Southwesterner Karen Gilstrap named seminary’s registrar

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary alumna and longtime staff member Karen Gilstrap has been appointed registrar of the seminary, President Adam W. Greenway announced today.

“Karen Gilstrap is precisely the right person to lead our Office of the Registrar,” said Greenway. “She is a Southwesterner through and through who has served our seminary with distinction for over three decades, most recently as senior associate registrar. I am delighted that our institution will be served by this gifted woman in another key position within our academic administration.”

Gilstrap, who earned a Master of Arts in Religious Education from what is now the seminary’s Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries, has served at Southwestern Seminary since 1989, beginning as a student assistant in the Office of the Registrar. She was the associate registrar from 1991-2003 and has served as the senior associate registrar since 2003.

“The Southwestern faculty and academic leadership join me in expressing our gratitude to Karen Gilstrap for her willingness to accept the invitation to serve as registrar for the Southwestern community,” said David S. Dockery, interim provost and distinguished professor of theology. “Her commitment to serving students and faculty will be a blessing to the seminary in the years ahead.”

As registrar, Gilstrap will provide oversight and leadership of the office that handles academic records, academic advising, academic requirements, class registration, transcripts, student verification, and graduation. Coinciding with her appointment, administrative responsibilities related to institutional effectiveness and the role of accreditation liaison officer that had been combined with the registrar’s position have been separated and are now overseen by associate provost Travis H. Trawick.

“It is my strongest desire to provide a welcoming place for our students during their academic experience,” said Gilstrap. “There have been 15 others who have served in the role of registrar prior to me. I have served alongside five of those servants—Dr. Mark Leeds, my immediate predecessor, being the longest-tenured. I have learned much from those who have gone before me and am humbled to continue to serve the seminary family in this new role.”

Gilstrap assumed her new duties on July 1.