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Rev. Stephanie McLeskey Selected as New Chaplain
After an exhaustive search, Mars Hill College has hired Rev. Stephanie McLeskey as Chaplain, effective mid-summer.
McLeskey comes to Mars Hill from the University of Georgia, where she served in two positions, as academic advisor and as campus minister through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia.She is an ordained Baptist minister and a member of Milledge Avenue Baptist Church in Athens, GA, where she is a supply preacher, Sunday School teacher, Wednesday night teacher and chair of the Outreach Committee. She also holds missions-related committee positions with CBF/Georgia and national CBF.
“I am pleased that Reverend Stephanie McLeskey will be joining Mars Hill College as chaplain this summer,” said Dr. John Wells, Executive Vice President of Mars Hill College. “After an extensive search, Rev. McLeskey emerged as a superior choice from an impressive pool of candidates. She brings a unique complement of gifts to the position. With experience as a counselor and with years of experience in higher education, she will make a fine addition to the College’s religious life.”
McLeskey said she has felt called to serve God in the campus setting for many years. She describes herself as drawn to the ecumenical outlook of chaplaincy, along with the pastoral care and worship aspects of the position.
“I am attracted to chaplaincy because I enjoy the practice of hospitality, welcoming people in to catch a breath from the pace of life, and walking with them as they navigate the unexpected twists and turns our travels take,” she said. “The college campus in general is such a place of transition, and I am blessed to be able to minister within that constant movement, providing a safe and stable place for students as well as the rest of the campus community to explore who they are in relationship to the world and to God, and to dream about who they might become!”
McLeskey said she was attracted to Mars Hill College because of the size of the community, as well as the college’s devotion to liberal arts ideals and its ongoing commitment to its Baptist heritage. She said that, from the time she first set foot on the campus, Mars Hill College “felt like home,” and seemed to be “a place where people truly care for one another.” Stephanie is married to Ken McLeskey, a painter and woodworking artist. They enjoy “getting out into nature,” gardening, hiking and camping, and romping with their two dogs.
McLeskey fills the position left vacant by Rev. Todd Boling, who now serves as a hospital chaplain and pastoral care supervisor in Cleveland, Ohio. Rev. Monroe “Monk” Ashley of Brevard served as interim chaplain at Mars Hill College during the 2010-11 academic year.