Preparing for a Higher Calling in Community

Guided by a spirit of service from its rapid establishment, Baylor’s Truett Seminary in San Antonio has fostered dynamic learning and a diverse community since its launch in the fall of 2021.  Housed at Trinity Baptist Church, the campus began with a desire for theological preparation in a metropolitan climate like San Antonio. "Truett in San Antonio commonly equips non-traditional students currently operating in and around the city, affording them the opportunity to connect with congregations, faith-based ministries, and the extensive medical and military chaplaincy programs readily available in San Antonio," said Keith Bruce, DMin, director of Truett in San Antonio. "The program, which began with four students, has grown to a community of about 15 and continues to connect students to these ministries, the city, and one another."

The program, which began with four students, has grown to a community of about 15 and continues to connect students to these ministries, the city, and one another.

Keith Bruce

In a conversation with one of the inaugural students at the San Antonio campus, Mark Porzi recounts his journey to San Antonio from Rochester, New York. "I always joke that moving to Texas from New York is a bit like trying to compare hockey to football," said Porzi. Initially moving for the city's extensive job network, Porzi solidified his Texan identity with a notable affinity for breakfast tacos and Baylor football. After several years of corporate work, Porzi began considering transitioning to vocational ministry under the discipleship of his local church. Providentially, Truett Seminary opened the doors to its satellite campus later that same summer.

Now in his third year at Truett in San Antonio, Porzi describes his education as deeply "transformational." Porzi believes Truett "prioritizes the holistic growth of a minister by not just focusing on the mind, but also on the heart." In particular, Porzi explains that his Leadership for Ministry course gave him “the confidence to begin forming a conviction about the type of minister that [he] wanted to become.” 

This confidence has continued to sustain Porzi, who noted, "If it weren't for the connections I had in San Antonio and for the advice, fellowship, and prayer support from all of the people in my cohort, it would have been a much more difficult transition." For Porzi, the closeness and reliability of his classmates is an extension of the program's larger context claiming, "Truett's structure in San Antonio as a satellite group remains tight-knit and has given the MDiv experience unique benefits." While San Antonio is a large city, Porzi said it does not feel like it, and this translates to his educational experience. In particular, Porzi has seen "a diversity that can be championed in San Antonio." Porzi knows his classmates are "from all over the city, but the group itself feels very close since everyone knows each other and cares for each other."

The organic growth of this community has been a focus of Bruce's since the program's beginning. From monthly dinners and barbecues to holiday parties and concerts, Truett in San Antonio has always strived for "a welcoming space and atmosphere," said Bruce. The program offers students opportunities that expand them spiritually, ministerially, and socially. For Porzi, these "opportunities have been a great connection point to San Antonio," where he has "made friendships that support and celebrate with each other. Friendships that will last forever."