YDS alumni have recently made major gifts to create two new endowed scholarships that will support students’ theological education and enable them to enter their careers with less student debt.
Stephen Henderson ’87 M.A.R. and his husband, James LaForce, have made a $50,000 commitment to endow a scholarship fund with a preference for M.A.R. students who identify as LGBTQ. Henderson, of New York, is a writer who is currently working on a book on food philanthropy in different cultures around the world. He and his husband are also supporters of the YDS annual fund at the 
leadership level.
“Studying at YDS opened my mind and heart to completely new ways of thinking and feeling,” Henderson said. “However, I might not have benefited from this life-changing experience if I hadn’t been given a scholarship. By offering some financial assistance, it is James’ and my hope that a future student at YDS will have as transformative a time as I did.”
Elaborating on his and his husband’s preference that the scholarships go to LGBTQ students, Henderson said, “In our 26 years together—six of them as a legally married couple—James and I have seen enormous changes for the LGBTQ community. Yet, the deeply embedded intolerance of certain religious communities is a continued cause for worry. Creating a scholarship that’s specifically awarded to an LGBTQ student at YDS is one way we’re fighting back against so-called ‘holy homophobia.’”
Susan Miller ’73 M.A.R. ’81 M.Div. and her husband, Rudy Hokanson’74 M.Div.’81 M.B.A., have contributed $50,000 to establish a new scholarship with a preference for students preparing for Lutheran ministry. Miller is a Lutheran minister in St. Paul, and Hokanson is a Managing Director, Senior Investment Analyst, with Barrington Research Associates. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Yale Alumni Association of the Northwest. Both Miller and he are leaders of YDS alumni activities in the Twin Cities, supporters of the YDS Annual Fund, and participants in the school’s planned giving program.
“There is a spiritual thread that runs through all of us that was made by our YDS experience,” Miller and Hokanson said in a shared statement. “We are fortunate to be able to endow this scholarship in addition to our annual donations. To us, it affirms how we feel about the influence YDS has had on our lives and the influence YDS graduates have had as they’ve served in their communities. This scholarship is a way of helping to insure that influence continues into the future.
“As we have matured, the memories and influence of YDS have become more important to understanding who we are and where we have gone. We wanted to share that in a tangible way.”
Both the Henderson/LaForce gift and Miller/Hokanson gift have come since the beginning of the Yale Divinity Challenge and thus net a $50,000 match, bringing their funds to $100,000 each.
“On behalf of the larger YDS community, I convey my deepest appreciation to these generous donors,” YDS Dean Greg Sterling said. “These gifts are powerful expressions of support for YDS, our students, and our mission, and each will enable our students to pursue their varied careers of service less encumbered by debt burdens.”