wfn.org | Pledges enable program to award 347 scholarships

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

March 31, 2004	 News media contact: Linda Green 7 (615)742-5470 7 Nashville,
Tenn. 7 E-mail: newsdesk@umcom.org 7 ALL{144}

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:
7	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.
7	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.
7	The Rev. Herbert R. Marbury, campus chaplain at Clark Atlanta
University. He received the Chaplain of the Year Award.
7	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.

 
 

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United Methodist News Service
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