Disciples Divinity House

The trustees have launched a $4 million campaign to undergird scholarships, to create new immersive learning opportunities, and to enhance accessibility to our beloved “House.”

For 125 years, the Disciples Divinity House has fostered an atmosphere electric with possibilities for excellence in ministry, scholarship, and public leadership. Its singular residential scholarship program and intellectual community, offered in connection with the University of Chicago Divinity School, prepares men and women to be the creative thinkers and courageous leaders needed in the church and wider world today.

“Plans for the 125th anniversary have been in the works for five years,” explained trustee Chad H. Martin, who is chair of the 125th Anniversary. “And believe it or not – the most difficult part of the entire planning process was determining our theme. Of course, we bask in the history of the House. And rightly so: DDH, for being a three-story building on the corner of 57th Street and University Avenue, with a full-time staff that you can count on one hand, has had a super-sized impact. That is worth celebrating.”

“However, no one—not the trustees, alumni/ae, dean, staff, or students—wants to describe DDH only in terms of what has been done in the past. So, when Larry Bouchard offered the phrase, grateful for what is to come, we knew that captured the essence of our celebration.”

“As part of preparing the House for what is to come, we are raising funds to support and enhance its mission for the next 125 years,” Martin announced at the Anniversary Dinner on May 25. “We started the silent phase a year ago – and the response has been overwhelmingly positive and generous. Much of this generosity is expressed through commitments that will fully endow at least six new scholarships at $250,000 each. In fact, we were able as a Board yesterday to formally create the Dr. Geunhee and Mrs. Geunsoon Yu Scholarship. THAT is our mission in action, and evidence the campaign is already a success.”

“And to give a sense for the level of generosity that has already been expressed in the silent phase, over $2.5 million is already pledged or committed. We have already raised over 60% of our overall $4 million goal, with another significant amount in the commitment process. But we still need to raise additional funds.”

Cash gifts may be made through pledges that will be fulfilled over the next three years. And any estate gift that evidences the house as a future beneficiary will be counted. Each and every gift conveys hope for and belief in a future where community, curiosity, and courage continue to shape the world.

That generosity will support three crucial purposes: 1) Funding for critical ministry and scholarship and, closely related, 2) funding for internships and immersive learning. An expansion of scholarships, both in number and in innovative use of funds, will help ensure that students are ready to provide critical ministry and scholarship for our globalized and swiftly changing world. Additionally, we want to raise 3) funding to ensure the House is a welcoming place. “One of the most unique things about the House is that it remains a ‘house’ – a physical place for students, staff, and community to intersect, " Martin observed. "We want the House to be a welcome place to all, and we think addressing first floor accessibility takes us in the right direction for the next 125 years.”

We give thanks for the remarkable legacy of the Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago as we celebrate its 125th anniversary, and for the individuals, churches, and organizations who have made that legacy possible. In that spirit, we are also grateful for what is to come.