Elijah Heyward III ’07 MAR remembers when he saw Sterling Memorial Library for the first time. To him, the grandeur of its architecture represented Yale’s capacity for “all the pathways of exploration and impact that I would hope to have for scholarship in my life,” he says.

During his time at Yale Divinity School (YDS), Heyward explored the ways he could have the stron¬gest effect on the surrounding New Haven community.

“My life is really about service,” says Heyward. “It’s something that my family has always promoted, and it’s a reflection of my faith.”

At Yale, he worked at the Consultation Center, supporting individual and community wellness. He helped promote the social and academic success of middle and high schoolers, and he was involved with the Community Baptist Church near campus. He also worked with middle schoolers to prepare them for college-oriented education and mentored undergraduate students.

Bringing Experience to Bear 

After graduating, Heyward continued his efforts to improve the world and his communities.

“I’m from Beaufort, South Carolina, and a Gullah Geechee native,” he says. “That informs a great deal of my career trajectory, because so much of my culture is informed by collective community values and under¬standing how the greater good is a lens for the way we show up in the world.” 

While a student, Heyward launched the Youth Scholar Academy, a nationwide college-access program, during his Yale President’s Public Service Fellowship; after graduation, he ran the academy for five years in Washington, DC. And after receiving his phd in American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he was tapped to help create the International African American Museum in Charleston, serving as its first chief operating officer.

That position brought all his previous experience to bear: “It was a perfect storm, bringing together all of these skills to support the establishment of an institution that stands today as an important memorial for our nation and our world,” he says.

Giving, and Gaining 

Heyward has stayed deeply involved with Yale and YDS, currently serving as a co-chair of the Divinity School’s We Are Called campaign, part of For Humanity. He also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for YDS, has served on the Board of Governors for the Yale Alumni Association, and is an annual fund volunteer.

Initially, when he was asked to co-chair the Divinity School’s fundraising campaign, he declined, feeling, as he puts it, “a bit oversaturated.” In retrospect, he is glad he eventually agreed.

“There’s something really powerful about being part of something bigger than yourself that’s aligned with your values,” he says.

Heyward credits the campaign leadership, including his co-chair Nancy Taylor ’81 MDiv; honorary campaign co-chairs George and Carol Bauer; and Greg Sterling, the Reverend Henry L. Slack Dean of YDS—along with his fellow volunteers and alumni—with making his time as a campaign leader so meaningful.

“The opportunity to have an intentional way to engage in service that is aligned with constituencies that I care about, and that I feel care about me, has inspired me to become a better person,” Heyward says. “That has really given me a sense of enthusiasm around impact, because I see, I feel, and I understand the overall vision and how we are making a difference. I feel like I gain more than I give, and that is a profound gift.”