Rev. Dr. Yamil Acevedo appointed interim Chief Officer of Wesley Seminary At Indiana Wesleyan University

The president of Indiana Wesleyan University, Dr. Kulaga, recently announced that Rev. Dr. Yamil Acevedo has been appointed to the position of interim chief officer of Wesley Seminary. Dr. Acevedo’s interim position as Executive Vice President of Wesley Seminary fills the void left by Dr. Colleen Derr until a new permanent person can be found to fill the position. Dr. Acevedo has worked as the Director of Theological Programs in Spanish at Wesley Seminary before taking his new interim position at the beginning of this month. He will report directly to Dr. Kulaga and serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet.

Dr. Kulaga expressed excitement about the qualifications and willingness of Dr. Acevedo to take on this interim position. In an article posted on Indiana Wesleyan University’s website, he talked about appointing Dr. Acevedo, saying, “I want to thank Dr. Acevedo for agreeing to this new challenge of serving all our students, faculty, and staff at Wesley Seminary, and look forward to working with him as we continue to grow not only the enrollment, but also the impact and influence of Wesley Seminary in the days ahead.” 

Dr. Acevedo also weighed in on his selection, saying, “I felt honored, humbled, and excited not because I expected it, but because I can see how God has helped me develop certain skills and life experiences for ‘for such a time as this.’” He also noted that he will work together with the other members of the seminary, the President’s Cabinet, and the university as a whole as he focuses and responds faithfully to his new task.

The previous Executive Vice President of Wesley Seminary, Dr. Colleen Derr, left her position at the end of June to head to Eastern Nazarene College to serve as president there. At the same time as Dr. Derr’s departure, the vice president of operations of the Seminary also moved to a new position. At a recent prayer meeting, Dr. Acevedo commented on these departures with quotes from Psalm 11 and a reminder of the strength of their collective faith, saying, “…as some steadfast things are removed, God remains sovereign through the transitions…. he remains in control.” Dr. Acevedo also noted that he is confident in his faith with regard to the future of the Seminary and is ready to work with the staff and faculty to perpetuate that faith.

One of the primary goals Dr. Acevedo has laid down is to work on solidifying Wesley Seminary’s distinctives and individual identity among the general Wesleyan family as well as the broader community. He noted that he wants to continue building connections between the church and the academy, wanting to imbue his fellow Christians with a mind built on the context of ministry in their wider lives no matter where life takes them.

“A clear understanding of who we are and our contribution to the undivided formation of the people of God to accomplish God’s mission in the 21st century has to be part of our message,” he said.

Dr. Acevedo hopes that he can continue to define the place of the seminary within the IWU community and the Wesleyan Church globally. He believes that this will benefit ministries, albums, students, and their families. Wesley Seminary is aligned with IWU-Marion, and National and Global, in its investment in every student as they move along their education pathway. As the seminary moves into this new stage, Dr. Acevedo hopes that all people will see the example they are setting and support them in their work.

The search for a new, permanent, president will move forward as the school and the seminary look for a leader that will step away from their current role to come to Wesley. Understanding that the search may take some time, Dr. Acevedo is prepared to hold his interim position as long as it takes to find a new chief administrator.

More information about Indiana Wesleyan University Marion can be found at the school’s website.