DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI/AE AWARD
The Distinguished Alumni/ae Award recognizes a graduate whose scholarship, teaching, leadership, and contributions to vocational formation for ministry reflect excellence in theological education. This year’s recipient is the Rev. Dr. Keith A. Russell, CRDS ’67. Dr. Russell’s ministry spans nearly six decades of faithful service in urban contexts across New York and beyond. Joining the faculty of New York Theological Seminary in 1978, he later served as its President from 1982 to 1992, guiding the institution in preparing leaders for ministry in complex and evolving communities. From 1997 to 2008, he served as President of the American Baptist Seminary of the West (now Berkeley School of Theology), where he also held the role of Professor of Pastoral Theology and was later named Professor Emeritus. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Russell has bridged academy and congregation, serving churches in the Bronx, Albany, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia while mentoring generations of clergy. Even in retirement, he continues to teach and preach, recently serving as a faculty affiliate in Colgate Rochester Crozer’s Doctor of Ministry program. His recently published memoir, The Witness of the Wounded: Reflections on a Life of Ministry , reflects a lifetime devoted to pastoral care, faithful witness, and theological leadership grounded in service.
Rev. Dr. Keith A. Russell CRDS ’67
PEACE, SERVICE, AND JUSTICE AWARD
The Peace, Service, and Justice Award honors an alumna whose leadership reflects a deep and sustained commitment to community transformation. This year’s recipient is the Rev. Dr. Melany J. Silas-Chandler, CRCDS ’06 . A Rochester native, Dr. Silas-Chandler integrates faith, scholarship, and justice in every dimension of her work. She holds degrees from the University of Rochester, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, and Syracuse University. For more than 20 years, she has served as a Professor at Monroe Community College, shaping thousands of students through innovative and culturally responsive courses such as Death & Dying and Black Women’s Mental Health and Wellness . In recognition of her leadership and impact, she was named the College’s 2025 Commencement Keynote Speaker. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Silas-Chandler is Founder and Executive Director of BreatheDeep, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to mental health advocacy and trauma-informed community care. As Pastor of Trinity Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Rochester, she leads with theological depth and prophetic conviction, mobilizing congregants toward justice and spiritual renewal. Through writing, publishing, and cultural production—including Sacred Ground Collective and other works —she continues to create spaces where healing, scholarship, and faith converge. Her ministry reflects a dynamic embodiment of peace, service, and justice in action.
Rev. Dr. Melany J. Silas-Chandler CRCDS ’06
EMERGING LEADER AWARD
The Emerging Leader Award celebrates alumni/ae within the past decade whose ministry demonstrates exceptional dedication and promise in Church and society. The 2026 recipient is the Rev. Eileen O. Casey-Campbell, CRCDS ’17 . A 2017 graduate of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rev. Casey-Campbell serves as Senior Minister of First Universalist Church of Rochester. Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to inclusive worship, LGBTQ+ advocacy, youth and young adult ministry, and innovative approaches to congregational vitality. She previously served the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canandaigua and has extensive experience in church growth and membership development across denominational contexts. Rev. Casey-Campbell brings a holistic approach to spiritual care. A certified yoga teacher and birth doula, she integrates embodied spirituality and community wellness into her pastoral leadership. Rooted in creativity, justice-centered faith, and courageous hope, her ministry represents a new generation of clergy leadership —grounded in tradition while boldly responsive to contemporary realities.
Rev. Eileen O. Casey-Campbell CRCDS ’17
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