Premier Scholarships

Here you’ll find information about our premier scholarships and those whose gifts funded them. Each of these is available to at least one MTSO student, with some scholarships available to several students concurrently. Scholarship recipients are chosen based on information provided on their admissions applications. Apply for admission now.

The Rev. and Mrs. James P. Alford Scholarships are awarded each year to entering Master of Divinity students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above at the undergraduate and/or graduate level, are members of The United Methodist Church, show active involvement in the community and demonstrate both financial need and commitment to parish ministry. These full-tuition awards may be renewed, provided the recipients continue to meet the criteria for the program. This endowed scholarship program was established by the late John W. and Mary Alford.

The Brooke Scholarship is a full-tuition award made to a student preparing to become an ordained elder and intending to serve town and rural congregations within The United Methodist Church. Helen Brooke and her late husband, Lawrence, established this scholarship fund.

The Gordon Canaday Scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship awarded to a student who would not normally qualify for scholarship aid. Entering students must have a 2.5-2.99 GPA on a 4.00 scale. Demonstrated financial need shall not be a factor. The scholarship is renewable, though the GPA restriction need not apply in renewal years. If no suitable candidate is available in any given year, the scholarship will not be awarded. This scholarship is made possible by the generosity of Mr. Gordon Canaday.

The Barbara and Michael Cantlin Endowed Scholarship is awarded to persons with exceptional ability as evidenced by their demonstrated commitment to the church and a minimum GPA from other postsecondary academic work. Applicants must be preparing to spend a lifetime in any number of “vital ministries” of the church, including deacons, Christian educators, chaplains, youth ministers or ordained clergy. Preference is for United Methodist students, though the scholarship can be awarded to a person from any denomination closely meeting the criteria. This scholarship is made possible by the generosity of Barbara and Michael Cantlin.

The Henry F. and Louise Tuechter Dornette Endowed Scholarship is awarded to an entering full-time Master of Divinity student who has a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, is a member of The United Methodist Church and is preparing for leadership as a pastor in a congregation. This award provides full-tuition plus a stipend and may be renewed for up to three years, provided the recipient continues to meet the criteria for the program. This scholarship was funded by the Helen Dornette Trust and continues Helen Dornette’s legacy of supporting scholarships at MTSO.

The Walter and Marian English Scholarships are awarded to entering Master of Divinity or Master of Arts in Practical Theology students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, are members of The United Methodist Church and demonstrate interest or commitment to parish ministry. Recipients should display the unique combination of personal, academic and leadership qualities necessary for effective ministry. Applicants must demonstrate gifts and graces for ministry and have an obvious love and commitment to Christ, the church and its ministries and people, along with strong letters of recommendation. The recipients must enroll full-time and demonstrate financial need. Graduates of the five United Methodist universities in Ohio will be given preference. These full-tuition awards may be renewed for up to three years, provided the recipients continue to meet the program criteria. The late Walter English established this endowed scholarship program through the Columbus Foundation.

The William M. and Libbie E. Gall Scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship awarded to an entering MTSO student, no more than 25 years of age, who plans to be ordained and serve in pastoral ministry. The student must be enrolled in the Master of Divinity program and exhibit evidence of the leadership skills, gifts and graces necessary for strong Christian leadership. He/she should earn and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA. The William M. and Libbie E. Gall Scholarship was established by William M. Gall.

The Gladden Scholarship provides full or partial tuition support to one to three students per year and is renewable. The Gladden Scholarships are awarded to MTSO students who demonstrate a clear desire to be in ministry with disenfranchised members of our society, as an ordained clergy member or local church pastor. These scholarships will be awarded with first priority to members of First Congregational Church in Columbus, then to any member of the United Church of Christ, and finally to any person meeting the primary criterion of being in ministry with disenfranchised members of our society. There is no financial need or academic criteria for this scholarship.

The Harding Scholarship was made possible by and created in honor of Mr. Jack E. Harding, a lifelong resident of Newark, Ohio, and good friend of MTSO, and his mother, Mrs. Alberta E. Harding. Its purpose is to attract the nation’s most capable students to MTSO for full-time graduate theological study in one of four master’s-degree programs. It is awarded through a national competition. The winning student receives full tuition plus an annual $10,000 stipend. The Harding application is due January 30 of each year. All finalists are required to visit our campus on designated dates to determine the recipient.

The Honors Scholarships are awarded each year to three entering students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above at the undergraduate or graduate level and demonstrate financial need. Named in honor of Frances A. Warner and Raymond and Margarette Bennett, these full-tuition awards are not renewable.

