wfn.org | ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission Awards 32 Scholarships

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

November 4, 2005

ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission Awards 32 Scholarships
05-213-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Sixteen first-year students at the eight
seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
began the 2005-2006 academic year with full-tuition scholarships,
and another 16 students had partial-tuition scholarships through
the ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission.  The Rev. Andrea DeGroot-
Nesdahl, bishop of the ELCA South Dakota Synod, presented the
full-tuition scholarships in a ceremony here Oct. 13.
     "The ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission helps us shape a
legacy of leaders for the future of our church.  Sitting in a
room full of Fund scholarship recipients, one can practically
breathe in the hope of our future as a church.	These leaders,
and others like them to come, will help us continue to fulfill
the mission God has given us, as we live together in God's
amazing grace," DeGroot-Nesdahl said.
     Some family members and friends of the scholars were in the
audience, which included the Rev. Phyllis B. Anderson, president,
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, Calif.  Anderson
addressed the formation of the Fund and its purpose not only to
provide scholarships for seminary students but also to support
the eight ELCA seminaries financially.
     The Fund for Leaders in Mission is an ELCA initiative to
build an endowed scholarship resource that provides tuition
assistance to qualified candidates studying at the church's
seminaries.
     "It's always a joy to share the financial resources that
have been received from so many generous members of this church
and present them to the future leaders of the church," said
Cynthia Halverson, Fund director, ELCA Foundation.
     When fully endowed the Fund's goal is to provide a full-
tuition scholarship for every student at ELCA seminaries who is
committed to a future in parish ministry.
     The Fund for Leaders in Mission has awarded $1.7 million in
135 scholarships.  It awarded its first eight scholarships in
2000.  More than $23 million in gifts and documented deferred
gift commitments have been received in the six years since the
Fund was formed.
     Several of the ELCA's 65 synods and 10,657 congregations
have created partnerships to award scholarships.  They awarded
another 23 scholarships for a total of 55 new scholarships
awarded this year.
     There are 112 students at ELCA seminaries who receive
tuition support through the Fund and related partnerships.
Fourteen past recipients are serving ELCA congregations as
pastors or professional lay leaders.
     The 16 new students, who were selected for full-tuition
scholarships are listed by name, home town, degree program and
seminary:
+ Laura Book, Valparaiso, Ind.
   M.A., Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio
+ Rachel Elliott, Ship Bottom, N.J.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theology Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.
+ Timothy Feiertag, Kansas City, Mo.
   M.Div., Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley,
Calif.
+ Elizabeth Foght, Baraboo, Wis.
   M.Div., Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa
+ Amber Brooke Hager, Westlake Village, Calif.
   M.Div., Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
+ Emily Hartmann, Clifton, N.J.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.
+ Christyn Hegele, Louisville, Ky.
   M.Div., Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley,
Calif.
+ Katherine Holmquest, Sioux Falls, S.D.
   M.Div., Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
+ Timothy Krick, Wheaton, Ill.
   M.Div., Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa
+ Valerie Lefever, Lancaster, Pa.
   MAR, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
+ Paul Metzloff, Canal Winchester, Ohio
   M.Div., Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio
+ Allison Michael, Durham, N.C.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theology Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.
+ Christoph Schmidt, West Fargo, N.D.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
+ Michelle Terry, Dublin, Ohio
   M.Div., Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.
+ Michelle Townsend, Milwaukee
   M.Div., Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
+ Eric Wallace, Stanley, N.C.
   M.Div., Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.

     Sixteen new students received partial-tuition scholarships:
+ Andrew Bansemer, Colorado Springs, Colo.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.
+ Lindsay Barr, Montgomery, Ala.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.
+ Justin Baxter, Bowling Green, Ohio
   M.Div., Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley,
Calif.
+ Shawn Berkebile, Lancaster, Pa.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theology Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.
+ Katherine Bollenbach, Waverly, Iowa
   M.Div., Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa
+ Megan Elliott, Westerville, Ohio
   M.Div., Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio
+ Laura Esposito, Collingswood, N.J.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
+ Tessa Hansen, Grand Forks, N.D.
   M.Div., Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
+ Marissa Harris, Roanoke, Va.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
+ Arianna Hilsen, Deer Park, Wash.
   M.Div., Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
+ Derek Hoven, Maryland Heights, Mo.
   M.Div., Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio
+ Sarah Kochy, Wheeling, W.Va.
   M.Div., Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley,
Calif.
+ Margaret Lux, Milwaukee
   M.Div., Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
+ Brandon Newton, Henry, Ill.
   M.Div., Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa
+ Holly Phillips, Boulder, Colo.
   M.Div., Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
+ Linda Trout, Etters, Pa.
   M.Div., Lutheran Theology Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa.
-- -- --
     Information about the Fund for Leaders in Mission is at
http://www.ELCA.org/fo/FundforLeaders/ on the Web site of the
ELCA Foundation.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news