An incoming student recently wrote:
Visiting Perkins was a confirmation of my next step in my calling journey. I met current students who are living their commitment to their call to ministry as servant leaders in their communities of worship…I am excited to join this community as I figure out what it means for me to answer the call to ministry as a Latina professional…I can’t wait to start this journey–even if that means lots of reading, less sleep and more work!
This student, along with others, would not be able to study at Perkins without a significant amount of financial aid. Many students have considerable debt from their college years. One of our incoming students recently said:
I am headed to Perkins in the fall. My decision to come was to a large part based on the financial support that I will receive. I wanted to make sure that I could manage my debt.
He describes the situation this way:
Scholarships make it easier and are a huge factor for me about where you go to school and my decision about seminary.
Perkins students are fortunate because faithful friends have endowed a number of funds for student scholarships. However, those endowed funds are being stretched to the limit. So, in addition we must raise funds each year for scholarship help.
One member of our admissions team noted:
Financial assistance is the largest deciding factor for a prospective student. I would further emphasize that it is our top tier recruits who appear the most concerned about financial aid. Our strongest prospects are looking at offers from many schools and are primarily focused on ensuring that their education will be funded.
We want the “best and the brightest” because the Church and the world need those people to be trained and then unleashed into ministry.
Dean Hill has repeatedly stated that Perkins’ biggest need is scholarship money. Our facilities are superb, our faculty and staff are outstanding, and Bridwell Library is impressive. We want to make all of those available and affordable for students.
The Dean will be sending an appeal letter early in the fall, asking all alumni/ae and friends of Perkins to join in the effort to raise the level of student aid.
You don’t have to wait for that appeal to hit your inbox. You can go online right now to join in the effort by adding your gift to this endeavor.
Or, if you would like to talk about what part you can play, email me (johnma@smu.edu) and I will be glad to visit by phone or in person.
Gifted students need your support. Please join in helping to send them out to minister in our broken world after receiving deep theological education at Perkins.
John A. Martin
Director of Development