"The ceremony was fantastic," Reverend Paul Sorrentino, Coordinator of Religious Life and Christian Fellowship Advisor said. "We had three music groups perform, the Amherst Concert Choir, the Amherst Gospel Choir, and the Smith College Glee Club."
The service also featured a sermon by Reverend Dr. William Shaw, President of the National Baptist Convention, and Pastor of the White Rock Baptist Church in Philadelphia. "[The service] was marvelous, especially for students," Sorrentino said. "It's too bad more students didn't attend."
The service was followed by a reception in the Gerald Penny Cultural Center at Amherst. Burrows is now serving as Smith College Protestant Chaplain and Amherst College Protestant Religious Advisor, although he has been serving as interim religious adviser at Amherst and Smith since January. He said he spends two thirds of his time at Smith and one third at Amherst.
"I like Amherst. I love the academic community. It's evident I love study and the environment of learning," Burrows said.
Previously the pastor of the East Bethel Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Burrows said that among the things he has done since arriving were organizing stress reducing meditation classes for students and arranging a shuttle service to take students to Protestant religious services at Smith on Sunday. He has degrees in divinity and sacred music from Yale University and a D. Min degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia.
"His background and oratory skills are a real gift at Amherst," Sorrentino said. "He's warm and funny and I'm pleased to have him as a colleague. I appreciate his humility, and despite his training and experience he's open to learning from others. I value that a lot."