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Though I had thought of attending law school after leaving Macalester, Dr. Mitau and Sen. Humphrey had indicated being influenced by the writings of Reinhold Niebuhr. Niebuhr taught at Union Theological Seminary, New York City. I went to Union to study with Niebuhr and, in that richly charged academic setting, elected to stay on and graduate with a theological degree.

I was ordained into the Christian ministry of the Presbyterian Church in 1962 and served as a minister in higher education, combining that with serving a Presbyterian Church. I served as Protestant Chaplain and also as an Assistant Professor History at SUNY Oswego for seven years before coming to Long Island in 1972 to be Executive Minister for Long Island United Campus Ministries. Beginning in 1982 I combined that position with that of being Pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Merrick. I retired in 2005, and since that time have served as Temporary Supply Pastor of Old South Haven Presbyterian Church in Bookhaven, N.Y.

I have received awards and honors from these organizations:

• Long Island Crisis Center: The Linda Nadle Award for social justice advocacy, and Founder of Pride For Youth, an organization for GLBT youth.
• Nassau Citizens Budget Committee (founder and president): Community Service Award
• Center for Family Resources (founder and president): Community Service Award
• Family Planning Advocates of New York State: The Rev. Beatrice B. Blair Courageous Service Award for working at passage of Women's Right to Choose legislation.
• National Campus Ministries Association: The GNOME award for innovative ministry in higher education.
• Presbyterian Church, USA: 2001 Higher Education Honor Roll Award. Citation included the words: "Without Tom Philipp's ministry how many women might have died from botched abortions? How many Vietnam Veterans might have wallowed in torment? How many senior citizens would have been pushed into homelessness? How many girls might have become unprepared mothers? How many gay teenagers might have been drive to the point of despair? How many thousands of college students would have gone through their schooling without any place on campus to share the love of Christ? How many church members and minister colleagues would remain less than who God created them to be?"