JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Baptist Historical Commission will continue scholarships for the next school year for students attending Missouri Baptist Convention entity universities.
The Historical Commission is offering a $1,000 scholarship to one student applying to each of these institutions: Hannibal-LaGrange University, Missouri Baptist University, Southwest Baptist University, and Spurgeon College. The scholarship is matched by each school.
“There is a long-standing historical tradition of Missouri Baptists who have sought higher education in order to prepare themselves to serve God locally, regionally, and globally. In continuing that tradition, it is a great honor to participate in aiding students through the awarding of the Baptist Heritage Scholarship. It is a rewarding and enriching experience for the Missouri Baptist Historical Commission members to read and evaluate the papers that are written by students across the state,” said current Historical Commission chairman Gaylord Mustin, who attends Pleasant Valley Church, in Liberty, Mo.
Students from high school seniors to collegiate seniors may apply for the scholarships. An application form can be found at the Historical Commission website, baptistparchments.org, along with the scholarship contest rules. The deadline is April 1, 2024, for the fall semester.
To be eligible, the Historical Commission requires an original research paper on some aspect of Missouri Baptist History. Possible ideas are of a particular university, a particular church, biographical sketches of an early church leader or a church planter, programs within Baptist churches, historical events or movements. As the rules note, previously copyrighted material is to be properly attributed.
Furthermore, some of the past topics have included progress in worship, Missouri Baptist higher education, the Missouri Baptists Children Home, Missouri Disaster Relief, Missouri Baptists during war, missions programs, the Cooperative Program, and so on. Topic originality will be a consideration factor.
The Commission leaves the topic of the essay to each participating student and writing guidelines are also on the website.
The Commission reserves the right to re-publish or disseminate all or part of the winning papers as they determine.
Those applying for scholarships may send their completed entry to Missouri Baptist Heritage Scholarship, Executive Office, 400 East High Street, Jefferson City, MO, 65101-3253. The deadline to apply is April 1.
The Historical Commission will make selections after a meeting later in April 2024, a date which is yet to be determined.
The Historical Commission is a commission of the Missouri Baptist Convention, supported by the generous giving of Missouri Baptist churches through the Cooperative Program.