Duke University Receives $5 Million to Establish Scholarship Fund

Duke University students who plan to enter parish-based ministry to deliver pastoral care for a church community will soon be eligible to receive partial or full scholarships to cover their tuition, the university said in a release.

On Tuesday, Duke Divinity School announced that it received a $5 million gift to establish the endowed Henry-Williams Scholarship fund to support the school’s graduate students.

The gift was donated by A. Morris Williams Jr., a Duke alumnus, trustee emeritus, and chair of the Duke Divinity School Board of Visitors, to honor the memory of Stuart Henry who served as a teacher at Duke Divinity.

“By establishing these scholarships, I recognize the importance of parish ministry in expanding the vision of love and peace for all people,” Williams said.

University officials applauded Williams for making the gift, which they said in the long term, will prepare future leaders dedicated to their communities

“These scholarships are an investment in the education of Duke Divinity students, and we hope to foster similarly meaningful relationships for generations to come,” Divinity Dean L. Gregory Jones said.

In the past, Williams donated $4 million to the school for professorships, student scholarships and the Duke Divinity School Annual Fund. He also donated $5 million in 2013 to establish the Morris Williams Track and Field Stadium.

Majority of Students Use Scholarships, Grants to Pay for College