Jessica Lewis named MC’s MAST Program Director
March 16, 2022
Jessica Kitchens Lewis ’07 has been named MAST (Maryville Adventures in Studying Theology) Program Director at Maryville College. She began her new role on Feb. 17.
“From my years as a student, I have seen firsthand how the MC community encourages compassion as well as intelligence, vision as well as insight, and curiosity as well as integrity,” Lewis said. “I look forward to being a part of continuing this tradition by welcoming others to MC through the MAST program. Maryville College is not only my alma mater, but it holds a special place in my heart as the community that gave me a theological foundation for my life. That foundation encouraged me to pursue seminary and ministry in the church, and I look forward to being able to help build that foundation for future generations as MAST program director.”
The MAST Program is a Lilly Endowment-funded program that aims to cultivate youth leaders for the church and world by helping them discover and embrace the traditions of Christian faith, put their faith into practice, and explore — through the lenses of Bible study and theology — important questions of our time. The grant is part of Lilly Endowment’s High School Youth Theology Institutes initiative, which seeks to encourage young people to explore theological traditions, ask questions about the moral dimensions of contemporary issues and examine how their faith calls them to lives of service.
After graduating from MC with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Lewis moved to Laurel, Mississippi, and worked as the director of Christian education at First Trinity Presbyterian Church for 12 years. She is currently pursuing a Master’s of Divinity at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.
Lewis will work closely with the Presbytery of East Tennessee to support youth ministry initiatives at Maryville College. She will also collaborate with staff members from the Center for Campus Ministry and the offices of Admissions and Church Relations to develop cross departmental outreach to the community and support to Maryville College students. Additional responsibilities include: maintaining and nurturing church partnerships; recruiting students for MAST programs; developing and hosting an annual youth ministry conference; and coordinating “Expanding Horizons at MC,” an annual week-long summer retreat program for high school students who display leadership qualities and an eagerness to explore theology in a college setting.
“We are so excited to welcome Jessica back to the MC family as an employee,” said Alayne Bowman, vice president of Admissions and Financial Aid. “Being a graduate of Maryville College, she knows the importance of our church relatedness and our deep connections with the Presbytery. Jessica will continue to strengthen our ongoing outreach and community efforts to serve our students and alumni in faith. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and transferable skills that will benefit the College, as well as advance the MAST program and its efforts to recruit more students to Expanding Horizons and hopefully to Maryville College.”