Jack Tironi C’21, T’24 made Drew University his “academic home” for seven years
August 2024 – When Jack Tironi C’21, T’24 arrived at Drew University as a first year student, he already had the intention of continuing his education at Drew Theological School.
“I experienced a wonderful call to ministry in my senior year of high school, and made my decisions from there based on one day attending seminary,” said Tironi who was a sociology and religion double major and earned his Master of Divinity (MDiv) from the Theological School.
“Drew has been my academic home for seven years,” said Tironi. “My education at Drew helped me so much in learning a wider breadth about the world around me, and cemented the needs of the world that I hope to address as a United Methodist pastor and leader in the way of a wonderful, loving, God.”
We sat down with Tironi, now the pastor at Faith United Methodist Church of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, to learn more about his journey through Drew. Here’s what he had to say.
How did your academic journey at Drew present itself?
I came to Drew’s undergraduate program with the intention of going on to the Theological School. I didn’t think that I would be blessed with such a wonderful opportunity to study at Drew University’s College of Liberal Arts, but they were very generous to me in their offer, and I decided to attend and study sociology.
Drew’s sociology program helped me to understand a wide breadth of social structures and mechanisms that would be absolutely crucial for me to understand as a minister serving the church—and for that matter, the world! Understanding the needs of society is a crucial part of serving the world, as is one of the callings of being a disciple of Jesus Christ and a servant of God.
Did your undergraduate studies complement your time as an MDiv student?
They complemented each other wonderfully. As I journeyed through seminary, the knowledge of social structures were helpful in Drew Theological School’s initiatives to bring wonderful peace and justice of Jesus Christ to the world where it needed it. Theological students being involved in ecological conservation with Drew’s garden, prison rehabilitation classes and ministries, and cross-cultural trips across the world are all wonderful examples of how understanding of society can complement one’s eventual work in ministry as a pastor or faith leader.
How did your Drew education help mold your vocational journey?
My education at Drew helped me so much in learning a wider breadth about the world around me, and cemented the needs of the world that I hope to address as a United Methodist pastor and leader in the way of a wonderful, loving, God.
