La Mesa students walk Emory’s Quad during the program’s 2025 residency.
When Candler’s La Mesa Academy for Theological Studies began in 2023, it started with a vision: to offer a multicultural approach to theological education for leaders already serving in faith communities.
Since then, that vision has taken root.
Through its two-year certificate program, La Mesa provides an alternative path for leaders preparing for licensing or ordination in traditions that do not require a master’s degree, while supporting them as they deepen their theological foundation. Rooted in cultural responsiveness, the program creates space for formation shaped by belonging and responding to the realities of the diverse communities leaders serve.
La Mesa’s inaugural cohort graduated on May 9, while the second cohort is entering its final year of studies. And this August, leaders from across the country will begin their La Mesa journey as part of the program’s third cohort with a residency on campus at Candler.
Their arrival signals the beginning of a new chapter for La Mesa beyond its pilot cohorts.
“La Mesa is a program that was being innovated even as we welcomed our first students, and they have helped to shape the program from the ground up,” says Associate Dean of La Mesa and Professor in the Practice of Leadership Joanne Solis-Walker. “At its core, La Mesa grows leaders who build new models of ministry that transform the church and society. We now prepare to welcome our third cohort so that even more leaders can find their place at the table.”
To mark this pivotal moment, La Mesa will host the free two-day public event Experience La Mesa, which will take place August 6-7 during residency. Attendees will take part in residency activities for an up-close view of the La Mesa student experience, including a celebratory banquet and powerful worship. They’ll have the chance to hear stories from La Mesa leaders in English, Spanish, and Korean to learn how the program has shaped their lives and communities. There will also be an opportunity to support La Mesa’s continued growth.
Options are available to attend all or a portion of the two-day gathering. Register to attend Experience La Mesa.
For Solis-Walker, the gathering reflects both the program’s foundation and its future.
“Together, we will celebrate the spirit that has shaped La Mesa from the beginning: leaders rooted in their communities, committed to learning together, and ready to serve with greater depth and clarity,” she says. “We invite everyone who believes in this mission to attend Experience La Mesa, celebrate this next chapter with us, and support the leaders who make this work possible.”
Register to attend Experience La Mesa.
The application to join La Mesa’s third cohort is open, and leaders seeking deeper formation for the communities they serve are invited to apply by July 21.
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Photos: La Mesa Academy staff