Fr. Christopher T. Metropulos Elected President Of Hellenic College/Holy Cross School Of Theology
The V. Rev. Fr. Christopher T. Metropoulos was elected as the next President of Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. Following a rigorous search process that began in October 2014, the Board of Trustees of Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology voted unanimously on May 1, 2015 to elect Fr. Metropoulos to succeed the current President, the V. Rev. Fr. Nicholas C. Triantafilou, who after a fifteen-year tenure will retire at the end of June 2015.
“Finding a new president at this particular time was challenging indeed, due to the remarkable accomplishments and tenure of our retiring President, Fr. Triantafilou, who has become the longest running president in the history of HCHC,” said Dr. Thomas C. Lelon, Chairman of the Presidential Search Committee (PSC) and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
In announcing the election of Fr. Metropulos, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America said, “I kindly ask for prayers and support for the President-Elect, and I express the need to work by any and all possible means to continue the very important legacy of the retiring President Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou. I strongly believe that by the contribution of all and the help of God, Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology will reach new levels of spiritual enhancement and academic achievement.”
Fr. Metropulos has been serving as the Senior Pastor of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida since 1989. He holds a BA from Hellenic College, a Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and a Doctor of Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He founded and has successfully directed OCN (Orthodox Christian Network), a radio and internet ministry under the Episcopal Assembly, and is currently its Executive Director. He has served as Dean of Admissions at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, as the Archdiocesan Representative to the UN and US Missions and to the Archdiocesan Council, as Assistant Regional Director of Leadership 100, and as President of the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council for two consecutive terms. In addition to being a Protopresbyter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, he is also Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The search process initially yielded 41 highly qualified candidates, which was narrowed to 36, and then reduced to 22, ending with 8 semi-finalists at the end of March 2015, who were interviewed for two days off-campus by all members of the PSC. After careful evaluation of the 8 semi-finalists, the PSC determined that two candidates reached the status of finalist. These two candidates were invited to on-campus visits on April 28-29, 2015, during which they interacted with a cross-section of Hellenic College/Holy Cross’s constituents, including His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, the Trustees, faculty members from the School of Theology and the College, senior administrators, representatives from the Student Body, and the Alumni Association.
The final steps of the process entailed an intense review of the two finalists by the PSC and the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. Upon deliberation, the PSC and the Executive Committee forwarded to the Board of Trustees the unanimous nomination of Fr. Metropulos for President. The Board of Trustees at a special meeting and after a thorough consideration of the unanimous nomination of both the PSC and the Executive Committee, unanimously elected Fr. Metropulos.
Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology is one of the primary beneficiaries of Leadership 100 grants. The first $10 million grant to the Theological School for students studying for the priesthood who are in need of scholarship support was completed and Leadership 100 is now in the process of completing another $10 million grant - $1 million per year, subject to renewal. Thus far, $17 million has been distributed for scholarships. In addition, another $3 million in funding was provided for the Hellenic College Office of Vocation and Ministry, the Archbishop Iakovos Library and Learning Resource Center, Holy Cross Technology Infrastructure and a Fitness Center.
