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Pre-Ministry

Available as a pre-professional advising track

The most important requirement for students heading to seminary or graduate study in religion is a well-rounded education. The general education curriculum at Roanoke College provides that.                                                        

Student Experiences

Ben Cowgill '17 Explores a Different Side of Ministry Research

Ben Cowgill stands with the Roanoke campus in the background.During his time at Roanoke College, Benjamin Cowgill '17 completed research on youth persistence in the Anglican Church.

"In my coursework, I found many authors focusing on the negative (why young people are leaving the church) versus the positive (why they stay involved), and I wanted to look at why some people chose the latter," Cowgill says.

"Roanoke gave me an excellent opportunity to take a question from a regular class and pursue it in a way I would not have been able to without the generous support and encouragement of my mentors at the College."

As a student interested in the ministry, you'll have the opportunity to work with Roanoke's outstanding religion faculty, many of whom are leading scholars in their field.    

Study Abroad

Following the ministry of Jesus in the Holy Land

"Seeing the landmarks of Israel granted me the ability to experience firsthand the environment and the sites of Jesus' ministry." ~ Katie Holland '14

Student on a rooftop in Israel
Students on a trail in Israel
Group of students in Israel
Students eating israeli food
Student sitting on a boat on a river
Students at Jericho Temptation Restaurant
Students sitting on a wall overlooking a city
Students with Israeli soldiers
Students covered in mud at the beach
Students at a massive wall in Israel
Students at a massive wall in israel

Alumni

BE THE PEOPLE

Cover of "Be the People," a book by Carol Swain.

Dr. Carol M. Swain '83 built a career as an author and professor.

Now retired from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she taught political science and law, her sixth book drew on her training to examine the religious significance of the founding of the United States. "Be the People: A Call to Reclaim America's Faith and Promise" offered a conservative perspective on America's political landscape.

Swain is a native of the Roanoke region and a past member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees, where she was the second African-American board member.

News

  • Inside-Out Interest Meeting

    Interested in a unique, experiential learning opportunity inside a local jail? Inside-Out courses (INOUT 299) bring together traditional students and incarcerated students to learn as peers in a local correctional facility.

    Date:
    February 17, 2026
    Time:
    11:50 a.m. - 12:50 p.m.
    Location:

    West Hall 117

    Inside-Out Interest Meetingevent image

  • Better Babies, Better Life?

    Enhancing our children's genes: moral obligation or travesty? In this year's Crumley Lecture, sponsored by the Benne Center for Church & Society, Dr. James Peterson explores a life-changing ethical question that has presented itself.

    Date:
    March 26, 2026
    Time:
    7 - 8 p.m.
    Location:

    Wortmann Ballroom

    Better Babies, Better Life?event image

Interested in studying pre-ministry at Roanoke College?

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