Fuller Seminary history

1948 Edward J. Carnell joins the faculty.

1949 The Payton Lectures are launched, named to honor the parents of Charles Fuller’s wife, Grace Payton Fuller; William Childs Robinson is inaugural speaker.

1950 Fuller celebrates its first graduating class, comprised of 20 students.

1952 Rebecca Price is Fuller’s first female faculty member.

In subsequent years the student body grew rapidly, and in 1953 the seminary—with enrollment now at 250—moved to the newly constructed Payton Hall on Oakland Avenue, its first and now iconic building at the center of the Pasadena campus.

1954 Edward John Carnell becomes Fuller’s second president.

Carnell resigned from the presidency in 1959 to devote himself fully to teaching and writing, and Ockenga again became president for an interim term.

In 1961, psychologist John G. Finch delivered a series of lectures at Fuller Seminary on the theological and psychological dimensions of humankind.

1962 Daniel Fuller, son of Charles E. Fuller, becomes dean.

1963 David Allan Hubbard, at the age of 35, becomes Fuller’s third president.

With generous financial support from C. Davis and Annette Weyerhaeuser, further study and planning followed and, in 1964, the opening of the Pasadena Community Counseling Center initiated the first phase of the new program.

In September 1965, with Doctor Lee Edward Travis as dean, the School of Psychology held its first classes—with 25 full-time and four part-time students, a faculty of six, a visiting faculty of five.

1968 The School of Psychology begins a tradition of community involvement with the establishment of the Child Development Clinic.

The Doctor of Pastoral Theology degree begins as a professional doctorate, to be later renamed the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in March 1971.

In 1972 came a milestone: the American Psychological Association granted approval to the school’s doctoral program in clinical psychology, making Fuller’s the first program in a seminary to receive APA accreditation.

1973 Glenn W. Barker becomes dean of the School of Theology.

1974 Glenn W. Barker becomes provost.

1975 Neil Clark Warren becomes dean of the School of Psychology.

The Office for Women’s Concerns opens in August 1976 with the support of faculty member Roberta Hestenes, director Libbie Patterson, and first provost Glen Barker.

1977 Robert P. Meye becomes dean of the School of Theology.

1980 Paul E. Pierson becomes dean of the School of World Mission.

1981 The School of World Mission expands its Cross-Cultural Studies Program with the inauguration of the PhD in Intercultural Studies.

1982 Archibald D. Hart becomes dean of the School of Psychology.

1984 Lawrence Den Besten becomes provost.

1985 The Doctor of Ministry program, Extended Education, Lowell W. Berry Institute for Continuing Education in Ministry, and Institute for Christian Organizational Development are brought together under the name of Continuing and Extended Education.

1986 The School of Psychology building opens, including the new Lee Edward Travis Auditorium.

The school broadened its portfolio of degrees and programs in 1987, when it established a second doctoral degree, the Doctor of Psychology, and welcomed the Marriage and Family program (formerly in the School of Theology) as a department within the School of Psychology.

1988 The Graduate Studies Program in the School of Theology is reorganized as the Center for Advanced Theological Studies (CATS).

1989 Richard J. Mouw becomes provost.

1990 William A. Dyrness becomes dean of the School of Theology.

1992 J. Dudley Woodberry becomes dean of the School of World Mission.

1993 Richard J. Mouw is named Fuller’s fourth president.

1994 Fuller helps inaugurate the City of the Angels Film Festival in a joint effort to mend community relationships after the Los Angeles riots.

1996 The Max De Pree Center for Leadership is founded, honoring De Pree's longtime service on the Board of Trustees.

1998 The Lee Edward Travis Research Institute is reorganized and broadened in scope.

1999 Sherwood Lingenfelter is appointed dean of the School of World Mission.

2000 Winston Gooden is appointed dean of the School of Psychology.

2001 The Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts is established.

2002 A partnership is formed with the Consortium for Indian Missiological Education, in India.

2003 Sherwood G. Lingenfelter becomes provost.

2004 The Master of Arts in Global Leadership (MAGL) becomes the first degree students can complete primarily online.

2005 The School of Psychology is named in honor of longtime trustee C. Davis Weyerhaeuser and Annette Weyerhaeuser.

2006 Chang Commons student housing is opened.

2007 The “Leading Change” campaign concludes with a record $148 million committed.

2008 The seminary opens a new regional campus in Houston, Texas.

2009 The David Allan Hubbard Library opens as Fuller’s primary theological library.

2011 C. Douglas McConnell is appointed provost.

2012 Scott W. Sunquist is appointed dean of the School of Intercultural Studies.

Mark Labberton was named the fifth president of Fuller Seminary in 2013, after four years as Fuller’s Lloyd John Ogilvie Associate Professor of Preaching and director of the Ogilvie Institute of Preaching.

Subject to final approval from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a new non-clinical PhD in Psychology program will be launched in Fall 2014.

Marianne Meye Thompson is appointed dean of the School of Theology, after serving as acting dean since 2017.

2019 Mari Clements is appointed provost.

Mouw remained at Fuller as Professor of Faith and Public Life until 2020.