From now until June 30, 2016, YDS supporters who endow a scholarship will see their gift matched up to $50,000, thanks to the new Yale Divinity Challenge offered as part of the university’s Access Yale fundraising initiative to support students across the university.
The matches come from a new $750,000 fund at YDS created by a gift from the estate of the late Howard Benson ’53 S.T.M. and an anonymous donor. The first 15 new endowed scholarship contributions–$50,000 or more—will be matched as part of the challenge.
“If anybody has ever thought of the possibility of starting an endowed scholarship fund at YDS, now is an ideal time to do it,” said Jim Hackney ’79 MAR, senior director of development at the Divinity School.
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The benefactor behind the Divinity Challenge, Rev. Howard Benson was a World War II veteran who served for more than 60 years as a minister in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church. Rev. Benson died last year at the age of 90. Rev. Benson had left a gift in his estate for YDS, stating that it should be used for the school’s greatest need.
“Howard Benson had an amazing life and career, and his legacy lives on at YDS through the current and future students whose educations he is supporting,” Hackney said.
“We are also very grateful to our anonymous donor who has a particular interest in encouraging scholarships for students pursuing ordained ministry. Normally, this group does not earn enough to pay off major educational loans. We really need to support them through scholarships if we are going to provide the best leadership for our churches,” Hackney added.
The challenge is part of two larger initiatives at YDS and the university. The Divinity School’s new strategic plan emphasizes student financial aid as an urgent priority area, partly to ensure graduates are not saddled by onerous debt as they pursue their careers as church leaders, nonprofit heads, and the like.
The university, meanwhile, is in the midst of its Access Yale initiative to raise $250 million over two years to support financial aid for student across the university.
Alumni interested in participating in the Divinity Challenge may contact any of the following people:
- Jim Hackney, jim.hackney@yale.edu, 203-432-5363;
- James Ebert ’97 M.Div., director of major gifts, james.ebert@yale.edu/203-432-3871;
- Pam Wesley-Gomez, Berkeley Divinity School director of development, Pamela.Wesley@yale.edu/203-432-9297.