News

Pastor Sarah Semmler Smith ’04 will join the St. Olaf College Ministry Office as the new associate chaplain. She will begin her role on August 17.

Semmler Smith has 16 years of ministry experience, seven of which have been in college ministry. After majoring in religion at St. Olaf, she earned a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling with an emphasis in mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. Semmler Smith participated in Young Adults in Global Mission (ELCA), serving as an ESL teacher to students in grades 7–12 in Southern Thailand. She has been a pastor in Vancouver, Washington; Stanley, Wisconsin; and Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She served as the campus pastor at Finlandia University from 2019–23. She is currently serving as pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Houghton, Michigan, and ELCA Campus Minister at Michigan Technological University. 

“It is with joy that I accept the invitation to serve as associate chaplain at St. Olaf,” Semmler Smith says. “To return to the Hill and give back to an institution that gave me so much is an honor.”

“Wherever you are in your spiritual journey, I look forward to connecting with and coming alongside you during your time at St. Olaf.”

— Rev. Sarah Semmler Smith ’04

In her role as associate chaplain, Semmler Smith will lead worship, oversee a variety of programs, and offer confidential pastoral care and counseling.

“I look forward to working with Oles from across campus life,” she says. “To the students: wherever you are in your spiritual journey, I look forward to connecting with and coming alongside you during your time at St. Olaf.”