For Jerry Henry ’80 MDiv, service to Yale has been an enduring commitment—one that began before he even left campus. Just before Henry’s graduation from Yale Divinity School (YDS), Harry Baker Adams ’47, ’51 BD, the assistant dean, approached him in the common room and asked him to consider being class secretary and class treasurer.
“I wasn’t entirely sure what that entailed, but I was honored to be asked,” Henry recalls. “It taught me an important lesson: it’s essential to invite people to participate, whether in volunteering or giving. That has stayed with me ever since.”
More than forty years later, Henry continues to answer the call. His service to Yale has taken many forms, including chairing the YAA Board of Governors, presiding over the YDS Alumni Board of Directors, and serving on the YDS Dean’s Advisory Council and the Yale Alumni Fund Board of Directors. Today, he co-chairs Yale Day of Service, helping to connect alumni with organizations that benefit from their time and expertise, and is a member of the For Humanity Campaign Committee.
A Journey of Faith and Service
Henry’s path to YDS began with a mentor’s encouragement. As an undergraduate at Wofford College, he studied under John Bullard ’57 MDiv, who recognized Henry’s passion for religious studies and suggested he pursue postgraduate education at YDS.
“He saw that Yale had something to offer me—and that I might have something to offer Yale,” Henry says.
While at YDS, Henry studied Christian education and participated in programs at the Institute of Sacred Music, studying art history and early church literature. After graduating, Henry chose the path of ordained ministry, serving in a local parish before being called to a national leadership role in the United Methodist Church. From 1983 to 1989, he led a national organization of clergy, liturgical artists, and church musicians, drawing on his YDS education in music and theology.
Later, he transitioned into development, and he now works for a consulting firm that advises nonprofits. Throughout his career, Henry has always prioritized purpose—helping mission-driven organizations achieve their goals.
As a recipient of scholarship support that helped him to attend YDS, he recognized, too, the need to give back financially. Several years ago, he established a scholarship to support student aid at YDS.
A Lifelong Commitment
Henry’s formal involvement as a Yale volunteer began with that first request from Harry Adams in 1980, and over the years, his engagement has deepened.
“I’ve gained so much from Yale,” he reflects. “The least I can do is say yes when Yale asks me to consider something.”
Over the years, Henry has built lasting relationships thanks to his time at Yale. He remains in touch with a core group of YDS classmates, and through volunteer work, he has made new connections with alumni from across the university.
“I’m constantly humbled by the people I get to work with,” he says. “I cherish those Yale relationships, and I hope, in some small way, to continue giving back to Yale for the rest of my life.”
For Henry, Yale’s mission to improve the world today and for future generations aligns with his own personal calling.
“Yale continues to build on its strengths to be an even better institution for future generations,” he says. “I see my volunteer work as an extension of that mission. What can I do to help improve the world? How can I make it better for those who come after me?”