Disciples Divinity House

Disciples Scholars commence a lifetime of service and connection, in addition to beginning MDiv, MA, or PhD degree programs at the University of Chicago Divinity School. They receive full tuition, free housing, and stipendiary awards that allow for immersive preparation. Several scholarships honor individuals and extend legacies of thought and action. 

New Scholars

Entering MDiv student Annika Fuller is the M. Elizabeth Dey Scholar. She is a 2025 graduate of the New College of Florida. The UCC-related college has a nontraditional curriculum, which allowed her to major in Psychology and Religion while also continuing to pursue music performance. She studied in Germany during her final term. She has been a lifelong member of Palm Lake Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Florida, active in regional camps and the regional youth council, and a HELM Leadership Fellow.

Ella Johnson is a first-year MDiv student and has been named The Martin Family Scholar. She was the valedictorian of the 2024 graduating class at Texas Christian University, where she majored in Religion and Politics. A leader of Disciples on Campus at TCU, and involved at University Christian Church and Galileo Church in Fort Worth, she was also a HELM Leadership Fellow and a Be the Neighbor intern. She was raised in the Heart of the Rockies Christian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado.

MDiv student Fiyori Kidane has been named the inaugural recipient of the Jim and Peggy Powell Scholarship. She served from 2023 through this spring as the People-to-People Coordinator for Disciples Overseas Ministries. She is a 2019 graduate of Texas Christian University and a former HELM Leadership Fellow. After graduation, she served as a Global Mission intern in Greece, where she worked with refugees. Fiyori is a member of Allisonville Christian Church in Indianapolis, the Powell’s own congregation.

Allison Nash, beginning the dual degree MDiv/MSW program, is the Oreon E. Scott Entering Scholar and a 2022 BA and MA graduate of Earlham College in English and Education. Until this summer, she served as a librarian at the St. Louis Language Immersion School. In St. Louis, she was active at Union Avenue Christian Church. Her home church is Park Christian Church in New Bedford, Indiana. Serving as a Disciples Peace Intern in summer 2024 catalyzed her decision to apply for MDiv studies. (Not pictured.)

MA student Brandon Roberts has been named the Henry Barton Robison Scholar. Brandon is a 2025 honors graduate of Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where he majored in History and Educational Studies. His interests are in biblical studies and critical theory; he has already given several conference papers. Originally from Portland, Oregon, he became a member of the Gerlaw Christian Church while at Knox. He is an accomplished musician and his spouse, Marli Messner, is a poet.

The William N. Weaver Entering Scholar will be MDiv student Hayden Skaggs, a 2025 honors graduate of Eureka College, where he studied Sociology and Religion. He was an intern at Eureka Christian Church and as a Be the Neighbor intern. He was a Lincoln Academy of Illinois Student Laureate, a HELM Leadership Fellow, a Phillips University Leadership Fellow, and a campus leader at Eureka. Last summer, he walked the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain.

Continuing Scholars

Rachel Abdoler, a PhD student in the History of Christianity, is spending several months in Rome and Cairo on a Fullbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad fellowship, underwriting her work on medieval Christian texts written in Arabic, many of which are housed in collections in the Vatican and in Egypt. She is the Barbara and Clark Williamson Scholar. (Not pictured.)

Delaney Beh, a third-year MDiv student, continues as the M. Ray and Phyllis Schultz Scholar. They served this past summer as the sabbatical intern for alumnae Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson at First Congregational Church in Loveland, Colorado.

Entering her second year in the MDiv program, Grace Dearhamer is the Drum and Tenant Scholar. She spent the summer working with the National Council of Churches disaster relief and recovery programs in the Philippines.

MariaIsabelle Garcia, a second-year MDiv and DDH scholar, was an intern at Allisonville Christian Church in Indianapolis this summer, working with alums Sarah Zuniga and Beau Underwood, and is doing her field placement at University Church. She is the Dr. Geunhee and Mrs. Geunsoon Yu Scholar.

Second-year MDiv student, Hart Lang, is the Edward Scribner Ames Scholar. He has an MFA from Rutgers University-Camden and came to DDH from Gilead Church in Chicago.

The Rolland & Laura Frances Sheafor Scholar is Tristan Spangler-Dunning, a third-year MDiv student. He spent last summer working on a history of the Pension Fund. His field education placement is with the Proclamation Project (?).

Katie Varon, second-year MDiv and Head Resident, is the William Barnett Blakemore Scholar. Katie spent the summer working with the National Council of Churches disaster relief and recovery programs in the Philippines.

The Bernard F. and Annie Mae Cooke Scholar is Emma Yeager, a second-year MA student, studying themes of ecology in medieval theology and literature, with an interest in museum work. This past summer, she interned with the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, formerly known as the Oriental Institute.

The William Daniel Cobb Alumni/ae Scholarship enabled nine current and recent Scholars to attend the 2025 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Memphis, Tennessee: Fiyori Kidane, Allison Nash, Hayden Skaggs, Grace Dearhamer, Katie Varon, Tristan Spangler-Dunning, Virginia White, Isabelle Garcia, and Morganne Talley. They participated in business sessions, educational opportunities, and worship – and made connections with alums.