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Alumni Profiles
ALUMNI PROFILES
STEVEN JUNGKEIT ’96
DESCENDANT OF MESSIAH’S FOUNDER CARES FOR LOST VOICES
Four generations after his great-great-grandfather S.R. Smith founded Messiah Bible School, Steven Jungkeit ’96 came to Grantham as a student at what by then had been renamed Messiah College. Now a senior minister at the First Congressional Church of Old Lyme in Connecticut, he’s forging his own path of reconciliation.
A few years ago, his church became a sanctuary for a Pakistani family faced with deportation. The family, including a daughter who was a U.S. citizen, lived for eight months in the church basement while they appealed their case.
So, for most of a year, the church came together to make sure the family had food, shelter and care. Fortunately, the case got appealed.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that goes down as one of the most important moments of my vocational life and life,” Jungkeit said. “It was an extraordinary thing to see our faith community come together, shelter and support this family.”
The church also has engaged in inter-faith partnership work with Israel, Palestine, Haiti, South Africa and a Native American community in North Dakota. Over the years, they have also hosted refugees from Syria and The Congo, along with climate refugees from Puerto Rico. APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE
Smith, Messiah’s first president, founded the school on the principle that all Christians should be admitted regardless of race, sex or creed.
Today, Jungkeit’s church is working on a project called “Stories from the Deep North,” focusing on unearthing the history of Old Lyme—actually analyzing the dirt underneath. Part of the project is telling the stories of 200+ enslaved people in the area, some of whom were enslaved by the first leaders of their church community, and placing markers throughout the town.
In doing this work, Jungkeit and his church are trying to begin to undo the effects of colonialism and slavery, by building relationships, friendships and eventually reconciliation. “The work that I think we need to do now is tell those stories, be faithful in voicing our own truths and past history—and, to some degree, our current complicity—to try to construct a different narrative that we can live into that can be inhabitable for all people and not the chosen few,” he said.
Jungkeit’s theology motivates how he lives and works within his church—a theology that he foundationally formed while at Messiah. He pulls inspiration from several parts of the Bible, particularly, The Law and the Prophets, the Book of Hebrews and Matthew 25. He said that Matthew 25 is “a passage that allows us to say that when we’re looking at the face of suffering, we are seeing the face of Christ. So, if we wish to see religion work in the world, if we wish to see God alive in the world, then we’re going to have to look in those places. And to take care of those needs as best as we can.”
COURTESY OF THE MESSIAH UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES Steven Jungkeit ’96 (above), a pastor in Connecticut, also happens to be the great-great-grandson of Messiah’s founder, S.R. Smith (left).
LOOKING BACK
His time at Messiah influenced his years after graduation, specifically while he was earning his Ph.D. of religious studies at Yale, and later as he taught as a lecturer of ethics at Harvard Divinity School.
“I have enormous goodwill toward Messiah. My own life and faith have shifted over the years, but Messiah remains a kind of grounding for me. It really felt like a decision that charted a course for myself that I still feel like I’m on,” he said.
— Molly McKim ’23
TOVAH WILSON ’15, M.A. ’20
Meet our new director of annual giving
This fall, Tovah Wilson ’15, M.A. ’20 began working as Messiah’s director of annual giving and donor communications. Here’s a little bit about her:
WHERE IS HOME FOR YOU?
I’m originally from Philadelphia, so in the literal sense, that is home. I would also say home for me was always where my mom was. Since her passing, I would have to say it is wherever I feel most supported and cared for.
GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF YOUR CAREER JOURNEY.
I taught in Honduras for three years, have been a residence director at Messiah, have experience in human resources and now work in the world of development!
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT. WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU?
No day is typical, but I oversee the Messiah Fund and write communications to our gracious donors. As I have entered the world of development, I have been so grateful to be a part of a wonderful team that understands the importance of making sure our students are supported and have the resources that they need.
WHERE HAVE YOU TRAVELED MOST RECENTLY?
Most recently, I was at a CASE conference in Denver. It was my first time there, and it was absolutely beautiful. I was grateful for the opportunity to learn so much about the practical applications of annual giving. Prior to that, I was able to go on the Civil Rights Bus Tour along with many dear colleagues, including President Phipps! What an incredible way to learn about our nation’s complex history and the strides that we have yet to make. I am grateful to be at an institution that is committed to learning and growing in reconciliation.
AS A DOUBLE ALUM, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHER ALUMS ABOUT GIVING BACK TO THEIR ALMA MATER?
I have been in your position before and wondered, why should I give back to a place that I am paying or have paid so much to already? The answer I found was that giving back to Messiah helps students first and foremost and allows the institution to continue to improve upon practices that shaped my four years as a student. As a former Martin Scholar, I have experienced firsthand the power of donor contributions, and that there is no amount too small or insignificant to improve the lives of students.
ANYTHING ELSE?
One of the benefits of this role is being able to meet so many new people, which I love! I also love to bake and hangout with my cat, Pancake. On the weekends, you can probably find me in a museum or coffee shop.
— Tovah Wilson ’15, M.A. ’20
Fun fact: Tovah Wilson ’15, M.A. ’20 spent three years teaching in Honduras.