The Huntington Scholarship is awarded to an entering student from Central Ohio who is enrolled full-time in the Master of Arts in Counseling Ministries program and who demonstrates financial need. The Huntington National Bank established the endowed scholarship fund, recognizing the need for drug and alcohol abuse counselors in the workplace. The recipient must be committed to act as a "consultant" to Huntington National Bank for the year in which the award is made. The $5,000 scholarship is renewable for the one or two years necessary to complete the degree program, provided the recipient continues to meet the criteria.

The International Student Scholarships are awarded based on demonstrated financial need to selected entering students. The International Student Scholarship Fund was established in honor of Bishop Dwight and Mildred Loder.

The Kleist Scholarships are awarded to recent college graduates with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, demonstrated financial need and leadership ability to prepare for parish ministry as a first career. The scholarships are restricted to students enrolled in the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Practical Theology degree programs. Special consideration is given to ethnic and United Methodist students. These $7,500 scholarships are renewable for up to three years, provided the recipients continue to meet the program criteria. This scholarship program is made possible through the generosity of Peter D. and Eleanore Kleist and the Kleist Family Foundation.

The Magee Christian Education Foundation Scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship awarded to a student with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in the Master of Arts in Counseling Ministries program. This scholarship program is made possible through the generosity of the Magee Christian Education Foundation in Lake Junaluska, NC.

The Raymond and Margaret Mason Endowed Scholarship is awarded to a student enrolling in the Master of Divinity program who exhibits evidence of the leadership skills, gifts and graces necessary for strong Christian ministry. The student should be from the greater Columbus area and be preparing for the pastoral ministry as an ordained pastor in his/her own denomination. The recipient of this full-tuition scholarship should demonstrate academic competency and commitment to theological studies and community affairs. The recipient should have and maintain a GPA of 3.5 and present strong letters of recommendation from his/her pastor or judicatory leaders. This scholarship was established by the Raymond E. Mason Foundation at the Columbus Foundation.

The Nathaniel H. McCartney Invitational Scholarship is awarded to a United Methodist Church member with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher and who is a certified candidate for ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church. The student must demonstrate the skills necessary for ordained ministry. The McCartney Scholarship is an “invitational” scholarship; recipients must be nominated by church official. The award is renewable and consists of full tuition and a book stipend. A housing stipend is awarded for the first year. This scholarship was funded by William, Robert and James McCartney in 1997 in honor of their father.

The Burton D. Morgan Foundation Scholarships are full-tuition awards made to exceptional students in the addiction-counseling track of the Master of Arts in Counseling Ministries program who maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA. This scholarship was established by the Burton D. Morgan Foundation of Hudson, Ohio.

The Burton D. Morgan Scholarship for Youth Ministry is awarded to students pursuing careers in Youth Ministry through the Master of Divinity or Master of Arts in Practical Theology programs. The award is made to a student who has achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 upon entering MTSO. This scholarship is renewable, assuming the student continues to maintain a 3.0 GPA. The Morgan Scholarship was established by the Burton D. Morgan Foundation of Hudson, Ohio.

The MTSO Student Scholarship awards are based on demonstrated financial need to selected entering and continuing students. The MTSO Student Scholarships are available for students of African American, Native American, Hispanic American, Asian American or Pacific Island descent.

The Presidential Scholarship is a full-tuition award for entering students based on a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above, commitment to the mission and ministry of the church, membership in The United Methodist Church and financial need. The scholarship is renewable, provided the recipient continues to meet the program criteria. Joe and Margaret (Dolly) Sterling established this endowed scholarship fund at the School.

The Robert V. Rice and Martha K. Rice Endowed Scholarships are awarded to students in the Master of Divinity program who seek ordination for pulpit ministry. Recipients should demonstrate the ability to proclaim the Word of God. The Rice Scholarships are renewable for the duration of the student’s full-time enrollment at MTSO. Mr. and Mrs. Rice, of Waldo, Ohio, established the Rice Scholarships through their estate.

The William D. Van Nostran Family Scholarship is a full-tuition award and stipend. Recipients must be students in the Master of Divinity program, members of The United Methodist Church and be preparing for parish ministry in either East or West Ohio Conferences. Recipients must be married, with a spouse and children. A 3.0 GPA is required. This scholarship is renewable up to three years and is made possible by the ongoing generosity of Mr. William D. Van Nostran.

The Roy and Amelia Zook Scholarship is awarded to an entering Master of Divinity student (with specialization in Christian Education) who has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrates the gifts and graces for ministry and an obvious love for the role of Christian Education in proclaiming the love of God to the people. Recipients must be seeking ordination or consecration as a full-time minister and enroll full time. Meeting all other criteria, any qualified candidates who are members of the Garfield Memorial United Methodist Church, Pepper Pike, Ohio, shall be given preference. This full-tuition award may be renewed for up to three years, provided the recipient continues to meet the criteria. This scholarship program was established by Roy Zook and the late Amelia Zook.