The Bishop Judith Craig Scholarship Endowment

Bishop Judith Craig served Methodist Theological School in Ohio as a trustee, bishop in residence and visiting professor of church leadership. Her contributions to the seminary capped a career of breadth and depth geographically, intellectually and spiritually.

It is fitting that Bishop Craig lent her name to a new scholarship endowment that will benefit those exploring a call to ministry by minimizing their financial burdens and enabling them to better concentrate on their preparation to serve. It was her hope that the scholarship would be of particular value to women pursuing ministry.

We invite you to honor Bishop Craig by investing in the ministries of future leaders for the church and the world.

About Bishop Craig

Born in Lexington, Missouri, Judy Craig earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from William Jewell College, as well as a Master of Religious Education degree from Eden Theological Seminary and a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary.

She conducted postgraduate studies on the religious education of adults at Union and Teachers College, Columbia University. Before becoming bishop, she served in roles from youth director to parish pastor for congregations in Missouri, Connecticut and the Cleveland area.

Elected to the episcopacy of the United Methodist Church in 1984, Bishop Craig led conferences in the Michigan and Ohio West areas for eight years each. She made history in 1996 as the first woman to deliver the traditional Episcopal Address opening the United Methodist Church’s quadrennial General Conference.

Bishop Craig’s contributions to her church and her world have been widely recognized. Four colleges and universities presented her with honorary doctorate degrees, and in 2000, a home for orphans near Monrovia, Liberia, was christened the Bishop Judith Craig Children’s Village.

Why this scholarship is important to me

A message from Bishop Judith Craig

I really value the wonderful opportunity we have at MTSO to blend our high pursuit of intellectual integrity with ordinary interaction between everyone on campus, including administrators, staff, faculty and students.

We have an optimum size to make education personal and community based, with both high expectations and exceptional support. The setting is very important, with the beauty of our campus encouraging reflection while the city of Columbus lies just over the horizon to the south. It provides opportunity for almost every kind of experience for our students.

I want every student entering a degree program at Methodist Theological School in Ohio to have a chance to become immersed in theological education without overwhelming concern about finances. That is why establishing this scholarship is important to me.

I’ve noticed that those students who receive our highest academic scholarship awards seem less anxious and fully engaged in the learning process. My vision is that many more students will give themselves to our high academic standards and have time and peace of mind to interact with others for theological reflection.

I want our students to be able to spend time asking, “Where is God, and what does God want?”

Join us in extending Bishop Craig’s legacy

A message from President Jay Rundell

Bishop Judith Craig served on our faculty for 15 years. No one more clearly exemplifies who we are and what we are about. Her teaching has impacted countless students. She is a pastor to us all.

I invite you to join us in honoring Bishop Craig and in extending her legacy in this place and beyond. The Bishop Judith Craig Scholarship Endowment will make an unmistakable difference for students for many years to come. Judy has left an indelible imprint on our church’s history. Let us join together in making her legacy practical and tangible in this special way.

Choose how to contribute

You may make an easy and secure one-time online gift to the Bishop Judith Craig Scholarship Endowment below. If you would prefer to pay by check or spread your gift over a number of years, we invite you to download this printable gift form.

Thank you for your investment in the ministries of the future religious leaders who will benefit from this scholarship.