Disciples Divinity House Scholars announced
Fourteen students have been named Disciples Divinity House Scholars for 2022-23. Two additional individuals have been named the inaugural Theological Education Leadership Fellows. Scholarship funds have been increased in recent years, allowing for the creation of several new scholarships that honor individuals, extend legacies of ministry and thought, and allow for innovative leadership.
NEW SCHOLARS: Oreon E. Scott Entering Scholar Morganne Talley is a first-year MDiv student. She graduated with honors from the University of Lynchburg with a major in Religious Studies. Morganne received the Allen B. Stanger Award for commitment toward preparation for ministry and the Virgil V. Hinds Award for demonstrating a high level of academic achievement. Kate Myers is a first-year Masters student at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. She has been awarded free housing at DDH during her studies. Kate grew up at First Christian Church in Bloomington, Indiana, and served as a Disciples Peace Fellowship intern in 2021. Luther Young, a visiting PhD student in Sociology from The Ohio State University, is conducting field research this year on black churches in Chicago. Luther is an ordained Disciples minister and the moderator of Alliance Q. He has been awarded free housing at DDH during his research.
CONTINUING SCHOLARS: Rachel Abdoler, a PhD candidate and recipient of the Barbara and Clark Williamson Scholarship, is writing her dissertation on the hermeneutical strategies of thirteenth-century Christian theological texts written in Arabic against a backdrop of Christian and Islamic polemical writing. The W. Barnett Blakemore Scholarship for ecumenical vision and academic achievement has been awarded to Justin Carlson, a second-year MDiv student, who also serves as DDH’s head resident. Third-year MDiv student Alexa Dava has been awarded the Dr. Geunhee and Mrs. Guensoon Yu Scholarship which recognizes high promise for innovative pastoral and intellectual leadership, especially in multicultural contexts. Justin Carlson and Alexa Dava received additional support from the William Daniel Cobb Alumni/ae Scholarship to support their attendance this summer at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Karlsruhe, Germany. The Rolland and Laura Frances Sheafor Scholarship was was awarded to Kerrigan Greene, a third-year MDiv student. Marissa Ilnitzki, is the recipient of the Martin Family Scholarship, which celebrates leadership, congregations, and women in ministry. In her second-year of the MDiv program, her field placement is Gilead Church. Charlie Platt, a second year MDiv, began his field work at the University of Chicago Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and Chicago Lights as the William N. Weaver Scholar. Danny Sanchez entered his third year of the MDiv program as the Drum and Tenant Scholar, a scholarship created by Katherine Dey in remembrance of dear friends. The Henry Barton Robison Scholarship has been awarded to Luke Soderstrom, a PhD student in theology. He completed his doctoral exams last year and is now preparing to submit his dissertation proposal. PhD candidate Virginia White has received the Edward Scribner Ames Scholarship for high academic achievement. She is writing a dissertation on “Reckoning with Social Evil: Performativity as a Foundation for Re-envisioning Lament and Laughter as Moral Practices.” Landon Wilcox and Hiatt Allen are joint recipients of the M. Ray and Phyllis Schultz Scholarship as they finish their studies. Landon is preparing for chaplaincy in the US Navy and anticipates receiving his MDiv degree in December. Hiatt is writing his senior ministry thesis on the role of church camps in faith formation while finishing a MDiv/Master of Public Policy dual degree.
THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION LEADERSHIP FELLOWS: Lijia Xie has been named the Bernard F. and Annie Mae Cooke Fellow. He is particularly interested in dynamics of self-formation and conscience, as well as theological discourse and fluency in community. Benny VanDerburgh is the M. Elizabeth Dey Fellow. Benny received his MDiv from the Divinity School in June as a House Scholar, and is seeking ordination in the UCC.