b'Campus 3Brian teaching the New TestamentWe use a lot of the yield from our endowment to give scholarships that enable students to cover their theological education. Paying back education loans can be very difficult. Graduates are going into various forms of ministry, which, as we know, are not the kind of high-paying jobs that allow you to pay back student loans quickly, so Im very happy about that.Travel Seminar group in the Middle EastTRAVEL SEMINARThe Church in the WorldFrom April 22 to May 12, close to two dozen students, alumni, and friends of the Seminary visited the Middle East. Led by Dr. Safwat Marzouk, Associate Professor of Old Testament, and Dr. Christine Luckritz Marquis, Associate Professor of Church History, the group was the first to experience a travel seminar since 2019. HighlightsofthetripincludedvisitingthepyramidsinEgypt, experiencing Sabbath on the Red Sea, watching the sun rise on Mount Sinai, exploring the history of the Jewish people, watching the full moon over the Sea of Galilee, and taking a journey to Jerusalem.A spiritually and emotionally intense experience, the 21-day journey allowed students to experience firsthand what it means to be the church in the world. As President Brian Blount noted, our travel seminars to Ghana, Korea, China, India, the Middle East, and Central America have been long-established ways in which our students see the church of Jesus Christ in ministry around the globe in new cultural and interfaith settings.Students and faculty wrote daily blog posts with reflections to share on the Seminarys website and social media channels. Images posted to Facebook and Instagram were popular with viewers as they followed the pilgrims on their journey. Learning about different religious traditions reminds us how Gods table brings together people from different parts of the world, said Dr. Marzouk. In the midst of complex political and social realities, Christian communities in the Middle East continue to show resilience as they work toward peace, reconciliation, and justice in their contexts, added Dr.Luckritz Marquis.Through the historical intricacies of Egypt, Israel, and Palestine, travelers gained a valuable perspective of Biblical stories while building connections with people across the globe during their memorable trip.Throughout the spring, Brian and Sharon Blount were celebrated with dinners, accolades, gifts, and surprises. The Board of Trustees dinnerMORE ONLINEYou can read blog posts from the trip atallowed for a sneak preview of Dr. Blounts presidential portrait. At the 112th Sprunt Lecture series, the portrait artist, Stanley Rayfield,www.upsem.edu/about/news-blog/provided background regarding the painting.Sharon & Brook is published by Union Presbyterian Seminary for alumni and friends of the Seminary.Editors Richmond Campus: Send us your updated information: Please send us the Samuel L. Adams, Faculty Advisor 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23227 news of your life and ministry that we may share with Rodney S. Sadler Jr., Faculty Advisor(804) 278-4240 others. The Seminary also welcomes updated email Marvin Daniel, Vice President of Advancement2023 Union Presbyterian SeminaryBarb Dodd, Director of Communications and mailing addresses, with current phone numbers. Clay Macaulay, Director of Alumni Development Charlotte Campus:Tim Moore, Director of Donor Relations 5141 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC 28210Copywriter Joe Slay (980) 636-1700 The Alumni Office would love to hear from you!Send news and contact updates to alumni@upsem.edu Designer Edith Ridderhof www.upsem.edu or call (804) 278-4228.UNION PRESBYTERIAN SEMINARY Sharon & Brook'