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Tuesday, November 10, 2026Nov 10

Covenant College grad J. Derek Halvorson sworn in as sixth president

photo Newly inaugurated Covenant College President J. Derek Halvorson smiles at the crowd before giving his inaugural address during the ceremony at Highland Cathedral on the Covenant College campus in Lookout Mountain, Ga., on Friday morning. Halvorson is the college’s sixth president since the school’s opening in 1955.

Covenant College has inaugurated the first president in its 57-year history who’s also a graduate of the school.

J. Derek Halvorson will serve as Covenant’s sixth president. He graduated from the college in 1993 and holds a Ph.D. in history from Loyola University Chicago.

“It’s a tremendous privilege and honor to be called to serve as Covenant College’s sixth president,” he said during his inaugural address Friday.

Halvorson previously served as president of Providence Christian College in Pasadena, Calif.

He also brings experience in fundraising, constituent relations, teaching and finances, said Jen Allen, Covenant’s chief communications officer.