A Heart for People, Community, and Ensuring Others Feel Known

As the son of a pastor, Ethan Park, MDiv ’23 has spent a large portion of his life in and around church spaces. His mother, who also attended Princeton Theological Seminary, is a Presbyterian pastor. While the Princeton Seminary connection wasn’t a deciding factor for Park’s decision to attend, it did play a part. What had even more weight in the decision was his desire for community, which is an essential aspect of his life.

“I wanted to go to seminary to get an education and to get training so I could be part of this effort in a ministry setting,” he says. “That was my big draw. I have this deep desire to feel known and I try to help others feel that as best I can.”

This desire took the Southern California native across the country to Princeton Seminary. Park, who majored in philosophy at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, wanted to attend seminary someplace where he would have to step outside of his comfort zone and be challenged to get to know a new place and new people. His first year was challenging in an unexpected way, however. “It’s been a journey for those of us who came in during COVID because the beginning was so hard to get through.”

For months, Park was in a new place without any connections until a group of friends invited him to Easter dinner. The gesture changed things for Park, who is introverted but is also someone who enjoys cultivating meaningful connections.

“The first year of seminary is always difficult and because of how difficult it was for me, I want to provide whatever support I can to students who are coming in after me because no one goes through this alone,” he says. “So, it’s important to be there and help in whatever way I can.”

Whether it’s grabbing a coffee with someone new or taking a walk across campus, for Park, it’s about being intentional and sincere in each encounter. A similar approach can be seen through his student leadership and chapel assistant efforts.

Park is a leader of the Asian Association of Princeton Theological Seminary, a student group that represents BIPOC students. Through his participation and leadership, his work centers on building relationships amongst various student groups, specifically with the leadership of other groups, he says. It’s about collectively improving the campus community, making it a safer and more inclusive space for all. “We can work together for the betterment of this entire community and not just our own group.”

He carries the same mindset when he’s at chapel where he serves as a chapel assistant. There, the focus is being a welcoming presence for others and ensuring people are acknowledged when they enter and exit.

Before seminary, his efforts were centered around helping others. Prior to attending Princeton Seminary, Park worked in the nonprofit sector for an organization that served adults with developmental disabilities. He worked in the field, assisting individuals with daily tasks and other independent living supports. He later went on to become a case manager.

“The first year of seminary is always difficult and because of how difficult it was for me, I want to provide whatever support I can to students who are coming in after me because no one goes through this alone,” he says. “So, it’s important to be there and help in whatever way I can.”

Now in the last moments before graduation, Park is trying to take it one step at a time. After graduation, he’ll start a one-year residency at St. Mary Medical Center. “I’ll get a lot more experience doing hospital chaplaincy and who knows what comes next.”

While Park isn’t exactly sure how the years following his residency will pan out, he knows his passion for others will be included in his ministry. During field education at St. Mary Medical Center, he realized his love for hospital chaplaincy. “I think it is connected to a passion of mine that I discovered at Princeton Seminary, which is my love of the Book of Lamentations. In Lamentations, there is this raw, honest expression of grief.”

Visiting people and talking through various circumstances without any other goal but to listen was rewarding, Park says.

“I want people to feel like they can express their feelings and emotions and know that whatever they are feeling is valid,” he says. ”And, to express whatever you’re feeling is part of a healthy relationship with God.”