MONDAY MENTION Christopher McDermott, '84 After a period of missionary teaching in Zimbabwe and South Africa between 1976 and 1983, Christopher McDermott graduated Southeastern in 1984 with a Bible degree. Southeastern was just the beginning of his life-long learning career! Wheaton College was his next stop - he completed an MA in Intercultural Studies & Mission there, where he focused on urban and contextual theology, development, and cross cultural communication. In 1987, Chris moved to the UK where he worked and lived in east London for 27 years, doing various ministry jobs in churches. He also has been in the field of conflict resolution and mediation from 1988-2013. He eventually completed a second MA in Philosophy and Religion at Heythrop College.
From 2000 to 2012, Chris served full-time at a charity called Conflict and Change Ltd. During the economic downturn, he left that position and began a period of freelancing as a consultant. That led him to his current job as a Lead Chaplain at the University of Sussex, Brighton in 2014. Last year, Chris also began his role as a Ph.D researcher for the university. Chris is married to his wife, Rosemarie, who is from Bethnal Green of London. They have four children: Patrick, Sheila, Simon, and Tom. Chris and Rosemarie also have two grandchildren. Chris can recall his first impression of Lakeland when he arrived for school - all his belongings in a U-Haul with no place to live in the heat of Florida's July. Thankfully he was able to find a trailer to rent until he moved on campus in October. Chris attended Crystal Lake Methodist church while living in Lakeland, where he met a few other Southeastern students, as well. He also worked on the grounds and as a janitor on campus to help fund his education.
A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N
Chris's time at Southeastern served him well by rounding off his undergraduate work and stimulating a lively interest to pursue studies as a life-long learner. Not only that, but Chris met life long friends here and was greatly impacted by the input and encouragement from professors. Dr. Steve Fettke taught Chris's Old Testament class and Ethics class, and guided Chris's research in the field of philosophy. Dr. Don Eudy was another person Chris was able to study under. Chris has fond memories of Irvin Ziemann, a dear man who graciously and informally guided Chris in early studies of Greek. Chris found encouragement through his time at Southeastern. He recalls that his faith that was nurtured during his time as a student at Southeastern and through various people he met here kept him steady through times of deep shadows and hardships in the years to follow. He has found refuge in a God who never fails, and in the support of good friends.