Dr. Wilson Yates Wilson Yates joined the faculty of United Theological Seminary in 1967 as Assistant Professor of church and society, became Professor of Religion, Society and the Arts in 1987, served as dean from 1988 to 1996 and as president from 1996-2005. He is ordained in the United Methodist Church and holds dual standing in the United Church of Christ. He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, B.A. (1960), Vanderbilt Divinity School, M. Div. (1962), Harvard University, Ph. D. (1968), was a visiting scholar at Cambridge University (1973-74 1978, 1992) and Yale Divinity School (1985), and visiting professor at Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, (2008-09).