COTNER COLLEGE EDUCATIONAL MINISTRIES
1268 South 20 Street, Lincoln, NE 68502 LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
402/474-3207 – cotnercollege@alltel.net

One of the ways Cotner College continues its ministry is through the administration of a scholarship program to provide assistance to members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Nebraska congregations for seminarians, undergraduate and graduate work, as well as individual events for clergy and laity. Scholarship assistance is also available to the Nebraska Conference United Church of Christ members through two funds established in honor of UCC members who ministered to the Nebraska Region and Nebraska Conference through Cotner College. For more information, please contact the Cotner College office.

Aylsworth Memorial Fund – Established in 1987 by Dorothy Aylsworth Kennedy and her husband, the Rev. Frank H. Kennedy, both graduates of Cotner College, and their family in honor of Dr. William Prince Aylsworth, the first President of the College, his son, the Rev. Raymond G. Aylsworth, later also President, and Kittie Austin Aylsworth, wife of Raymond. The Aylsworth family was instrumental in the beginning years of Cotner College and all three (William Prince, Raymond, and Kittie) were teachers at the College.

Elsie Fisher Scholarship Fund – Established by Mary Fisher in honor of her sister. The fund is designated for students attending the University of Nebraska.

Raleigh J. Peterson Scholarship Fund – The Rev. Dr. Peterson is Dean Emeritus of Cotner College. His family, friends and Cotner alumni established this fund in his honor.

Raleigh J. and Olive M. Peterson Scholarship Fund
Established May 2002 by the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Peterson as a permanent fund with the Christian Church Foundation. Annual income distributions are to be used for scholarships.

Memorial/General Scholarship Fund – Established with gifts from alumni and friends of Cotner College, a bequest from George Dill, and gifts in memory of Hugh and Elsie Lomax from the Lomax family.

Maudie T. Burt Scholarship Fund – Mrs. Burt was an active participant in the Church. She served as president of the Convention of the Nebraska Fellowship of Christian Churches, 1952-1953; president of the Christian Women’s Fellowship, 1948-1951; member of the Board of Trustees at Nebraska Wesleyan and the Nebraska Methodist Home; member of the Planning Board of United Christian University, Tokyo, Japan. Her husband, Albert Burt, was a member of the Cotner Board of Trustees. She gifted funds to Cotner in appreciation of the opportunities of leadership experience and the rich fellowship with the Nebraska Fellowship of Christian Churches. The income of this fund helps sponsor Ministers’ Mondays, the annual Clergy Convocation, and the Panhandle Retreat.

Mackie Sisters Scholarship Fund – A gift from Verna and Mildred Mackie in honor of the seven Mackie sisters of Alma, Nebraska. Designated for ministerial student use.

Carl A. Burkhardt, Jr. Scholarship Fund -- Established in Rev. Burkhardt’s honor by his family and friends. Additional gifts in 1997 honored his 75th birthday and his 50th ordination anniversary.

Grace Young Scholarship Fund – Grace Young spent her early childhood on a farm near Tecumseh. After finishing the country schools, she spent three years at Peru State Normal, then taught one year before entering Cotner College as a student in 1892. She earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees and in 1897 was elected Chair of Modern Languages at Cotner. She continued teaching at Cotner through 1933. Her family and former students established the fund in her honor.

N. Dwain Acker Scholarship Fund – Established in January 1998 in honor of Rev. Acker, retired Nebraska Regional Minister, by a donation from the Outreach Committee of Bethany Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lincoln, Nebraska.

Donna Doerr Scholarship Fund – Donna served as Cotner’s Administrative Assistant for 25 years, retiring in 1996. Gifts in her honor from family, co-workers and friends at her retirement established this fund. Scholarships are available with a preference to United Church of Christ applicants but not excluding Disciples.

Anna Celestine Brock/Lucile Armstrong Scholarship Fund – Established in 1997 by the Bethany Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Lincoln, from funds received from the estate of Anna Celestine Brock. Bethany established the scholarship fund as part of its outreach program in memory and in honor of Anna Celestine Brock and her sister Lucile Armstrong, who were long-time members of Bethany.

Marjorie Matson Smith Scholarship Fund – Established in 1997. Mrs. Smith bequeathed to the “Cotner College Scholarship Endowment Fund” 10% of the residue of her estate. She was a member of the Bethany Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Lincoln; a music teacher and church organist, and active in the Lincoln Music Teachers Association and the Lincoln Chapter, American Guild of Organists. Scholarships may be awarded with preference for music students and/or music events.

Robert G. Dana Memorial Fund – Rev. Dana, a UCC pastor in Nebraska, served as Cotner Program Associate for over five years. This fund was established in 2001 by his widow, Sheffield Dana, because of Bob’s love for the mission of Cotner and the continuing learning opportunities offered. Additional gifts have been received from family, friends, and co-workers. Scholarships will be available with a preference to United Church of Christ applicants, but not excluding Disciples.

Cotner College Alumni Fund – Established 2001 by gifts from Alumni of the Cotner School of Religion, the Nebraska School of Religion; Prior Recipients of Cotner College Scholarships (clergy and laity); Friends and Family who want to see Cotner’s Dream of educated clergy and laity continue.

The Rev. W. Howard and Mary Holverson Scholership Fund – was established December 2002 by Dr. Augustine I. Okonkwo in honor of Howard and Mary. In 1960, while a student at Emporia State University at Emporia, Kansas, Augustine became stranded with no support or funds to continue his education. Howard and Mary took him into their home as their “adopted” son. The relationship continues to this day. Dr. Okonkwo is a practicing physician in Virginia Beach, VA. Two of his children are also physicians and one is a UCC missionary in Southern Africa with her husband. The income from this fund is to be used “annually to support an individual who has demonstrated a genuine love for God and human beings like Rev. and Mrs. Holverson and is willing to work for the Christian Church in any capacity.”

Rev. Donald T. Hogan Scholarship Fund – Established 2003 in memory of Donald T. Hogan by his widow, Bernice (Hogan) Hanks, and his three children, Carol Gibilisco, Roger Hogan, and Susan Morris. Rev. Hogan graduated in 1951 from Bethany College, Bethany, West Virginia, and from Lexington Theological Seminar (College of the Bible) in 1954. He served churches in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Illinois and at the time of his death October 1980 was minister of First Christian Church, Kearney, Nebraska.