VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 8/16/23)—The cost of higher education is soaring. Consequently, so too is student debt. Long recognizing these unsettling trends, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) has historically helped to support American Baptist students through its scholarship program. This year, ABHMS is redoubling its effort to not only grant scholarships but also build a vibrant network of scholarship recipients who will eventually partner with ABHMS in other ways.

To this end, Alexzandria Sanchez, ABHMS national coordinator for Scholarships and Emerging Leaders, hosted a virtual gathering on August 1 for more than 40 students from across the United States and Puerto Rico who received an ABHMS scholarship for the 2023-24 academic year.

“Our goal is to build a community of ABHMS scholars,” said Sanchez, “and this starts with creating a space where scholarship recipients can get to know each other and be introduced to the rich opportunities that ABHMS has to offer for emerging leaders.”

Attendees enjoyed an icebreaker activity and then went into virtual breakout sessions where ABHMS representatives described the activities and initiatives of the organization’s program units. Highlights included overviews of the Co-Creators Incubator, a one-year integrative program for missional entrepreneurs, and the ABHMS Center for Continuous Learning, which offers continuing education opportunities such as Faithful Finance, a track of courses intended to increase financial literacy, among other things.

Dr. Jeffrey Haggray, ABHMS executive director, said to the scholarship recipients in his greeting: “We are delighted to be in partnership with you as you pursue your educational goals. We believe in the power of education to transform lives, and we seriously hope to be engaged with you beyond [scholarship awards], even as we are looking for ways to increase our scholarship funds and give more scholarships. We are hoping to create more partnerships in all areas of higher education.”

To be eligible for an ABHMS student scholarship, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Hold active membership in an American Baptist church;
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate level program at an accredited college or university in the United States or Puerto Rico;
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75;
• Reside in the United States or Puerto Rico; and
• Provide a reference completed by the pastor or leader of the church in which the applicant holds membership.

Scholarship amounts vary and funds are paid directly to the recipient’s school for credit toward tuition. Recipients who maintain eligibility requirements may receive scholarship funds for up to six years (either consecutive or non-consecutive), regardless of enrollment status (part-time or full-time) for any one course of study. The scholarship application for the 2024-2025 academic year will be available on January 15, 2024.

To learn more about ABHMS scholarships, visit abhms.org.

American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.

American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.