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Scholarships

Fuller Scholarships

 

Eve Fuller fulfilled the wishes of her husband, Max, and her own by leaving the bulk of their estate to our church to establish scholarships for sons and daughters of members who were working toward a four-year degree. Our congregation recently updated the standards for these scholarships while seeking to stay true to the Fullers’ intent in establishing the scholarship fund.

 

The purpose of these scholarships is to provide post-secondary education scholarships (for both full-time and part-time enrollment), and scholarships will be awarded by priority based on the student’s intent to complete a post-secondary degree according to the following (listed in priority order): Baccalaureate/Bachelor’s Degree; Associate Degrees; Certificate program, Diploma program, Trades program; and Advanced Degrees.

 

In order to be eligible to receive a Fuller Scholarship, the applicant, and/or a parent or grandparent of the applicant must be a member of the Congregational United Church of Christ, in Newton, Iowa (at the time of the application).

 

The amount of the scholarship will be determined by the Scholarship Committee based on which of the four types of education listed above the student intends to enroll and if enrolled full or part-time. Also, the information provided on the completed application form is a very important factor. Such information includes: the student’s participation in the life and work of a church; the student’s academic performance in high school, college, and/or other post-secondary education; their participation in school and community activities; their goals or aspirations; a parent’s and/or grandparent’s participation in the life and work of our church which includes attending worship and serving the church in a variety of ways.

 

Application forms will be provided for those students applying for the first time and for those asking for a renewal of their scholarship. Please contact the church office for an application.

 

For all applicants, applications are due April 1st. Questions about how to complete the application form should be directed to the church office and a member of the Scholarship Committee will contact you with the requested information.

 

Following the application review by the Scholarship Committee, Newton High school graduates will be awarded their scholarship at the annual Senior Awards Assembly in May. All other applicants will receive a letter regarding the approval of their application and the amount of the scholarship by mail.

 

Once the scholarship is awarded, the student must submit an enrollment form from the post-secondary institution verifying their enrollment. This form will be provided for the applicant. The scholarship funds will be paid directly to the educational institution the student attends.

 

Since the inception of awarding these scholarships in 1996, a total of $246,500 has been awarded. Through prudent investment of the monies received, this will be a continuing church program.

Seminary Scholarship Fund

 

In 1980, long time members of the church, Dwight and Opal Smith wanted to do something more to reach out in ministry beyond the congregation. Following Opal’s unexpected death, Dwight consulted with the Iowa Conference Minister about the needs of the wider church. He learned that seminary students were being burdened with tremendously high loans to pay for their seminary education. More and more of these students were second career persons and therefore had fewer years to work to pay off their loans than those coming directly out of college. Scholarships for seminary students would help the church gain mature leaders and at the same time help the students themselves.

 

Dwight responded to this need by donating a total of $15,000 to establish the Congregational United Church of Christ Seminary Scholarship Fund. Others were also invited to contribute to the fund, and several other families have made contributions from memorials and gifts. Today the fund's value has grown to over $32,000.

 

This seminary scholarship program is notable for its simplicity. The program seeks to award a scholarship each year, and requires no reimbursement. If Congregational UCC has anyone preparing for full-time ministry, he or she is first in line to receive the scholarship when enrolled in seminary. If not, then the Church Council seeks another recipient; first, from the Central Association; second, from the Iowa Conference; and third, a worthy student at a UCC Seminary.

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More information about applying for this scholarship can be obtained by contacting the church office.

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