Damien Domenack reflects on the honor and his journey to Drew
August 2026 – Drew Theological School doctoral candidate Damien Domenack has been announced as one of 15 recipients of the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) doctoral fellowships.
“The FTE has accompanied my vocational development across several seasons, making this fellowship part of a much longer formation as a theological educator,” said Domenack.
“Receiving this fellowship feels especially meaningful as FTE has accompanied my vocational discernment through my MDiv and ThM and into clinical chaplaincy residency. I am grateful to continue that relationship as I move into the next season of my work as a theological educator.”
Domenack’s FTE fellowship will provide support as he completes his dissertation, including dedicated writing time with an academic community of FTE peers at the 2026 Writing Workshop. He will also have the opportunity to participate in the Forum for Theological Educators program and will receive individual mentorship from a faculty member within the FTE network.
“As I prepare for the academic job market, the fellowship will support that transition with professional development focused on my application materials and preparation for interviewing and negotiation,” added Domenack.
Domenack initially came to Drew directly from a chaplaincy residency during the pandemic, having chosen Drew for its inter- and trans-disciplinary focus and longstanding support and partnership with the Hispanic Theological Initiative.
“Drew’s Transdisciplinary Signature Areas in Decolonial and Critical Theory have given me a place to bring my intersecting experiences into theological and ethical study,” said Domenack. “Supported by the vocational stewardship of Drew’s faculty, I have developed Christian social ethics in sustained conversation with queer and trans studies; dance and critical performance studies; and Indigenous, Womanist, Black feminist, Afro-Latine, Caribbean, and Mujerista theory and ethics while remaining accountable to the communities that shape my work.”
After Drew, Domenack plans to continue his multivocational path in theological education and public religion, teaching Christian social ethics while extending his research into work with healthcare systems and faith communities developing culturally-responsive models of care.
“Theological education is my second career,” said Domenack, who spent 18 years in hospitality, operational management, and restaurant expansion. “Bridging the worlds of social justice organizing and hospitality management sharpened my attention to how institutions structure labor and the conditions under which care becomes possible across difference.”
