For some people hearing a call to ministry, a seminary education seems out of reach financially. By establishing an endowed scholarship at Western Theological Seminary, you can:
- Help someone say yes to ministry by removing a financial roadblock
- Get to know students personally by meeting the recipient of your scholarship each year
- Honor loved ones with a scholarship established in their name
How can I establish a scholarship?
An endowed scholarship at Western Theological Seminary can be created with a minimum investment of $25,000. Gifts may be given at one time or over a period of years. Scholarships may be funded through gifts of cash, stock, personal property, or estate plans.
What is an Endowed Scholarship?
En-dow’-ment: money or property given for the permanent use of an institution
As an endowed fund, the principal of your scholarship will be invested and remain intact, with earnings used to fund scholarships annually. This assures that scholarship assistance will be available for many years to come.
Can I name a scholarship after someone?
We want you to name the scholarship after someone! Western Theological Seminary values the story behind each named scholarship, and we have compiled short biographies on most of our scholarships. Examples of stories in our scholarship booklet:
Can I designate who will receive the scholarship?
Many donors give guidelines or preferences for awarding their scholarship. Examples include:
- Students from a certain church or classis
- Students preparing for a certain area of ministry
- Students of a particular race, gender, or ethnic background
- Merit award for academic excellence
- Students with physical disabilities
Will I meet the recipient?
Each year, scholarship benefactors receive a letter of introduction and thanks from their student recipient. You also will be invited to a luncheon to meet the student recipient(s) of your fund. We encourage relationships between benefactors and the students, and we try to grant the same scholarship(s) to the same student throughout his or her seminary education.
Yes, I’m interested! How do I begin?
Contact your regional representative directly or the Advancement office at 616-392-8555 (advancement@westernsem.edu).
Kleinheksel Family Scholarship
Paul and Jacki Kleinheksel established the Kleinheksel Family Scholarship in honor of Paul’s father, Henry Kleinheksel, who served as Business Manager of WTS from 1961 to 1978, when he retired. Among other careers and family, Henry served in leadership roles for 61 years at Maplewood Reformed Church in Holland until he died in 2004. He also was very involved in many other church related committees and organizations within the Reformed Church.
“My dad’s enthusiasm for everything he did was infectious,” says Paul. “He was a committed husband and father, and we want to honor his faithful commitment and dedication to the ministry of Christ’s church.”
In addition, Jacki and Paul feel a special call to minister to students from single-parent families. Their own circumstances deepened their hearts to specifically meet the needs of those students.
“The reward is ours as we get acquainted with our students,” says Jacki. “Their family situations are often similar to ours as we were putting our children through higher learning institutions. There is a place where our hearts meet. It is our joy to lend support in any way we can. We thank God for the privilege to serve them.”
Preference for this scholarship is given to a single-parent family.
John W. Grooters II Memorial Scholarship Fund
John W. Grooters II came into this world on February 11, 1908 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was baptized in Oakdale Reformed Church and in 1929 joined Trinity Reformed Church, where he remained a member until the Lord took him home on June 13, 1985.
John W. Grooters can best be described as a quiet Christian. He didn’t say much but let his actions and lifestyle be his witness. He took the Book of James to heart and showed his thankfulness to God for salvation by helping others. He was a firm believer in tithing, putting aside the Lord’s money first, and no matter what the circumstances, it was never touched for any other purpose.
While his son, John Henry, was a student at Hope College, a seminarian told him that after preaching at Trinity Reformed Church he had met his dad. As they shook hands his dad had slipped him some money. The seminarian was grateful and excited, for although it wasn’t a large sum of money, it was just the amount he and his wife needed to get through the week. John Henry learned after the Lord took his dad home that he did this often. Even with a limited income, John was always willing to share with others.
Because John W. Grooters II enjoyed helping married seminary students while he was here, John Henry and Luella Mae Grooters decided to continue his benevolence by establishing this scholarship in his memory.