Virginia Seminary Waives Tuition for All Black Students

I am very pleased that VTS has taken a giant step forward in helping to cultivate African-American leadership in the church. We are now offering full-tuition scholarships to each and every one of our black students from the U.S.

Here are the Dean's remarks from todays Dean's Commentary:

Thursday, January 17, 2008
The future of the Episcopal Church depends on realizing the full range of talents within our tradition. We want great men and women from many different places to be raised up to leadership roles. With our deep historic connection with the Bishop Payne Divinity School (which was founded in 1878 and merged with Virginia Theological Seminary in 1953), we are required to cultivate black Episcopal leadership within the church.

So today I am pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has created the Bishop Payne Scholarship Fund, which will provide full tuition for any full or part-time black student who is an Episcopalian studying for the MDiv, MTS, MACE, Anglican Studies, or Full-time Special Student programs.

My prayer today is that dioceses will encourage vocations from the African American community so that the future leadership of our church will draw on the rich resources of all God’s people. And I hope that in a small way this Scholarship Fund will enable some of those individuals to enjoy the quality theological education that VTS provides. ---The Very Rev Ian MarkhamDean and President.