ATLANTA, GA, USA, August 29, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Historic Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) announces pastor and professor Rev. Dr. Herman "Skip" Mason, Jr. as the new interim president.
A proud native of Atlanta and an honors graduate of the Atlanta Public Schools (Therrell High School), Dr. Mason matriculated and graduated from Morris Brown College. He continued his education at Clark Atlanta University and earned a master’s degree in Library and Information Science with a concentration in African American Studies. He is also a graduate of the ITC where he obtained the Master of Divinity and the Doctor of Ministry degrees in African American Church History, Social Justice, and Outreach.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am thrilled to welcome Rev. Dr. Herman “Skip” Mason as the interim president of the ITC. Dr. Mason’s deep love for the ITC is evident in his long standing connection with this institution, where he earned two degrees. His profound education, extensive experience in higher education, and significant social reach makes him uniquely qualified to lead us during this pivotal time. As an alumnus, his enthusiasm and dedication are unparalleled, and I am confident that his leadership will propel the ITC to even greater heights. As Chairman of the Board, I am excited to see the remarkable strides we will achieve together under his guidance,” stated Calvin E. Booker, Sr., Chairman, ITC Board of Trustees.
The position became available when Interim President Rev. Dr. Maisha I.K. Handy was named the first Black female president of McCormick Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian seminary in Chicago’s Hyde Park.
“We are excited to have Dr. Mason join the ITC Village. I am personally pleased to pass the baton of the interim presidency to a well-equipped leader with an Africentric way of being,” stated Dr. Handy.
The ITC is a well-known HBCU and UNCFmember institution within the prestigious Atlanta University Center in Southwest Atlanta. For over 65 years, the ITC has served as an ecumenical consortium of seminaries and fellowships, awarding master’s and doctoral-level degrees and graduating pastors, ministers, community activists, and nonprofit leaders. These aptly named “prophetic problem solvers” go on to make lasting impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. The collective African American membership of its partner denominations reaches over 25 million congregants.
Dr. Mason will lead an institution that in 2022, received a 10-year reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) Commission on Accrediting. The 10.4-acre campus is in the process of a historic transformation into a tech-savvy, community-embedded hub.
“I am deeply honored and profoundly grateful to the ITC Board of Trustees for this opportunity to serve the ITC, a place that is not just an institution but a sacred home to me. There is no place like the ITC, where our collective strength lies in our unity. I am committed to continuing the mission of this beloved institution, standing on the shoulders of the trailblazing faculty who have shaped us into prophetic problem solvers,” stated Dr. Mason.
Dr. Mason served as the 33rd General President of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. from 2009-2012. He also served on the board of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation (Washington, DC). He is a member of the Atlanta Beltline Partnership Board and Chair of the Joint Board of Finance for the Georgia North Region of the Sixth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. Dr. Mason currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Historic West Mitchell Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (Atlanta, Georgia).
A seasoned educator for over 35 years, Dr. Mason previously served as the Dean of Library and Museum Services and Assistant Professor of African American History and Religion at Voorhees College (Denmark, SC). He also served as Professor of History, College Archivist, Director and Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Services at Morris Brown College and Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia).
Dr. Mason is a social media influencer and founder of Skip Mason’s Vanishing Black Atlanta Facebook Page (with over 65,000 members) and its Book Club. The father of two is an author and avid genealogist, traveler and art collector.
For more information on applying to the ITC, please contact Admissions@itc.edu. For more information on Dr. Mason, please contact nljones@itc.edu.
Nancy L. Jones
Interdenominational Theological Center
Congratulations Dr. Mason