Community Life
Fellowship is found together while we walk our own spiritual path.
At Union Presbyterian Seminary, we are always seeking ways to build and reinforce our student’s spirituality. Our foundation for Community Life is built on Fellowship, where we focus on relationship building with Christ at the center. We are all siblings in Christ and we believe that opening the door to conversation and community is a key part of spiritual development.
We find Fellowship in community, over a meal, in striking up a conversation on the quad, or when sharing the tranquility of the outdoors with classmates. Whether you’re located in Richmond, Charlotte, or you’re functioning remotely, Community Life is here to walk with you on your path at Union Seminary.
Student Life at UPSem
Union Presbyterian Seminary is dedicated to providing our seminary students with an accessible and affordable education – without compromising the depth of education and community connection that defines the Union experience.
Both of our campuses run on the same academic calendar, and provide a hybrid education experience. Our hybrid class schedule for each campus has been created with care and intention to facilitate both a remote and in-person residency schedule. When you and your cohort convene together, your schedule will include morning classes, broken up with breaks, and a communal lunch. Then you'll go back to classes in the afternoon.
"The Union experience is built on fellowship, recreation, and spiritual development both inside and out of the classroom. That’s what makes our in-person residency so special."
The Charlotte Experience
All modalities follow the same academic calendar, with fall classes beginning on September 8, 2026. Synchronous and asynchronous courses with 12 in-person Saturdays/year. Fall in-person Saturday classes are held September 12, October 10, November 14, and December 12. Winter in-person classes are held January 9, February 6, March 6, and April 3. Spring in-person classes are held April 17, May 1, May 22, and June 12. The full academic calendar can be found here. Each in-person Saturday includes space for fellowship, lunch, and a chapel service.
The Richmond Experience
All modalities follow the same academic calendar, with fall classes beginning on September 8, 2026. The first 4-day academic residency will take place on the Richmond campus two weeks after classes begin, Tuesday, September 22, through Friday, September 25, 2026. After completion of the residency, classes continue to meet synchronously and/or asynchronously online. The winter semester begins January 4, 2027, with residency January 19-22, 2027. The spring semester begins April 12, 2027, with the residency held June 1-4, 2027.
Our Chaplains
Much of my job is simply to walk with students on their spiritual journey. As chaplain, I listen and support our current students who are seeking and discerning where God is calling them to lead.
- Rev. Mairi Renwick
Both campuses are served by Rev. Mairi Renwick (M.Div ‘11) and Amanda Shanks (M.Div ‘25) as chaplains and directors of student life. Our chaplains seek to find ways Union Presbyterian Seminary can continue to spiritually nurture and feed students souls inside and outside the classroom.
The chaplain's job is to walk with students from orientation to graduation, provide open doors and listening ears, and to help students as they discern outside of the classroom where God is calling them to lead. Our chaplains are not only serve the students of UPSem, but also our staff and faculty. Mairi and Amanda work diligently with faculty and staff to ensure that students have continuity in their support at their time at UPSem. At Union Presbyterian Seminary, we honor and recognize that personal, mental, and spiritual health are of the utmost importance.
If you are ever in need of assistance, whether it be mental, spiritual, physical health, or a financial burden, please reach out to Rev. Mairi Renwick or Amanda Shanks.
ReCreation and Community Life
At Union Presbyterian Seminary, we are devoted to finding and reaffirming faith experiences that are founded in the mundane. We believe that a well-lived life in/of faith continues after the church service. We strive to assist our students, staff, faculty, and community members in finding the expansive connection between church, faith, and daily activities and experiences in the world.
ReCreation and community life go hand in hand. Our dedication to spiritual development is most easily seen through our schedule of community events, hosted by faculty, staff, and student leadership. ReCreation also includes impromptu conversations on the Richmond quad or in the halls of our Charlotte campus, and lunches held in community.