The daughter of missionaries, Alice Hunt spent her early childhood in Taiwan before moving back to Alabama to complete school. Hunt enrolled at UM due to the reasonable tuition and the undergraduate counseling degree offered. She graduated from UM in 1978 with a B.S. in mathematics and education, receiving highest honors. Following the path of her upbringing, she continued her education to earn her MTS, M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion at Vanderbilt University. Hunt also holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Elmhurst College.
Hunt currently resides in Kenwood, Illinois, where she has served as president and associate professor at Chicago Theological Seminary since 2008. She is the 12th president in the 158-year history of the school. Prior to moving to Chicago, Hunt served as associate dean for academic affairs at Vanderbilt University Divinity School.
Originally ordained at Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church of Nashville, Hunt has also received a dual standing ordination with United Church of Christ. She currently serves on the Board of Commissioners for the Association of Theological Schools of the United States and Canada, the UCC Governing Board and Council of Presidents, among other boards and councils.
A proponent of the advancement of women’s issues, Hunt chaired the American Academy of Religion Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession and has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the American Academy of Religion. Hunt is among only a few women to serve as president of a major Theological Seminary or Divinity School.
It is this success that has named Rev. Alice Hunt, Ph.D. the University of Montevallo’s Distinguished Alumna for 2016.
In a letter of support, a friend stated, “She brings her credentials as a Bible scholar to her current role as President of the Chicago Theological Seminary, as well as her concern for racial and women’s issues. The Seminary is known to be at the forefront of religious scholarship, interfaith dialogue and transformative leadership. Dr. Hunt’s commitment to scholarship and social issues are outstanding strengths as she continues to lead this dynamic educational institution in the twenty-first century.”
Hunt’s theological research interests and mastery of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek provide no doubt that her biblical knowledge has led to a respected standing in theological education, the National Baptist Convention and United Church of Christ.
A nominator adds, “In her scholarship, her preaching, her ministry and her teaching she holds justice at the very core of her work. Because of her stellar professional achievement, she certainly has earned the title of Distinguished Alumna.”