wfn.org | Women of the ELCA Offers $161,300 in Grants and Scholarships

[Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>]

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 4, 1998

WOMEN OF THE ELCA OFFERS $161,300 IN GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
98-28-162-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, the women's organization of the ELCA, has awarded $125,600 in
grants to projects and $35,700 in scholarships to women preparing for
ordained ministry, academic leadership in higher education institutions and
lay leadership development for the 1998-1999 school year.
     "Gifts from thousands of faithful women make these scholarships and
grants possible," said Catherine I. H. Braasch, executive director.
"Whether it is a grant to assist in transforming lives and communities, or
a scholarship to prepare women for ministry in many walks of life, Women of
the ELCA counts it as a privilege to stand with these recipients."
     The Herbert and Corinne Chilstrom Scholarship, established on the
occasion of the 25th anniversary of women's ordination in the U.S. Lutheran
church, was awarded to a second-career student attending an ELCA seminary
to prepare for ordained ministry, said Bonnie Belasic, director for
communication.
     The Academic Leadership Scholarship was awarded to four women this
year.  The goal of this scholarship is to assist in the development of
senior faculty women or staff leadership at ELCA colleges and seminaries,
said Belasic.
     Scholarship awards for ELCA laywomen to seek undergraduate, graduate,
professional or vocational courses of study were given to 15 women to
pursue education in ministry to the aging, arts and sciences, teacher
credentialing, nursing, medical services (physician), psychology, secondary
education and English as a second language, supervision and administration,
accounting, elementary education, business administration, theater
education, and biochemistry.
     Two scholarships were not awarded in 1998 due to lack of qualified
candidates.  They were the Prince/Belmer Scholarship to assist women
studying for ELCA services abroad, and the Wettstein, Kahler, Vickers/Raup
Scholarships to assist women studying for service in health professions
connected with ELCA projects abroad.
     "The projects funded this year touch on a broad range of issues
affecting women and children, including international concerns, child care,
literacy, homelessness, domestic abuse, job and skill training, mental
health, immigration concerns, parenting, and community organization and
development," said Doris E. Strieter, grants program administrator.
     Twenty-two of the projects are dedicated to help women and children
break the cycles of poverty and injustice, specifically through educational
advancement and enrichment, life skills training, income-generating
projects, leadership development, public policy advocacy and community
organizing projects.
     Of the 41 programs funded by grants, more than half are sponsored and
run directly by Lutheran congregations, women's units, social service
organizations, or they have significant support from coalitions of Lutheran
congregations.
     Women of the ELCA has members in 8,596 congregations and 64 synodical
women's organizations throughout the United States and Caribbean.  The
grant and scholarship application processes for 1999 opens in fall 1998.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director 1-773-380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html