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Commencement at Trinity

Saturday, May 24, 2025

  • 10:30 AM - Holy Eucharist (Gloria Dei) - Preaching: the Rev. Dr. Joy Schroeder
  • 11:30 AM - Lunch (Koinonia) Reservations required. $10 donation suggested.
  • 1:00 PM - Graduating Class Photo (Gloria Dei)    
  • 1:30 PM - Commencement Ceremony (Gloria Dei)

The Rev. Karen L. Battle

2025 Commencement Speaker: The Rev. Karen L. Battle

The Rev. Karen L. Battle is a retired Lutheran pastor of Word and Sacrament who faithfully served for over 34 years in congregational ministry, social justice advocacy, and nonprofit leadership. She pastored congregations in Chicago, Illinois; Columbus, Ohio; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and played a pivotal role in starting new congregations in the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Wilkinsburg and Hazelwood. Additionally, she co-pastored a joint PC(USA) and ELCA synodically authorized worshiping community, fostering ecumenical collaboration.

Rev. Battle has been a dedicated community organizer, serving as Vice President of the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN) and leading efforts to address housing insecurity, including the boarding up and demolition of abandoned properties in Wilkinsburg. In Columbus, her work with BREAD (Building Responsibility, Equity, and Dignity) helped combat issues of drugs, crime, and urban blight, bringing much-needed change to her church’s neighborhood.

Beyond parish ministry, she has served as a hospital and hospice chaplain and has worked extensively with nonprofit organizations, particularly in the area of HIV/AIDS advocacy. She spearheaded resource development for a CDC-funded HIV/AIDS prevention initiative for African American women and created program resources for the Women of the ELCA. She also served as the Director for Justice Ministries and Mission for the Pittsburgh Presbytery, furthering her commitment to equity and systemic change.

Now serving as a spiritual director and Certified Grief and End-of-Life coach, Rev. Battle continues to offer guidance and support to those navigating life’s transitions.

This year marks the inaugural presentation of The Rev. Karen L. Battle student award, established in her honor, recognizing her enduring legacy of pastoral leadership, social justice, and community transformation.

Graduating Students

Students may complete the graduation application in myCap. If you have not applied for graduation, you will need to contact the Registrar's Office for assistance at graduation@capital.edu or 614-236-6150.

All prospective graduates will be required to complete the following

  • Application for graduation received by registrar
  • Required coursework
  • Incompletes
  • Official transcripts
  • Any other materials related to completion of the degree

Those that have completed the above requirements may receive their diplomas at the commencement ceremony. Students who complete degree requirements and graduated in summer or fall terms are also eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony.  

All bills and fees must be paid prior to graduation. If your account is not completely cleared by graduation, neither diplomas nor transcripts will be issued. Contact the Financial Aid Office at 614-236-6216 with questions. 

Regalia

Graduation regalia is available to order here. Regalia may be shipped to your home or the Capital University Bookstore. Pickup is available at the bookstore beginning the week of April 27. For any regalia-related questions, please contact Cliff Fehr from Herrf Jones at cfehrway@hotmail.com. 

If you prefer, you may opt-out of purchasing a hood and instead borrow a hood from the seminary. Seminary-owned hoods will be available to borrow prior to the ceremony. Please make arrangements with Dr. Nakamura (lnakamura@capital.edu) to borrow a hood. 

Guest Information 

Directions to Campus

The seminary's address is 2199 E Main Street, Columbus, OH 43209.  For detailed directions, please see below.

From Port Columbus International Airport
  1. Capital is within a short flight of many major U.S. cities. Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Washington, D.C., and New York City are all within 90 minutes of Columbus, Ohio. The campus is approximately a 15-minute drive from Port Columbus.
  2. At the end of the airport's main drive, turn left (south) onto Stelzer Road.
  3. Follow Stelzer (which will change names and become James Road) approximately 2.5 miles to Main Street.
  4. Turn right on Main Street.
  5. Travel approximately 1 mile to Pleasant Ridge Avenue.
  6. Turn left on Pleasant Ridge Avenue. 
From the Northwest
  1. Travel south on I-75 to Route 23.
  2. Follow Route 23 into Columbus and take I-270 east to I-71 South
  3. Travel south on I-71 to the Broad Street exit.
  4. Turn east (driving away from downtown) onto Broad Street and drive 2.5 miles to Drexel Avenue in Bexley.
  5. Turn right onto Drexel Avenue and continue south until Drexel ends in front of the campus at Main Street.
  6. Turn left (east) onto Main Street.
  7. At the next light, Pleasant Ridge Avenue, turn right (south).
From the East
  1. Travel west on I-70 to the Livingston Avenue exit.
  2. Turn left (west) on Livingston Avenue.
  3. Turn right (north) at the first traffic light onto Alum Creek Drive.
  4. When Alum Creek dead ends in front of the Kroger store, turn right (east) on Main Street.
  5. At the fourth traffic light, turn right (south) on Pleasant Ridge Avenue.
From the West
  1. Travel east on I-70 to the Bexley/Main Street exit.
  2. Exit at Bexley/Main Street. The exit ramp automatically turns onto Alum Creek Drive, which will dead end at Main Street (in front of the Kroger store).
  3. Turn right (east) on Main Street.
  4. At the fourth traffic light, turn right (south) on Pleasant Ridge Avenue.
From the North or South
  1. Travel I-71 to the Broad Street exit.
  2. Turn east (driving away from downtown) onto Broad Street and drive 2.5 miles to Drexel Avenue in Bexley.
  3. Turn right onto Drexel Avenue and continue south until Drexel ends in front of the campus at Main Street.
  4. Turn left (east) onto Main Street.
  5. At the next light, Pleasant Ridge Avenue, turn right (south).

Parking

  • Guest Parking– All guests have access to all F and S parking lots on campus, but we suggest parking in the F7 and S8 lots for easy access to the Seminary. Please see map here (PDF).
  • Handicap Parking – There are several accessible parking spaces in the F7 and S8 lots and handicap access on the lower level of the seminary. There is also an elevator located down the hall on the left of the lower level.