Commencement 2025: Ashby Urges ‘Courage to Be Lost’
The 130th Commencement Exercises of Church Divinity School of the Pacific are in the books. Held in All Saints Chapel on May 24, the ceremony was both the usual celebration of graduates—once again preparing to embark on robustly supported curacies—and also a bittersweet moment of reflection in several respects.
“This is a great day for our graduates, but we should also be clear that this is not a normal graduation,” said Dr. Stephen Fowl, president and dean, in his opening remarks. “We’re beginning a new phase in the life of CDSP, and it is fitting that we are able to be here one more time to celebrate with our graduates and to thank God for the ministry that has taken place here over many years.”
Missing from the gathering was the Rev. Karla Koon ’25, who died May 12 of complications from cancer first diagnosed in early 2024. Her advisor, the Rev. Katrina Olson, PhD, accepted the posthumously conferred diploma on Koon’s behalf.
The Rt. Rev. Lucinda Ashby ’04, bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real, gave the commencement address and was awarded an honorary doctorate. Her remarks commended courage and openness in an uncertain ministry landscape.
“The calling to be the lost leader is what I leave with you,” she told the graduates. “I invite you to learn more than you teach, listen more than you speak, wonder more than you preach, be more curious than judgmental. Be the leaders that God desires, that the Church needs.”
Commencement was recorded by a media team from Trinity Church and is available for replay viewing below and at cdsp.edu/commencement-2025.
CDSP Student Award Winners
- The Right Rev. Richard Millard Prize for Excellence in Preaching: Harlowe Zefting
- Episcopal Preaching Foundation Award: Michael Kornelsen
- The Fran Toy Prize for Multicultural Ministry at a Field Education Site: Rachel Dykzeul
- Lawrence Kristin Mikkelsen Preaching Scholarship: Alyssa Sali
Honorary Degree Recipient
Summary of recipient bio available here
- The Rt. Rev. Lucinda Ashby ’04
List of Graduates
Certificate of Anglican Studies
- Rachel Krista Dorothy Dykzeul, BA, MDiv
- Gloria J. Lee, BA, MA
Certificate of Theological Studies
- Ingrid Jacobson, BA, MSc
- Frances Ann Oka
Master of Theological Studies
- Tien-Yo Tim Pan, PhD (Thesis: Humans in the AI Era: Ethical Boundaries in Artificial Intelligence for the Glory of God)
Master of Divinity
- Vincent S. Caranchini, BFA, MFA
- Michael Justin Drell, BA (Hons), Grad. Dip.
- Karla Lynn Koon, BFA, MA
- Michael James Kornelsen, BME, MME, DMA
- Elle Morgan, BS, JD
- Weston Lassiter Morris, BA
- Harlowe Ren-Ying Zefting, BA, BS, MTS
