Student Services

Student Services welcomes you to Dallas Seminary! We realize that God has brought you to us for a special season of growth and preparation, and we are here to serve you during this time.

The mission of Student Services is to ensure that every student has the opportunity to develop as a godly servant-leader through his or her social, cultural, spiritual, physical, and emotional life.

Goals

  1. To equip and inform entering students so their academic, spiritual, social, cultural, physical, and emotional life while at DTS will be healthful and successful.
  2. To provide advising, counseling, and testing services to facilitate personal, family, and professional development.
  3. To provide advisement, programming, and services to enrich community, family life, personal interaction, social development, cultural awareness, physical development, and campus diversity.
  4. To provide a discipline process which ensures the Seminary’s standards are upheld and the students develop in integrity and godliness.
  5. To encourage campus community life, worship, and spiritual development through quality chapel programming.
  6. To provide opportunities for student participation in institutional decision-making and leadership development through student council and student groups.
  7. To assist and advise international students with INS regulations and in acclimating to their new culture.
  8. To contribute to the development of servant-leadership through contacts with every student.

Staff Introduction

In our office you will find these individuals who are willing and able to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact us in person, by phone, or via email.

Dean of Students - Dr. Robert Garippa
214-841-3791 rgarippa@dts.edu
The Dean of Students is the director of the Student Services Department and is available for pastoral counseling and to answer questions relating to the Student Handbook statement on student conduct and integrity. He is the faculty adviser to the Student Council as well as a member of the Seminary’s Executive Committee as the Vice President of Student Services.

Office Manager/Receptionist - Rachel Wissink
214-841-3789 rwissink@dts.edu
The Student Services Office Manager/Receptionist schedules entrance interviews, counseling appointments, and other meetings that you need with any of our staff members. This is also the place to schedule make-up MMPI tests or Personality Inventory Tests for the Ph.D. program. You will find ticket and event sign-ups at the front desk along with important forms such as the chapel reduction form, chapel schedule, waiver for the Baylor Fitness Center, and other helpful printed information about student events and opportunities.

Advisor for Student Activities - Charis Lau
214-382-3939 clau@dts.edu
The Advisor for Student Activities has a role in planning all student activities on campus. This person is the staff liaison with the Baylor–Tom Landry Fitness Center, Luke’s Ministries, Student Council/Student Groups and sources for community tickets such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Mavericks, and Texas Rangers.  The Advisor for Student Activities also edits and distributes the weekly email, Kerygma, which contains the latest information about campus events and deadlines.

Advisor for Women Students - Lynn Etta Manning
214-382-3975 lmanning@dts.edu
The mission of the Advisor for Women Students is to ensure that every female student has the opportunity to develop as a godly servant-leader through her social, cultural, spiritual, physical, and emotional life. The Advisor for Women Students is available to all women students for pastoral care and is responsible for advising the Women Students Fellowship. She also conducts all entrance interviews for entering women students. This advisor can also be a contact for ministry positions for women.

Advisor for Seminary Wives in Ministry (SWIM) - Carolyn Hannah
214-841-3512 channah@dts.edu
Seminary Wives in Ministry (SWIM) exists to prepare wives to be godly servant-leaders alongside their husbands in ministry. The Advisor for Seminary Wives in Ministry is responsible for coordinating all programs available to wives of students. This includes the SWING program and SWIM board.

Advisor for African-American Students - Dr. Terry Woodson
214-841-3794 twoodson@dts.edu
The mission of the Advisor for African-American Students is to ensure that each African-American student has the opportunity to develop as a godly servant-leader through social, cultural, physical, and emotional aspects of seminary life. The adviser to African-American students is the staff adviser for the Black Student Fellowship and meets with all African-American students at least once during the academic school year.

Advisor for International Students - Jenny McGill
Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities
214-874-4447 jmcgill@dts.edu
The Advisor for International Students directs university-wide services for all international student relations and serves as the campus resource for social, academic, cultural, and immigration issues relating to international exchange.
The Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities mediates the process whereby students receive ADA accommodation at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Assistant to Advisor for International Students - Melissa Cowan
214-841-3780 mcowan@dts.edu
The Administrative Assistant to the International Student Advisor is responsible for office administration, research, processing new International applicants, maintaining the International Student database, and coordinating events.

Chaplain - Bill Bryan
214-841-3792 bbryan@dts.edu
The mission of the Chaplain’s Office is to provide pastoral ministry to students, faculty, and staff and to create an atmosphere through chapel and the Spiritual Life Board for the enhancement of spiritual growth and community. The Chaplain is available for pastoral counseling and is responsible for chapel programming. He is the faculty adviser to the Spiritual Life Board.

Assistant to the Chaplain - Eva Bleeker
214-841-3511 ebleeker@dts.edu
The chaplain's assistant is available to answer questions related to chapel speakers, prayer requests, and announcements.

Assistant to the Chaplain - Karen Wong
214-874-4446 kwong@dts.edu
The chaplain's assistant is available to answer questions related to chapel requirements, chapel reductions, and chapel attendance reporting.

Director of Counseling Services - Dr. Lee Jagers 
214-382-3906 ljagers@dts.edu
The Director of Counseling Services is available to all students and/or spouses for free clinical counseling and counseling referrals. Counseling appointments for students and/or spouses can be made through the Student Services receptionist.