Dr. Shirley Alexander Hart

Dr. Shirley Alexander Hart served as our fifth president from 1986 to 1994. Like our founder, she, too, was a woman of vision and charisma. The dreams of our founder continued as Dr. Hart established a Commemorative Scholarship Fund in honor of our founding President, Dr. Elizabeth Coles Bouey, and raised over $60,000 for this initiative. Dr. Hart sought toward focusing upon the needs of the entire clergy family, thus expanding the focus of the Husband’s Committee by obtaining knowledgeable individuals who addressed the issues such as health which confront our clergy. She also addressed the needs of the preachers’ kids by introducing the “PK” Seminars. Dr. Hart established the Continuing Education Program in conjunction with Virginia Union Graduate School of Theology which has allowed conference attendees to earn college credits. Dr. Hart inaugurated the Annual Education Retreat as well as a mid-winter conference held aboard a luxury liner.