Memphis Theological Seminary closing its doors in July with the property likely going up for sale
Memphis Theological Seminary’s home, called the Joseph Newburger House, was built in 1912 in the Beaux Arts style, with Memphis Heritage calling it “One of the most beautiful and impressive buildings in Memphis.” (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
When Jody Hill took the job as president of the Memphis Theological Seminary six years ago, he knew the institution’s future was dire.
Enrollment was declining, with MTS seeing a 10% to 15% drop nearly every year. With a relatively small endowment of just $15 million, the school wasn’t able to offer many scholarships to offset the $10,000 or so in annual tuition, so cost was an issue.
And in perhaps the biggest problem of all, as a standalone school, MTS didn’t have any backing from a larger university when problems arose at the small school affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
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Jody Callahan
Jody Callahan graduated with degrees in journalism and economics from what is now known as the University of Memphis. He has covered news in Memphis for more than 25 years.
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