616 North Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

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Who We Are
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Since 1997, the Summer Youth Institute has drawn rising high school seniors from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA, Canby, MN to Trujillo Alto, PR and everywhere in between. These scholars come from small parishes and big steeples, big cities and small towns, US territories and Indian Nations, representing all walks of life and theological perspectives within the Presbyterian Church USA. They come to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to ask deep questions about life and faith, to think critically about these issues and explore ministry from the pulpit and the pews.

Forming and reforming as individuals in community through study, worship, mission, and ultimate frisbee, the scholars engage one another, faculty, seminarians and SYI alums. Because of the Institute's emphasis on intentional Christian community, SYI provides a safe space to grow in faith while wrestling with real world questions where canned answers aren't accepted.

 

History of SYI

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary was established in 1794 and is the oldest Seminary affiliated with the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. As a graduate, professional educational institution, the Seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and by the Middle Atlantic Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Throughout its history the Seminary has been dedicated to excellence in theological education for the preparation of men and women for various ministries and Christian lay leadership in all phases of the church's outreach.

Like many theological seminaries, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is concerned about the erosion of the "feeder" system for development of church leadership over the past forty years. As a way of addressing this situation the Seminary held its first "Summer Youth Institute" in the summer of 1997. This initial group of thirty high school students marked the beginning of an exciting new program in the life of this Seminary and for the larger Church. Nominated for the experience by Seminary alums or other pastors and church leaders, the participants represented some of the finest young people involved in the Presbyterian Church. During the first three years of the program, the students spent one week on the Seminary's campus, immersing themselves in study, fellowship, worship, and opportunities for growth and leadership development.

Thanks to a generous grant from The Lilly Endowment, the Summer Youth Institute, or "SYI" as it is known by participants and staff, was expanded to a two week program beginning in the summer of 2000. Judging by the response of participants, the increased time frame and staff commitment has done much to enhance the program. SYI has served as a remarkable opportunity to introduce youth to ministry as a vocation and to theological study as an academic and spiritual endeavor. The hope is that students, whether they feel called to full-time church work or not, will leave the event with a sense of their vocation as Christians, understanding that their faith will be reflected in whatever work they do. They will have a greater understanding for the work of the Church and thus may be more involved members of their own congregations.