Dr. Dan Stiver, former professor at Logsdon Seminary, is the new president of Fletcher Seminary in San Antonio.

Fletcher is an online-based seminary and Stiver will continue to live in Fort Worth. He still commutes to Abilene weekly to teach undergraduate courses at Hardin-Simmons University, home to the now-closed Logsdon Seminary. 

Dr. Dan Stiver

Trustees and administrators at Hardin-Simmons announced the closure of Logsdon in February 2020. A year later, a group of alumni and former Logsdon faculty announced that a new seminary would open in a Baptist church in San Antonio. It was named in honor of Dr. Jesse Fletcher, the 14th president of Hardin-Simmons University and the visionary behind creation of the original Logsdon Seminary. Fletcher died in 2018 at age 87.

When the new seminary launched, Dr. Don Williford served as president until Stiver was recently named to succeed him. Williford, former dean of Logsdon, has retired. Stiver was in on the ground floor of Fletcher Seminary. He has been teaching graduate classes and serving as program director of graduate studies. 

Dr. Don Williford

Fletcher Seminary just added another former Logsdon professor to its board of trustees, Dr. Rob Sellers. In addition to teaching at Logsdon, Sellers was the longtime chair of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. And, another former Logsdon professor, Dr. Travis Frampton, recently was named the 12th president of Dubuque University in Dubuque, Iowa. The university, which has Presbyterian roots, was founded in 1852.

Learn more about Fletcher Seminary at https://www.fletcherseminary.org/ The seminary issued the following news release concerning Williford’s retirement and Stiver’s promotion to president:

“The Board of Trustees of the Jesse C. Fletcher Seminary announces that our President, the Rev. Dr. Donald Williford, has retired and, at the Board’s request, graciously accepted the role of President Emeritus. We are immensely grateful for Dr. Williford’s vision, leadership, and exemplary service. We are also thankful for his wife, Dr. Pamela Williford, who has been of great support to Fletcher in so many ways.

In 2021, Dr. Donald Williford accepted the challenging role of President. With a vision to create a multidenominational seminary in south Texas that welcomed all students with a call to serve Jesus in the church and in the world, he assembled a team that has now completed two successful years of academic operations. Through his exemplary leadership, Fletcher’s online delivery model has attracted students from across the USA and as far afield as Kenya, Zambia, and the Netherlands. Dr. Williford’s personal commitment to students and his grace-filled classroom presence has earned him the love and admiration of students, faculty, and staff.

You can read more about Dr. Williford’s vision for Fletcher and about his long, storied career on our website at www.fletcherseminary.org. For those who may wish to honor Dr. Williford upon his retirement, he has asked that you consider a contribution to the Seminary, which can be done at www.fletcherseminary.org. You may also send a personal message to d.williford@fletcherseminary.org.

The Board of Trustees is excited to announce that our new President is the Rev. Dr. Dan Stiver. Dr. Stiver has been teaching at Fletcher from our start, served on our strategic planning committee and as the Graduate Program Director prior to his appointment. He brings with him a distinguished career as an academic, author, and theologian of national and international reputation. He shares our vision and commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive learning environment where students are prepared academically and practically for the work to which they are called. He can be reached at d.stiver@fletcherseminary.org. Please join us in wishing him and his wife, Beth, congratulations on this appointment. We are looking forward to this next chapter in our story with Dr. Stiver as President.”