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Leadership Scholars program builds recruitment database

>Jul. 29, 2008

>By Vicki Brown*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)--The United Methodist Leadership Scholars
program awarded 129 scholarships in 2007 and 2008 and created a database
of almost 30,000 young United Methodists who are prospective college
students.

The scholarship program is designed to encourage active United Methodist
students to attend a United Methodist-related college or university by
offering up to $3,000 in scholarship funds. The program is sponsored by
United Methodist churches and participating colleges and universities in
the church's Southeastern Jurisdiction and is supported by the United
Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the United
Methodist Higher Education Foundation.

"I am really pleased with the participation in the first two years. The
program is limited in who can participate, so it will take some time to
build it up to the full capacity of 100 scholars per year," said the
Rev. Ken Bedell, a staff executive of the Board of Higher Education and
Ministry.

"The program shows what can happen when United Methodists in local
churches, annual conferences, general agencies, support organizations
and United Methodist colleges and universities all work together to
support the development of young leadership."

Thirty-four United Methodist-related institutions in the Southeast
participated in the program and 22 named UMLS recipients in 2008.

"All the schools had access to the database," Bedell said. "Although 12
schools did not award any scholarships, they have benefited from the
program by receiving prospective student lists. The primary purpose of
the database is to provide a way for colleges to contact students
directly about opportunities their schools offer."

Thirteen annual conferences participated in the program, which is only
available to first-year students. Local churches must put in a $1,000
scholarship to match the $1,000 grant from the college and the $1,000
scholarship from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation.

"One of the strengths of the program is that it commits the local church
to the process of leadership development for the United Methodist
connection," Bedell said.

>A model for others

While the program was launched only in the Southeastern Jurisdiction,
Bedell said several other U.S. jurisdictions are looking at the model.
"The program in the SEJ was intended as an experiment that can be
adopted and adapted by other jurisdictions," he said.

Across the United States, there are 122 United Methodist-related
institutions of higher education.

"The goal of the program is to provide a vehicle for local churches and
annual conferences to work with United Methodist colleges and
universities to encourage United Methodist youth to have higher
education experiences in a United Methodist setting so that they will be
prepared to bring leadership to The United Methodist Church," Bedell
said.

Among the participating schools is Huntingdon College in Montgomery,
Ala., which awarded 12 UMLS scholarships in 2007 and six in 2008 to
entering freshmen, said President J. Cameron West. "We believe our
primary mission is to serve United Methodist families, so our part of
the match is significant. We give a Cross and Flame half-tuition grant
to all United Methodist students who qualify for admission," West said.

With tuition of $19,320 at Huntingdon, United Methodist students get a
$9,660 Cross and Flame grant. UMLS scholars can add $1,000 from their
local church and $1,000 from UMHEF for a total of $11,660.

West said all apportionment dollars earmarked for Huntingdon College
from churches in the Alabama-West Florida Annual (regional) Conference
are used for the Cross and Flame half-tuition grant. While churches are
not required to pay the apportionment, a goal of the conference and
college is for 100 percent participation. In 2007, approximately 77
percent of the Huntingdon apportionment was paid by churches totaling
$642,000. An additional $50,000 was given by the North Alabama Annual
Conference.

>Helping students

Eric Childress, a 19-year-old freshman entering Ferrum (Va.) College
this fall, said he learned about the scholarship from his mother, the
Rev. Nancy Childress, senior pastor at Great Falls (Va.) United
Methodist Church.

"I'm really glad the church is able to help students afford to go to
college," Childress said. "That's an important mission for the church,
and I'm glad a lot of effort is put into it."

Applications for United Methodist Leadership Scholars are accepted April
1 through Jan. 1 for the fall semester.  To learn more about the
program, visit www.umls.umc.org, www.gbhem.org, or www.umhef.org.

*Brown is associate editor and writer, Office of Interpretation, General
Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

News media contact: Linda Green, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

>********************

United Methodist News Service Photos and stories also available at: http://umns.umc.org

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