Lecturer of Religion, Campus Ministries Coordinator, and Pastor

Audra Franley

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Parish Education from Thiel College in 2017 and my Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in 2020. I completed an "Ally to Accomplice" Micro-credential Course in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the spring of 2024 and was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in January 2025.

Beta Delta | Thiel College

What motto or phrase motivates you?

"Love more."

What three words would you use to describe yourself?

Empathetic, Curious, Relational

What advice would you give to someone entering your field?

I think of my work in both higher education and ministry in terms of creating spaces. I aim to create and hold space for others to ask questions, explore, and flourish by connecting to what is most meaningful to them. I'd advise anyone whose work invites them to hold space for others to ensure that they are also holding space for themselves. What do you need to stay curious, to grow, and to flourish as you do this work? Seek and create space for yourself, too, is my version of "you can't pour from an empty cup."