As its plans for a new 98-acre campus off Jake Alexander Boulevard take shape, Hood Theological Seminary has proved that it is an institution on the move in many different ways.

It is on the move toward establishing its own identity, separate from Livingstone College; on the move toward boosting the number of students it can attract and serve; on the move toward assuming a larger role in the spiritual and cultural life of the surrounding community.

Under the leadership of Dr. Albert Aymer, formerly dean of the seminary and now its president, Hood has made several recent strides. In 1999, it won accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools, enhancing its attractiveness to potential students and setting the stage for another important step: Approval from the United Methodist Church. That meant that Hood’s courses and curriculum met the UMC’s standards for ordained ministers.

Last year, another milestone came when the school’s sponsoring denomination, the AME Zion Church, gave its blessing for Hood to separate from Livingstone College and establish a separate campus. Now, the school is enjoying record enrollment, and school administrators hope to have more than 300 students taking advantage of their new home by the end of this decade.

Hood still faces the hurdles of any smaller school trying to enhance its visibility and prestige within the education community. It needs to continue to spread the word about its achievements and its dreams, and it needs to boost its finances. Last year, the AME Zion Church increased its funding for the school to $500,000 per year, and trustees presented the endowment with $72,090, it’s largest single gift ever. But it will take many more generous gifts for the endowment to reach the millions of dollars that institutions need to generate significant amounts of income for their operations.

One of the keys to funding the endowment and ensuring the seminary’s continued growth and success will be the degree to which the community steps forward as a partner. If churches, businesses and individuals embrace that partnership role, it would do far more than help this small college fulfill its educational mission. The community also will be making a contribution to its own future by helping to bridge ecumenical differences and break down persistent racial barriers. That’s an endowment that can’t be calculated in dollars and cents.