 Pledges enable program to award 347 scholarships
March 31, 2004
NASHVILLE,
Tenn. (UMNS) - The midyear meeting of the United Methodist Higher
Education Foundation netted some surprise pledges for the Double Your
Dollars for Scholars program to ensure that students can attend
church-related schools. The
pledges were made after trustees of the foundation learned at their
March 4-6 meeting that all eligible applicants for the program would not
receive scholarships for the 2004-05 academic year. An
increase in applications from United Methodist students and a prolonged
stock market downturn resulted in the foundation's inability to fund
all applications postmarked on the first day of the program, Feb. 1. "We
had to tighten our budget, so there were fewer scholarships available
through the Double Your Dollars program," said Cheryl Davis, acting
president of the foundation. For
the last few years, the foundation has been able to fund up to 350
applications, Davis said. However, out of 347 eligible applications this
year, 76 were not going to be filled, marking the first time the
foundation would be unable to fund every eligible application postmarked
by the program's opening date, according to Davis. The
Nashville-based foundation matches $1,000 for local congregations that
raise $1,000 for a member enrolled or planning to enroll in a United
Methodist-related college, university or seminary. The matching
scholarship program was established in 1997 to award 100 scholarships.
The number of first-come, first served scholarships awarded increased as
more funds became available. The
United Methodist Higher Education Foundation's vision is to make it
economically possible for any qualified United Methodist student to be
educated at a United Methodist institution of higher education. To
honor that goal, the foundation's board of trustees intervened to
ensure the 76 scholarships would be funded. The North Georgia United
Methodist Foundation - whose executive director, Bob Fletcher, is a
United Methodist Higher Education Foundation trustee - provided a lead
challenge gift of $25,000 to support students from Georgia going to
United Methodist schools. That
gift freed up money, and the trustees pledged an additional $25,000,
for a total of $50,000, to meet the Double Your Dollars need. "This
is too important for us not to do," said Trustee Paul Edwards, a
previous scholarship recipient and current chairperson of the
foundation's Alumni Council. "It has been incredible to watch the
concern and support of these board members in answering this need." "I
have never seen a board respond to a need in such a profound, emotional
way," Davis said. "It is an amazing testimony to the dedication,
involvement and commitment of each member sitting on this board. Their
generosity enables us to meet the demand for this year." In
other action, the trustees welcomed the selection of Thomas S. Yow III,
president of United Methodist-related Young Harris (Ga.) College, as
the foundation's new president and chief executive officer, effective
May 3. The
foundation also presented its annual awards to four people for
significant contributions to church-related schools. Recipients are: ·
Franklin L. Faris, a member of Harriman (Tenn.) United Methodist
Church. He is the winner of the 2004 Stanley S. Kresge Award, given
based on dedicated membership in the United Methodist Church and support
of United Methodist-related education. The award is named for the late
Stanley S. Kresge, a philanthropist. ·
Howard E. Mueller, professor of religious studies at North Central
College in Naperville, Ill. He was named the Outstanding Educator of the
Year Award, an award given to teachers in United Methodist-related
schools who have made an extraordinary impact on their students, peers,
the institution, church and community. · The Rev. Herbert R. Marbury, campus chaplain at Clark Atlanta University. He received the Chaplain of the Year Award. · The Rev. Chang-Hee Son, a campus minister at Bridgewater (Mass.) State College. He was named the Campus Minister of the Year. James
Noseworthy, president of United Methodist-related Hiwassee College in
Madisonville, Tenn., nominated Faris for the Kresge award. "Frank Faris
is a man with a generous heart, a compassionate spirit, and an abiding
commitment to the Wesleyan concern to unite knowledge and vital piety
for responsible living. He models that in his personal life. Even more,
he works to provide the opportunity for intellectual and spiritual
growth for individuals in the Southern Appalachian region of Tennessee." Faris,
in his 32nd year as a trustee for Hiwassee College (24 of those spent
in an honorary status) will receive a medallion and a certificate of
recognition. A one-time $10,000 scholarship is made to the United
Methodist-related institution where the Kresge recipient is an active
volunteer. "Howard
Mueller has taken on every leadership challenge a faculty member could
volunteer for or be asked to assume," said Harold Wilde, president of
North Central College, in nominating Mueller for the educator of the
year award. "On every occasion when duty called, he has served with
distinction, decency and integrity. And, time and time again, his
thoughtful reflection and voice of reason have been the key ingredients
in bringing ideas and individuals together." Mueller will receive an artistic replica of the Cokesbury Bell and a cash award of $5,000. Joel
V. Harrell, vice president for enrollment services and students affairs
at Clark Atlanta University, nominated Marbury as Chaplain of the Year.
"As an accomplished scholar and teacher, the Rev. Marbury has received a
faculty appointment in the Clark Atlanta University Department of
Religion and has distinguished himself among his colleagues and the
students with whom it interacts," he said. "Starting with a group of 20
students and volunteer musicians, he has transformed the Sunday morning
chapel service at Clark Atlanta University into an event that now has an
average Sunday morning attendance of over 300 students." Marbury will receive an inscribed sculpture and $5,000 to further the development of programs sponsored by his office. Excellence
in campus ministry earned Son the distinction of Campus Minister of the
Year. "Dr. Chang-Hee Son challenges ministerial and theological
discussion to take place in the context of prayer and a consciousness of
the presence of God," said Stephen C. Mott, chairperson of the board of
trustees at Bridgewater State College. "He is forthright in his views,
yet he distinguishes himself from a self-righteous dogmatism of either
end of the theological spectrum." Son will receive an inscribed sculpture and $5,000 to further the development of programs sponsored by his office. More
information is available from the foundation at umhef@gbhem.org; P.O.
Box 340005, Nashville, Tennessee, 37203-0005; phone: (615) 340-7385 or
(800) 811-8110; Web site: www.umhef.org. *This
report was adapted from a release written by Pamela Crosby, a staff
member in the Office of Interpretation at the United Methodist Board of
Higher Education and Ministry. News media can contact Linda
Green at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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