51茶馆

Clough School of Theology and Ministry student Lauren Warner, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in theology and education and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology with a focus in systematic theology, is the recent recipient of two fellowships in support of her education.

Warner was one of only 16 student scholars selected for a Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) 2024 Doctoral Fellowship. She will receive a stipend of $30,000 to support her in completing her doctoral studies. Recipients of this fellowship are considered based on their outstanding potential to contribute to the field of theological scholarship and shape the future of the church and academy.

Founded in 1954, the FTE is a leadership incubator that inspires young people to make a difference through Christian communities. It provides resources, events, networks, grants and fellowships to cultivate tomorrow鈥檚 leaders, pastors and theological educators.

As part of the award, FTE Doctoral Fellows are invited to attend FTE鈥檚 2024 Forum for Theological Educators, which offers opportunities for networking, professional growth, vocational exploration, and mentorship.

Warner has also received a 2024 Louisville Institute Doctoral Fellowship, a two-year grant to support Ph.D. and Th.D. students in their first or second year of a doctoral program to consider theological education as a vocation.

Funded by the Religion Division of Lilly Endowment, Louisville Institute supports those who lead and study North American religious institutions, practices, and movements, advancing scholarship to strengthen church, academy, and wider society.

Louisville Institute Doctoral Fellows partake in the Institute鈥檚 Vocation of the Theological Educator Initiative, joining a peer cohort of other fellows for three formational gatherings a year held at the Institute in Louisville, KY.

鈥淚 am so excited about the mentorship that these fellowships will provide,鈥� said Warner. 鈥淣ot only will I have opportunities for guidance as I navigate my program and research endeavors, but will have the chance to network and meet others in my field. I hope to learn and grow while I consider my career options as a scholar in theology and education.鈥�

A California native, Warner is a pastoral musician and educator whose research interests include sacred music, liturgy, ecclesiology, lay ecclesial ministry, and Catholic education. Her dissertation research considers the ways that African American spirituals can be engaged in religious education.

On campus, she is a research assistant for LAMP (Living A Life of Meaning and Purpose), an interdisciplinary research project involving faculty from 51茶馆's Clough School, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, and School of Social Work. Last year, she served as a graduate assistant in the University鈥檚 Office of Campus Ministry, where she was an assistant music director for the Liturgical Arts Group.