December 7, 2006

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Six men and two women preparing to further their theological studies have been selected as the 2007-08 Dempster Scholars by the United Methodist Church.

The five Dempster Graduate Fellowship recipients receive awards of up to $10,000 a year for five years, not to exceed $30,000 total, and three Dempster Graduate Scholarship recipients receive $1,000 to $5,000 a year.

The awards are named for John Dempster, a 19th-century Methodist preacher who helped found three seminaries related to the denomination.

"These awards enable the church to identify and support bright, young scholars who can provide exceptional leadership within United Methodist academic communities, particularly the seminaries, in order to develop and maintain a strong United Methodist ethos and presence in our institutions of higher education," said the Rev. Robert F. Kohler, a staff member of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry. The scholarships are given through the denomination's Ministerial Education Fund and the board's Division of Ordained Ministry.

The board announced the recipients Nov. 19. Selection for the Dempster award is based on intellectual excellence, academic achievement, promise of usefulness in teaching careers, personal qualities, clarity of spiritual purpose, and commitment to Christian ministry and the preparation of pastoral leadership for the church.

"The fellowships are among the most important academic awards in the nation and are a significant commitment of future United Methodist biblical and theological scholarship," Kohler said.

The 2007-08 Dempster Graduate Fellowship recipients are:

• Matthew Richard Schlimm, an ordained elder in the West Michigan Annual Conference and graduate of Asbury College and Duke Divinity School. He is enrolled in his third year of a doctoral program at Duke University, Durham, N.C.

• Douglas Dean Tzan, an ordained elder of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference and graduate of the University of South Carolina and Iliff School of Theology, Denver. He is enrolled in his second year of a doctor of theology program at Boston University. He is also a past fellowship recipient.

• Timothy Reinhold Eberhart, an ordained elder in the Dakotas Annual Conference and graduate of St. Olaf College and Vanderbilt Divinity School. A past fellowship recipient, he is enrolled in his fourth year of a doctoral program at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.

• Kenneth Milton Loyer, a certified candidate in the Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference and graduate of Messiah College and Duke Divinity School. He is enrolled in his second year of a doctoral program at Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

• Luther Jeremiah Oconer, an ordained elder in the Pampango Philippines Annual Conference and graduate of Mapúa Institute and Wesley Divinity School (Philippines) and Drew University. He is enrolled in his fifth year of a doctoral program at Drew University, Madison, N.J.

The 2007-08 Dempster Graduate Scholarship recipients are:

• Jeremy Todd Bakker, a certified candidate in the North Texas Annual Conference and graduate of the University of North Texas and Perkins School of Theology. A previous scholarship recipient, he is enrolled in his second year of a doctoral program at Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

• Amy Peed McCullough, an ordained elder in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference and graduate of Wellesley College and Duke Divinity School. She is enrolled in her second year of a doctoral program at Vanderbilt University.

• Julie Marie Todd, an ordained elder in the New England Annual Conference and graduate of Boston University. She is enrolled in her second year of a joint Iliff School of Theology/University of Denver doctoral program. She is a previous scholarship recipient.

For more information on the Dempster Graduate scholarships and fellowships, contact the Division of Ordained Ministry at (615) 340-7388 or e-mail jknox@gbhem.org.

United Methodist News Service