When The Foursquare Church set out to enhance development of female leaders, Waverly Huston was the kind of student it wanted to train for the future. A junior in business administration at Life Pacific College, the Montana native envisions one day obtaining a master’s degree in social work to be of service to disadvantaged children and families in the community.
Waverly Huston, a junior at Life Pacific College, has benefited from receiving one of last year’s scholarships. One of six Alabaster House Legacy Scholarship recipients last year, her $2,000 stipend is helping her take a major step toward that goal.
“Figuring out how to pay for an education is quite a daunting task,” says Waverly, who came from Word of Life (Billings West Foursquare Church) in Billings, Mont. Her father, Rob, still attends Word of Life. “This scholarship has been immensely helpful in supplementing tuition costs. It has enabled me to focus on learning in the classroom, releasing me from the distractions that financial burdens carry.”
Which is exactly the goal of the program, says General Supervisor Tammy Dunahoo.
“We are delighted to help Waverly and students like her learn more about ministry and strengthen the Foursquare family for the future,” Tammy affirms. “When our 2,000 ForeRunners read stories like this, it’s sure to bring a smile to their faces.”
Established many years ago, the Alabaster scholarships honor Foursquare’s past female leaders. They also extend the heritage and ministry of Women in Ministry Leadership (WIML, formerly called United Foursquare Women). The scholarships are awarded to six women annually and include:
- A trio of $2,000 Bible College Scholarships. These awards are designed to empower women planning to enter a vocational ministry program leading to Foursquare credentialing. Funds are provided for education through an accredited Foursquare Bible college.
- A pair of Emerging Leader Scholarships. These two $500 awards are intended to encourage the education of young women preparing for vocational ministry through a certified Foursquare Emerging Leader Network (ELN) program.
- A $1,000 Ignite Scholarship. This award encourages the education of young women preparing for ministry through the Foursquare Ignite Academy.
For each scholarship, there is a maximum lifetime award of $2,500. Applications are open until May 1, 2015, for each of the three programs. Women who are interested can find more information and download applications on the official scholarship website.
Marion Ingegneri, national field representative for WIML, says these scholarships are helping prepare the way for a new wave of female leaders.
“Our culture has changed in recent years and will go through more changes in the future,” Marion says. “Providing these leaders with scholarships helps empower and equip the church. I look forward to the stories that will unfold in the future as the women we train employ their gifts to build the church.”
Currently an intern for the National Church Office, Waverly is enjoying the privilege of learning from people she says are “incredible” leaders in the denomination.
“I am attending Life Pacific College because I know that it is a place where I will not only be receiving the degree that I desire, but am also becoming the kind of person I want to be,” she says. “Receiving this award has affirmed and encouraged me in this feat to grow closer to God while receiving a quality education. I am extremely grateful for the generosity of the scholarship committee, and for their dedication to shaping and discipling young leaders.”
