John McVay

John McVay began serving as President of Walla Walla University in September, 2006.  He came to the Northwest from Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan where he served as Professor of New Testament and Associate Dean (1998-2000) and Dean (2000-2006) of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. 

McVay is no stranger to the West Coast as he served at Pacific Union College for thirteen years in the Religion Department and, for a time, as Senior Pastor of the PUC Church.  

Born in Corvallis, Oregon to a pastoral family, he felt the call to pastoral ministry early in life and followed in the footsteps of his father, Ken, who served for many years as a pastor and hospital chaplain. 

While still in college, McVay ministered as a youth pastor in Des Moines, Iowa. He began his pastoral ministry in the Georgia-Cumberland Conference.

McVay is a graduate of Georgia-Cumberland Academy, Southern Adventist University, Andrews University, and England's Sheffield University, which awarded him a Ph.D. in New Testament studies in 1995. 

His dissertation focused on the theme of the church in the Epistle to the Ephesians.  A specialist in the later Pauline Epistles, McVay contributes regularly to professional conferences and publications.

Pam Aalborg McVay, John's wife, is an obstetrics nurse.  They have two children, Marshall, 20, and Macy, 15.