Indiana Wesleyan University President, Dr. Kulaga announced the appointment of Rev. Dr. Yamil Acevedo as interim chief officer of Wesley Seminary. Dr. Acevedo’s interim role as Executive Vice President of Wesley Seminary fills the gap between Dr. Colleen Derr and a permanent chief administrator to be appointed in the future. Dr. Acevedo served as the Director of Theological Programs in Spanish at Wesley Seminary and moved to the new position on July 1st, reporting directly to Dr. Kulaga as a member of the President’s Cabinet.
Dr. Kulaga is excited about Dr. Acevedo’s willingness and qualifications to serve as interim chief officer. He said, “I want to thank Dr. Acevedo for agreeing to this new challenge of serving all our students, faculty, and staff at Wesley Seminary, and look forward to working with him as we continue to grow not only the enrollment, but also the impact and influence of Wesley Seminary in the days ahead.”
Dr. Acevedo reflects on how he accepted the request. “I felt honored, humbled, and excited not because I expected it, but because I can see how God has helped me develop certain skills and life experiences for ‘for such a time as this.’ ” This understanding anchors him to stay focused on the task and respond to it faithfully. He looks forward to working together with the seminary co-workers, broader university, and the President’s Cabinet.
Wesley Seminary says goodbye to Dr. Coleen Derr who moved at the end of June to Eastern Nazarene College to serve as president. Along with Dr. Derr, the vice president of operations also moved to a new position elsewhere. In a recent prayer meeting, Dr. Acevedo reminded Wesley Seminary faculty of Psalm 11 and God’s sovereignty. He says, “…as some steadfast things are removed, God remains sovereign through the transitions…. he remains in control.” Dr. Acevedo is confident in God’s plan for Wesley Seminary and is ready to co-labor with all faculty and staff in this broader plan.
One of the main goals Dr. Acevedo hopes to work towards is to solidify Wesley Seminary’s identity and distinctives among the Wesleyan family and beyond. He desires to continue creating bridges between the church and academy, communicating with clarity and boldness to Christians everywhere the value of equipping themselves for contextual ministry engagement to reach their spheres of influence whether in vocational ministry or a secular job.
“A clear understanding of who we are and our contribution to the undivided formation of the people of God to accomplish God’s mission in the 21st century has to be part of our message,” says Dr. Acevedo. He believes this can help to continue defining their place within the global Wesleyan Church and the IWU community, benefitting students, their families, alums, and ministries. Like IWU-Marion and National and Global, Wesley Seminary intentionally invests in each student as they pursue their education. As the seminary is ushered into this new season, Dr. Acevedo prays that people everywhere will see what they are doing and step in to contribute and support their global impact.
Naturally, hiring a new president continues an unwavering process for Wesley Seminary. An existing leader elsewhere will likely step away from one key role and move into the chief officer role at Wesley Seminary. Therefore, Dr. Acevedo is prepared to serve as long as needed until the next chief administrator is named. In the meantime, Wesley Seminary remains in good hands.