Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary Celebrates Doctorate in Chaplaincy Graduates

Nine church leaders complete pioneering program designed to strengthen chaplaincy ministry through research, clinical training, and mission across Inter-America.

August 13, 2026 | Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico | Victor Martínez and Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

The Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary (IATS) marked a milestone in Adventist education on July 25 when it graduated the second cohort of nine leaders from its Doctor of Ministry in Chaplaincy program during commencement exercises at Montemorelos University in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico.

Representing Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, the graduates completed the pioneering program, preparing pastors and chaplains to serve more effectively in schools, universities, hospitals, correctional facilities, and communities. Church leaders say the program is helping reshape chaplaincy ministry throughout the Inter-American Division (IAD) by combining advanced research, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), and practical ministry. The program is one of only two Adventist doctoral programs in chaplaincy worldwide and the only one offered in Spanish.

For Pastor Hiram Ruiz, chaplaincy ministries director of the Inter-American Division (IAD), the graduation marked the realization of a vision years in the making.

“The dream of this doctorate grew from the need to academically prepare leaders who could become instructors in chaplaincy,” Ruiz said. “We already had Clinical Pastoral Education units across the territory, but we lacked an academic program that would complement that training and provide the scholarly foundation needed for professional chaplaincy.”

Working with church leaders and seminary administrators, the Division secured approval to establish the doctoral program, meeting a growing need for specialized chaplaincy preparation across the territory.

“We wanted to make this level of education available in Inter-America,” Ruiz said. “We are completing the second cohort, and, God willing, we will begin a third cohort in 2027.”

Research That Serves the Church

Beyond earning their degrees, the new Doctors of Ministry in Chaplaincy leave behind research intended to strengthen pastoral ministry across the church.

Ruiz described the nine dissertations as the beginning of “a new paradigm” for chaplaincy in Inter-America—one grounded in biblical principles, informed by research, and focused on meeting people’s spiritual needs.

“These nine doctoral dissertations are grounded in Scripture and focused on the church’s mission,” Ruiz said. “Our hope is that these studies will be shared through seminars and training that enrich spiritual life in educational institutions, hospitals, prisons, and every place where chaplains serve.”

The research explored topics including transcendent resilience, the well-being of pastors’ children, Generation Z’s relationship with the church, school chaplaincy systems, student mission engagement, and pastoral care in educational settings.

Partnership Advancing Mission

Alberto Valderrama, Ph.D., academic director of the IATS Montemorelos campus, said the cohort made important contributions through both its research topics and the tools developed to support future studies.

“This was a remarkably rich cohort,” Valderrama said. “Their work addressed issues that directly affect the life and mission of the church while also creating instruments and methodologies that will support future research.”

Roger Ruiz, Ph.D, academic director of the seminary’s main campus in Puerto Rico, said the doctorate has strengthened IATS by expanding research into areas that previously had received little scholarly attention.

“Several of these subjects had never been studied before,” Ruiz said. “Now the church has research that can be replicated throughout Inter-America.”

The graduation also highlighted the ongoing collaboration between IATS and Montemorelos University.

José Luis Olmos, president of Montemorelos University, said the partnership continues to bear fruit by preparing leaders for more effective ministry.

“Every meeting, every agreement, and every effort invested in this collaboration has been worthwhile,” Olmos said. “The church will be blessed through pastors who are better prepared to fulfill the mission.”

Changed Lives, Renewed Purpose

For the graduates, the doctorate represented much more than an academic milestone. It reshaped their understanding of ministry, strengthened their confidence as chaplains, and renewed their commitment to serve others.

For Oscar Rivera, president of the Baja California Conference in Mexico, the experience transformed the way he views ministry to younger generations.

“This program has changed my life,” Rivera said. “It has given me a clearer vision of how we can minister to new generations and help them remain connected to the church. My desire now is for more members of my pastoral team to receive chaplaincy training and eventually pursue this doctorate.”

While Rivera hopes to equip more pastors for chaplaincy ministry, Jimmy Angrand, Ph.D., an education leader from Haiti, said the doctorate provided him with research-based tools to strengthen professional chaplaincy in his country.

“There is a before and an after,” Angrand said. “I am returning with knowledge supported by research, statistics, and Scripture that has opened valuable opportunities for chaplaincy ministry in Haiti.”

Although she was unable to attend the commencement ceremony because of travel constraints, Yannina Testa of Venezuela celebrated the completion of the program after overcoming significant personal challenges.

“There have been many physical and emotional earthquakes in my life,” she said through tears after defending her dissertation. “God allowed me to defend my doctoral dissertation. This is a miracle.”

Martin Cunningham, a pastor from Trinidad and Tobago, said the greatest value of the program lies in helping chaplains minister more intentionally through research-based practice.

“Our research is based on evidence, not simply opinion,” Cunningham said. “It gives us tools to help students grow spiritually and academically while enabling us to minister to them more effectively. My desire is to become a better chaplain who is closer to students and the community, just as Jesus was.”

Looking Ahead

With a third cohort set to begin in 2027, the Doctor of Ministry in Chaplaincy continues to prepare leaders who combine biblical conviction, scholarly research, clinical training, and compassionate ministry to serve communities across the Inter-American Division.

“We are writing a new chapter in the preparation of pastors and chaplains,” Ruiz said. “Our prayer is that these graduates will help shape a ministry that serves people with excellence, compassion, and the hope of Christ.”