After 90 years, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School moved down the street on August 20 to its new home at 320 North Goodman Street. To mark the transition, CRCDS leaders, faculty, staff and students marched from the school’s former campus at 1100 South Goodman Street to its new, more centrally located campus in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts. Students will start class here for the Fall 2019 semester.
“Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School has a rich history, dating back to 1817, has emerged and evolved over 200 – and counting – years,” CRCDS President Angela Sims said. “This marks an important time for our school. A new beginning, a new chapter. With that, we are beyond excited to move into our new home. Although I’m new to CRCDS, this family spans centuries and represents a shared vision that theological education positively impacts our world in truly transformative ways. This location will provide greater opportunity for our school and students to integrate with the community around us.”
The new campus has been renovated as a purpose-built 21st century educational facility. Located in Village Gate near Memorial Art Gallery, the new school provides students with a vibrant, inviting atmosphere in proximity to a wide range of ministry partners. It also allows for greater opportunities to work on social justice, education, neighborhood development and anti-poverty initiatives with the EMMA, Beechwood and Marketview Heights (north and south) neighborhoods.
Rather than purchase or build, CRCDS leaders opted to lease the new property. They began looking for a site last year, focusing on accessibility, parking availability, proximity to student amenities, easy highway access (all CRCDS students commute) and affordability. The new location addresses all of those needs, as well as the school’s priorities of staying in the city of Rochester and routinely engaging with the community in new ways.
Following her appointment on July 1, Sims shared her primary goals and vision with CRCDS faculty, staff, community members and the board of trustees. Historically, the school has emphasized the importance of social justice advocacy and has hallmark programs in Women and Gender Studies and Black Church Studies. As president, Sims plans to build on that foundation, working with faculty to develop new programs while providing greater access to all of CRCDS’s courses and programs. She also will prioritize growing the school’s master’s degree programs and maintaining robust enrollment in the Doctor of Ministry program through nationwide recruitment. The new campus will support each of these primary goals.
Notable CRCDS graduates include Martin Luther King Jr., Howard Thurman, Majorie Matthews, Walter Rauschenbusch, United States Air Force Major General Lorraine Potter, James Forbes, Wyatt Tee Walker, Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, Leonard Sweet and H. Beecher Hicks.
For information about Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, visit www.crcds.edu.
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