Highlights in Pictures

A Theme of Gratitude

When considering Jan Love’s time as dean of Candler, a theme of gratitude emerges. Not only is the Candler community grateful for her leadership, it’s also something she speaks of frequently herself.

Installation as Dean

Jan Love speaks at her service of installation as dean of Candler, Cannon Chapel, January 2007.

The Faculty at Installation

The Candler faculty assemble for a portrait with their new dean after the installation service in January 2007.

Swanson Art Collection

To beautify what is now known as the Rita Anne Rollins Building, Dean Love established a sizeable collection of artwork by celebrated artist John August Swanson. A public art opening was held in spring of 2009.

Swanson Collection Opening

Dean Love enthusiastically talks with a visitor about an early Swanson work at the opening of the Swanson Art Collection in spring 2009.

Honoring a Legend

Emory awarded civil rights icon The Rev. Joseph Lowery an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree at Commencement 2010. As leader of the theology school, Dean Love assisted in the conferral.

Greeting "The Professor"

On his 2010 visit to Emory University, His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama stopped by Candler, where he was greeted by Dean Love. HHDL was visiting in his role as a Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory.

A German Bishop Visits

Margot Kaessmann, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and leader of the Protestant Church in Germany, visited Candler in fall 2010. She and Dean Love met as young women through their work with the World Council of Churches and remain lifelong friends.

A New Name for Phase I

In 2012, Candler received $15 million from the O. Wayne Rollins Foundation, which enabled the school to launch the second phase of its multiyear building project. To recognize the gift, the project’s first building, opened in 2008, was named after Rita Anne Rollins, the first grandchild of the foundation’s namesake.

The Faculty at Candler's Centennial

In 2014, Candler celebrated its centennial with a full slate of events to reflect on our past and imagine our future. Here, the faculty assemble after the Centennial Convocation kicked off the year’s commemorative activities.

The Completion of Phase II

Phase II of Candler’s building project was completed by the start of the fall 2014 semester. Most of Phase II is the Pitts Theology Library, with additional space for the Wesley Teaching Chapel. A glass atrium connects the two buildings that comprise Candler’s physical space.

A Centennial Evening

Candler’s newly dedicated building shines a lovely light on the plaza where a reception was held after the program “The Centennial in Word and Music” in October 2014.

Classrooms for History-Makers

As part of its centennial, Candler honored past faculty members who broke through barriers. Classrooms were named for Grant Shockley, the first full-time Black faculty member, and Roberta Bondi, the first tenure-track female faculty member. Here, Dean Love, Teresa Fry Brown and Noel Erskine Join Shockley’s widow, Doris, at the dedication of the Grant Shockley room.

The Wesley Teaching Chapel

Dean Love speaks at the dedication of the Wesley Teaching Chapel, an intimate worship space in Phase II. Named for Jim and Mary Wesley, the chapel is even more stunning today, with vibrant Swanson artwork adorning one wall.

Naming the Deanship

Dean Love has established endowments for seven new named positions at Candler—and one of those is the deanship itself. Here, she is installed in August 2017 as the inaugural Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean of Candler School of Theology.

Awarding the Dean's Medal

The highest honor the dean of Candler can bestow, the Dean’s Medal is reserved for those whose efforts on the school’s behalf have been transformative. Only 25 individuals have received the award. Here Dean Love visits with 2018 recipients Woodie White (L), former bishop-in-residence, and Ed Ducree (R), the first Black graduate of Candler.

Listening to Lead

Professor Ian McFarland (L) describes Dean Love as someone “willing to listen but also not afraid to make decisions when she thought she had the information she needed. She has the ability to take in feedback and input and process that in a way that results in good outcomes for the institution.”

Emory's Interim Provost

In November 2019, Dean Love was appointed interim provost of Emory University. For the next 18 months, Love retained her title as dean of Candler even as she steered Emory’s academic operations through the COVID pandemic.

Navigating a Generational Shift

When faced with a generational shift as longtime professors retired, Dean Love assembled a powerhouse faculty that is equally academically gifted yet more diverse than in the past, as this photo from 2023 shows. Today, 46% of Candler’s full-time faculty are women (up from 32% in 2007) and 36% are from historically underrepresented groups (up from 19% in 2007).

A Gift for Connecting

Dean Love has a gift for connecting. “She’s the kind of leader where warmth exudes,” as one student says. Here, she takes a moment to connect with Kamilah Jones, marking Kamilah’s graduation with a celebratory selfie.

A Final Commencement

Jan Love presides over her final Commencement as dean of Candler in May of 2024. Across the past 17 years, she has shaken hands with more than 2,000 graduates as they’ve accepted their degrees.

A Parting Word: Gratitude