The primary goal of the OSS is to provide support to Masters level and certificate students and journey alongside them from admission to graduation. The OSS is committed to responding to student needs and concerns, addressing challenges and advocating on behalf of students.

Rev. David W. Watkins, III
Assistant Dean of Student Services and Support
dwatkins@mccormick.edu

The OSS handles matters pertaining to:

  • Providing social-emotional support and academic advice to all masters level and certificate students 

  • Advising students in degree program requirements and encouraging them towards learning and vocational goals 

  • Making faculty advisor assignments and processing change of advisor requests

  • Facilitating workshops to prepare senior students for Graduation Presentations/Senior Portfolios & coordinating Senior Reviews

  • Handling course transfer requests and degree reclassification requests 

  • Coordinating theses processes with senior students and faculty/thesis advisors 

  • Handling voluntary withdrawals and administrative withdrawals

  • Overseeing the work of the Student Council, all Student Advocacy Groups, the Board of Deacons and the Herald. 

  • Coordinating Town Hall meetings and other community forums to gain feedback and enhance the student experience 

  • Facilitating surveys and other data collection for institutional assessment purposes


Student Council

The Masters level student government is known as the Student Council and comprises students from the junior, middler and senior classes of the masters level programs. The Student Council seeks to serve Masters level students and families of McCormick Theological Seminary through representation, communication, advocacy, and nurture. General concerns and questions can be sent to studentcouncil@go.mccormick.edu

The purpose of the Student Council is to:

  • Facilitate timely communication among students, faculty, administration, and the Board of Trustees; 

  • Foster open communication and mutual respect among various interest groups of the McCormick community; 

  • Respond to and serve as an advocate for needs and concerns of students; encourage and enable participation of students in the life of the whole community, providing opportunities for nurture, growth, renewal, fellowship, and connectedness among students and their families.

Student Council Meetings and Events

The Student Council welcomes as many McCormick students to the monthly Council meetings as possible.  The meetings are based on an open table discussion model, and are more of a gathering than a meeting, more driven by discussion than an agenda, more about learning and equipping than action items and to do lists.The Student Council generally meets the first Monday of every month from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Dinner is provided at each meeting. The Student Council also plans multiple events that provide opportunities for fellowship.

Student Advocacy Groups (SAGs)

Student advocacy groups address special needs and concerns of the McCormick community. They offer resources and challenges to the whole Seminary through forums and other events. Often they coordinate their energies among themselves and with the Masters Level Student Council and other bodies of the Seminary on specific issues.

While involvement can vary with student turnover, most Student Advocacy Groups are active throughout the year. Students who wish to develop an official Student Advocacy Group revolving around a particular issue or concern are welcomed and encouraged to do so. For more information on joining or starting a group, please email the Student Council at studentcouncil@go.mccormick.edu. 

Board of Deacons (BOD) 

The Biblical inspiration for having a student Board of Deacons is rooted in Acts 6:1-7. The primary task of the Board of Deacons Deacons is to support the emotional and spiritual well-being of students and their families. The deacons seek to foster fellowship, provide opportunities for community building, and offer recognition, prayer support, and comfort regarding joys and concerns of members of the community. The Deacons fulfill these responsibilities in cooperation with the Office of Student Academics and the Student Council. 

The McCormick student body is divided into smaller groups of students, each with an assigned deacon, for the purpose of coordinating intentional emotional and spiritual student care from a student perspective. Students can approach a deacon for:

  • Nurture, growth, fellowship, and connectedness among students and their families

  • Recognition, support, and comfort regarding joys and concerns of members of the community

  • Prayer concerns

  • Financial support in times of crisis or emergency especially unexpected travel expenses or sudden illness

  • Celebration of family milestones and support in difficult times

  • Advocacy

The McCormick Herald

The Herald is McCormick's student-run e-newsletter which publishes articles, pictures, opinion pieces and information about educational and professional opportunities, school and community events and more. The Herald is also a platform for students and student organizations to express their questions, concerns, and excitement about all things McCormick, ministry, Chicago, and life. All McCormick community members are invited to submit pieces and pictures to The Herald. Submissions to the Herald are accepted via email herald@mccormick.edu.