Christian Studies alumna enjoys a career that combines academia & faith  

Jenny Lee (’08)
Occupation: Pastor of Pocket Presbyterian Church in Sanford, NC and adjunct instructor at Central Carolina Community College 

Jenny’s story

I arrived at Campbell University as a young woman caught in the tension between what felt like a call to ministry and a church tradition that did not welcome women in leadership. In October of my freshman year, while sitting in Dr. Lopez’s Introduction to Christianity class, I heard a voice clearly telling me that I would “speak for the edification of the church.” 

My call to vocational ministry was undeniable in the place where faith and academia met. That very day I became a religion major and graduated in 2008; I also completed my Master of Divinity from Campbell University Divinity School (’11) and a Doctor of Education degree from East Tennessee State University (’18). 

Now an ordained minister, I serve as Pastor of Pocket Presbyterian Church, a PC(USA) congregation in Sanford, NC. In addition to my duties at church, I am also an adjunct instructor at Central Carolina Community College where I teach Ethics. 

Teaching in a public institution is an opportunity for me to encourage my students to examine their worldviews and explore new ways of living in our wonderfully diverse world. I also love getting to learn from my students as we all bring our full selves into the classroom. 

Perhaps because I accepted my call to ministry at the crossroads of academia and faith, I work to provide faith formation and personal formation opportunities that engage the heart, soul, and mind. It is my continual hope that my work invites individuals to love God and neighbor as together we challenge our assumptions, welcome one another, and continually transform.