Diocesan scholars

Nineteen Scholarships Awarded to Outstanding Students

By Peggy C. Jones, Assistant to the Bishop

The Diocesan Scholarship Committee is happy to announce that 19 outstanding young students have been chosen to receive scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year. Selections for a variety of scholarships are made each year by the Scholarship Committee composed of representatives of the Executive Committee and Trustees and representatives of the dean and wardens of St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

THE ADAMS EPISCOPAL ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduate students who are active members of a congregation of The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Mississippi and attend the engineering college or business college of Mississippi State University. This year, the Adams Scholarship is awarded to three recipients: Miss Ruth Andrews, a member of Incarnation, West Point, who plans to study industrial engineering at Mississippi State University; Mr. Harlan Jackson Easterling, a member of Incarnation, West Point, who plans to study at Mississippi State University to become a financial advisor; and Mr. Zachary Douglas Scaggs, a member of St. John’s, Aberdeen, who plans to study aerospace – rocket propulsion at Mississippi State University.

THE CAPERS SCHOLARSHIPS

The Charlotte Capers Scholarships are presented to those who are pursuing a liberal arts degree.

This year we have four Capers scholars: Miss Jeanne Ferris Andrews, a member of St. Christopher’s, Jackson, who plans to study at Rhodes College to become an elementary teacher; Miss Olivia Kidd, a member of St. Peter’s, Oxford, who is studying English, Publishing and Editing at University of Mississippi; Miss Kaitlyn Sanders Urbanek, a member of St. Peter’s, Oxford, who plans to study medicine at Furman University to become a pediatric surgeon; and Miss Audrey Mayeaux Ward, a member of St. Philip’s, Jackson, who plans to study law at Wofford College.

THE MISTICOS SCHOLARSHIPS

Misticos Scholarships are awarded annually to girls and boys of either the Greek Orthodox or Episcopal faiths. The late Alexander Misticos established these scholarships as memorials to members of his family. This year’s recipients are Mr. Yanni Makropoulos, a member of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, who plans to study civil engineering at University of Illinois – Champaign; Mr. Cameron Young, a member of Redeemer, Greenville, who plans to study business administration at Mississippi State to become an auditor; and Mr. Samuel Shepherd Andrews, a member of St. Christopher’s, Jackson, who plans to study at Sewanee-University of the South to become a teacher or outdoor guide.

THE OKOLONA SCHOLARSHIPS

The trustees of the Okolona College Endowment established annual scholarships to be awarded specifically to African American college students. Preference is given to Episcopalians, but members of all churches may apply.

This year’s recipients of Okolona Scholarships are Miss Elizabeth Hooker, a member of Holy Cross, Olive Branch, who plans to study medicine at Alabama A&M University to become a pediatrician; and Miss Janay Johnson, a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, who plans to study agribusiness management at Alcorn State University.

The Willie Mae Tucker Raspberry Scholarship is awarded to the most outstanding female student among those applying for the Okolona Scholarship. This year, the Willie Mae Tucker Raspberry Scholarship goes to Miss Gabrielle Kennedy, a member of St. Paul’s, Meridian, who plans to study social work with minor in psychology at The University of Southern Mississippi.

The William Raspberry Scholarships are named in memory of William Raspberry, an Okolona, Mississippi native, celebrated syndicated public affairs columnist, and Knight Professor of the Practice of Communications and Journalism at Duke University’s Sanford Institute of Public Policy. This year, we have one William Raspberry scholar, Miss Taiveri N. Thomas, a member of Greater Northside Baptist Church, who plans to study at Hinds Community College to become a registered labor and delivery or pediatrics nurse.

The James L. Raspberry Scholarship is presented to the most outstanding male student among those applying for the Okolona Scholarship. This year, the James L. Raspberry Scholarship is presented to Mr. Cameron Young, a member of Redeemer, Greenville, who plans to study business administration at Mississippi State or Tougaloo College to become a to become an auditor.

THE WARREN SCHOLARSHIPS

The late Robert Warren of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral established the Warren Trust Scholarships. This year, the Warren Scholarships are awarded to: Miss Elizabeth Hooker, a member of Holy Cross, Olive Branch, who plans to study medicine at Alabama A&M University to become a pediatrician; Miss Emma Kidd, a member of St. Mark’s, Gulfport, who plans to study business to become a project manager at University of South Alabama, University of Southern Missouri, or University of New Orleans; Miss Keeton Elizabeth Murrell, a member of St. John’s, Leland, who plans to study architecture at Mississippi State University; and Miss Mattie Grace Reich, a member of St. John’s, Laurel, who is studying medicine at Hinds Community College.

Scholarship applications are due every year on March 1 and that deadline is strictly enforced. The application form and additional information, including criteria, may be found at msepiscopalian.com/scholarships.

Marble School Online:

Two classes available for the fall term

Jesus in the Synoptics
Link to enroll: charles-school-7b92.thinkific.com
The class will have a two fold emphasis: “Who is Jesus?” (broadly conceived) and “Who is Jesus in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke?” In particular, we will be looking closely at the similarities and differences in the way that Jesus is portrayed in these three gospels. In so doing, we are going to be following the narrative path of Jesus (the historical person) to Christ (the Church’s understanding of who Jesus is).

Existentialism for Understanding Theology
The title of this course was originally “Existentialism for Readers of Theology.” Then, it was “Existentialism for Theologians.” Then, it was “Existentialism: Philosophy & Theology.” Finally, I came to “Existentialism for Understanding Theology.”

Existentialism was a twentieth-century philosophical school of thought. The philosophical movement had a profound effect on twentieth-century theology. And, a great deal of contemporary theology was in response to this theology that grew out of the existentialist movement.

Online Courses
These online courses are facilitated, but asynchronous. The Very Rev. Dr. Charles Hawkins, dean of the A.C. Marble Center, and other students in the course will be responding to your questions and comments as you move through the course of study, but you do not have to move at any particular speed.

“Weeks” may only take you days. Or, you may want to spend a month on “Week 2.” Either moving faster or slower is always appropriate. Think of “Weeks” and “Classes” as being more about sequencing of material and less about chronological time. But, if you are one who works best with deadlines you can mark on the calendar, then make use of the “Weeks” and “Classes” in the more conventional sense of the terms.

The course is designed for one semester (16 weeks). If there were exams, it would be the equivalent of 3 semester hours. There are, of course, no exams!