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Kelly Sherman-Conroy, an educator, church leader and scholar, will receive Wartburg College’s annual Graven Award on Monday, Nov. 18. She will accept the award at 10:15 a.
m. in the Wartburg Chapel during the college’s chapel service. The public is invited.
A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Sherman-Conroy teaches in the religion departments at Augsburg University and St. Olaf College in Minnesota. At All Nations Indian Church in Minneapolis, she provides spiritual guidance and leadership to the congregation, offering a safe space for spiritual growth and community building.
“Dr. Kelly is one of the Lutheran church’s great modern-day reformers. She exemplifies our baptismal calling to work for peace and justice throughout our world, prophetically calling the church to re-examine the cultural assumptions that have caused great harm,” said the Rev.
Maggie Falenschek, Wartburg’s Herbert and Cora Moehlmann Chaplaincy Endowed Chair. As the first Native woman to earn a Ph.D.
in theology within the ELCA, Sherman-Conroy has paved the way for future generations of Indigenous scholars. Her unique theological perspective blends Indigenous spirituality with Christian teachings, offering paths of healing and reconciliation that resonate across cultures and faith traditions. She also creates liturgies for significant global and national events, including the World Council of Churches and the ELCA’s Indigenous People’s Celebration, bridging Indigenous traditions with the Christian faith in a way that honors both.
Sherman-Conroy has trained more than 400 chaplains through the Twin Cities Interfaith Movement Chaplains, and her leadership has brought together faith leaders from diverse traditions to serve the community during times of crisis. She also serves on the executive board of the Minnesota Council of Churches, is actively engaged with the Minnesota Urban Indian Directors and serves on numerous boards and councils to uplift marginalized voices. “The church is so blessed to have Dr.
Kelly’s witness, and it’s a joy to welcome her to campus,” said Falenschek. The Graven Award, now in its 35th year, honors a lay person “whose life is nurtured and guided by a strong sense of Christian calling and who is making a significant contribution to community, church and society.” It is named for the late Judge Henry N.
and Helen T. Graven of Greene, whose lives reflected those same commitments..
