the flock, and endure for the sake of Christ and his church. Boyce graduates received a similar charge, as faculty and families celebrated God’s work in their lives and prayed for their service in churches, schools, businesses, and mission fields around the world.
The year closed with winter commencement on Dec. 12, when another group of graduates will gather in Alumni Memorial Chapel to be commissioned for ministry. Across all programs and degrees, the story is the same: students arrive with a sense of calling and leave with deeper conviction, stronger preparation, and a clear commitment to bring the gospel to a waiting world.
Looking ahead with gratitude
As 2025 draws to a close, Southern Seminary and Boyce College give thanks to God for his faithfulness and to the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention for their ongoing support. Trustees, faculty, staff, and students share a common conviction that theological education must remain anchored to the truth of God’s Word and directed toward the needs of Christ’s church.
With graduates now serving in all 50 states and around the world, and students on campus from 59 countries, Southern Seminary and Boyce College enter 2026 confident in the Lord’s continued work. The institutions remain committed to training pastors, missionaries, teachers, and Christian leaders who are trusted for truth and ready to serve wherever Christ calls.
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