News

News from Hartford International University

Clifford Green

General HIU News

HIU Community Mourns the Passing of Former Professor Clifford J. Green

May 11, 2026

The HIU community was saddened to learn of the passing in April of former professor Clifford J. Green, an internationally known scholar of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was 91.

Lisa Dahill headshot

Faculty In The News

Earth, Spirituality, and Hope on the Agenda for Events with Dr. Lisa Dahill

May 5, 2026

Dr. Lisa Dahill, Director of the Center for Transformative Spirituality at HIU, will be the keynote speaker and retreat leader for “Loving the Wild: Spirituality in the 21st Century,” set to take place at the Prairiewoods Franciscan Retreat Center in Hiawatha, Iowa, from May 15 to 17, 2026. The weekend event also marks the celebration of the center’s 30th anniversary.

General HIU News

Dr. Sherry L. Turner Inaugurated as 12th President of HIU

May 5, 2026

The Inauguration of President Sherry L. Turner was a joy-filled and inspiring series of events held on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26.

Drs. Grafton and Mosher

Faculty In The News

Dr. David D. Grafton and Dr. Lucinda Mosher Contribute to Book on Interfaith Relations

May 4, 2026

Drs. David D. Grafton and Lucinda Mosher have contributed to Fostering Interfaith Relations: Nostra Aetate at Sixty, edited by Father James H. Kroeger (MM) and Father Joseph Victor Edwin (SJ).

General HIU News

HIRR Report Shows First Rise in U.S. Congregation Attendance in 25 Years, Uneven Recovery

April 29, 2026

The Hartford Institute for Religion Research, in collaboration with Faith Communities Today, released a new report titled "Signs of Rebound Amid Uneven Recovery: The Changing Congregational Landscape." The report forms part of the institute's Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project.  

Interfaith & Interreligious Dialogue

Macdonald Center Secures $30K Grant to Study AI’s Impact on Interreligious Studies

April 9, 2026

The Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at HIU has been awarded a $30,000 Educational Experimentation Grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. The grant will fund a two-year initiative exploring the pedagogical and ethical challenges artificial intelligence poses to interreligious studies and interfaith relations.

General HIU News

HIU Invited to Participate in Endow Hartford 21

April 2, 2026

We are thrilled to announce that Hartford International University (HIU) has been invited to participate in Endow Hartford 21 (EH21), a prestigious initiative that helps local nonprofits build lasting endowment funds. 

Faculty In The News

Dr. Deena Grant Promoted to Full Professor of Jewish Studies

April 1, 2026

HIU is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Deena Grant to the rank of full professor, a result of her record of excellence in teaching, research, and service to the institution.

Alumni News

Tricia Pethic '19 Bridges Faith and Healing

March 26, 2026

Islamic Chaplaincy alum Tricia Pethic ‘19 answered the call to be a Chaplain when she observed that, frequently, people confided in her personal matters that they hadn’t told anyone else. Now, she is the founding director of a nonprofit called Muslim Prisoner Project and the owner of a private pastoral counseling practice, Naseeha Pastoral Counseling LLC.

General HIU News

HIU Welcomes New Registrar

March 17, 2026

Gail has over 20 years of experience in academic administration, advising, and student records management. She has a Master of Arts with a focus in Ministry in Everyday Life from HIU and a Bachelor of Science in Human Development, Family Services, and Counseling from the University of Connecticut. Gail is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership at the University of Hartford.