As seminaries shuttered, Union grew. For Serene Jones, controversy was the price of survival.

Serene Jones stepped down as president of Union Theological Seminary after 18 years. During her tenure, the seminary renovated its aging Manhattan campus, expanded interreligious programming, and enrolled its largest incoming class in more than 30 years. In fall 2025, Union enrolled 128 new students, up from 102 the previous year. The growth occurred amid broader pressures on theological education, including declining enrollment, rising costs, and fewer students pursuing ordained ministry. Many seminaries have closed, merged, sold campuses, or shifted more training online. In New York, Episcopal Divinity School and General Theological Seminary moved away from traditional residential models. Conservative observers noted that mainline Protestant seminaries are generally declining, making Union’s growth unusual.

"When the Rev. Serene Jones arrived at Union Theological Seminary in 2008, she focused on two jobs: Fix the house, then make a bigger table. Eighteen years later, as Jones prepares to step down as president in July, the historically Christian and progressive seminary in Manhattan has renovated its aging campus, expanded its interreligious programming and enrolled its largest incoming class in more than 30 years. "Now the house is fixed, the table is open, and everybody's pouring in," Jones said."

"In fall 2025, Union enrolled 128 new students; last year it was 102. The growth comes at a precarious time for theological education. Seminaries across the country are facing declining enrollment, rising costs and fewer students pursuing ordained ministry. Many schools have closed, merged, sold campuses because of financial strain or maintenance costs, or moved more of their training online. In New York, over the past decade, two once-prominent Episcopal seminaries, Episcopal Divinity School and General Theological Seminary, have been unable to maintain a traditional residential-campus model."

""Nearly all seminaries associated with the mainline Protestant world are in decline," said Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, a conservative Christian advocacy organization. "So, if Union is growing, that is somewhat unique and exceptional." Tooley said another factor is fewer and fewer Americans are identifying as mainline Protestant. "Protestantism has been in decline for 60 years in terms of membership," Tooley said."

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