CAMBRIDGE, MA–July 31, 2001–"But Judah said to him, 'The man solemnly warned us, saying, "You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you."'" (Genesis 43: 1-3)

	Laura Wilhelm, LSTC/MTS Project Manager

The story of Joseph in the Pharaoh's court in Egypt has double meaning for two theological schools in Chicago. Part of what is known as the Hyde Park Cluster of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) and the McCormick Theological Seminary have become soul brothers...of sorts.

Through a grant from the Teagle Foundation, both seminaries received funding to assist them in purchasing a Jenzabar CARS software system from Jenzabar, Inc. The joint purchase was the first thing to bring the two schools closer. "We have what might just be a unique situation here," Laura Wilhelm, LSTC/MTS Project Manager states. "The two, separate databases from each school now reside on the same server."

Making the two schools informational stepbrothers as well.

After six months of planning, interviews, and meetings, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the McCormick Theological Seminary have chosen Jenzabar CARS as the schools' new administrative software.

"The schools' administrative software committee reviewed a variety of software products on the market," Chris Eldredge, Director of Information Technology remarks. "Both seminaries determined that Jenzabar CARS had the right capabilities to meet the schools' needs. The Committee was particularly impressed with the full integration of CARS software: its intuitive, user-friendly screens, customization functions that enable setup of the software to reflect clearly the needs of individual institutions, and the flexibility that CARS provides in accessing data and preparing reports."

In making the decision, the ten-member Administrative Software Committee considered staff needs and wants that had been noted through personal interviews in December and January and the institutional goals and needs of the two seminaries.

On June 28 and 29, the two schools held a CARS preview for interested staff and faculty. Clean-up of current data, purchase of new hardware, installation of software, and training of IT staff began. August marks the time for introducing the CARS Project Manager and beginning data conversion. To assist the seminaries with all aspects of the process, CARS representatives will work on-site. To assist with mapping data for the conversion, staff members from each department will work with IT staff. Then the institutions must decide what current data they wish to convert and where it will appear in the new database. "Staff members will also provide information for determining a conversion schedule appropriate for each department or office," Wilhelm notes.

About Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and McCormick Theological Seminary
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, it is affiliated with the Association of Chicago Theological Schools, Hyde Park Cluster and University of Chicago.

Its mission is to prepare pastors, theological educators, diaconal ministers, lay professionals, and other church leaders, who are centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for the global church. Located in the artistically rich and culturally diverse Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park, the seminary offers master of divinity, arts, and theology degrees as well as doctor of philosophy and ministry degrees.

McCormick Theological Seminary is a seminary that trains men and women for Christian ministry. Holding membership in the Association of Chicago Theological and associated with the University of Chicago, McCormick is an integral part of one of the world's great centers of theological education and research. Yet, McCormick in itself is known for its warmth, informality, and extraordinary attention to the individual. It is a school with a long history of high academic standards and a commitment to foster the expertise ministry requires. It is an autonomous institution, with an ecumenical student body, that rejoices in its relationship to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

About Jenzabar, Inc.
By improving the exchange of information through powerful business intelligence applications and services, Jenzabar's Internet enterprise software, e-learning solutions, and services deliver a competitive edge to higher education institutions. Dedicated to supporting and enhancing the educational community, Jenzabar's business units serve 700 higher education institutions worldwide, including students, professors, and administrators from private liberal arts, medical, law, state, and community colleges. Institutions employing Jenzabar solutions include The Claremont Colleges, Colby College, Daytona Beach Community College, William Mitchell College of Law, Governors State University, Bluffton College, Florida Southern College, Bay de Noc Community College, Berry College, and Harvard Medical School.

Jenzabar's offerings include Web-based enterprise software with student, institutional advancement, human resources, and financial applications; e-learning solutions; and a higher education enterprise information portal (EIP). Founded in 1998, Jenzabar is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and currently employs more than 300 people in regional offices across the United States.