.webp)
Over $1 Million Awarded since the program’s inception
The Douglass Foundation has been supporting students for the past 26 years by awarding scholarships to qualified seminarians and other graduate-level students who are active members of an Episcopal Church in the Diocese of West Texas. The purpose of the Douglass Foundation Scholarship Program is to encourage qualified college graduates to seek advanced degrees in the fields of theology, business, and psychology.
The origins of the Douglass Scholarship go back to 1993. At that time Bishop James Folts, 8th Bishop of the Diocese of West Texas was serving as rector of St. Mark’s in San Antonio. Don Douglass, working with Bishop Folts, created four scholarship opportunities that were administered through St. Mark’s:
· The Browning I scholarship awarded for graduate study in theology or business and given in honor of Cora Mae Browning, Ed Browning, Robert Browning, \Ben Deckard Browning and Robert Douglass Browning.
· The Browning Scholarship II also given in honor of Cora Mae Browning’s 90th birthday and awarded to graduate level students pursuing degrees in theology or business.
· The Jones Scholarship in honor of Bishop Everett Jones and the late Helen Jones for their Good Work, particularly the Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health. The Jones Scholarship was awarded to graduate level students pursuing studies in theology or psychology.
· The Zander Scholarship, given in memory of Mary Katherine and Liston Zander and awarded to graduate levels of study in business or engineering.
In Aug. 2001 Bishop Folts announced an unwritten agreement with Don Douglass for the diocese to receive $40,000 per year for 10 years totaling $400,000. The scholarship program administration was subsequently transitioned to the diocese and managed under the Douglass Scholarship program. Continuing well past the ten-year term, the Douglass Foundation has awarded to date $1,065,032 to 60 recipients!
Marylee Douglass, member at Good Shepherd, Corpus Christi, and Douglass Foundation Board Member and Scholarship Committee Co-Chair shared insight on vision and importance of the program, “My brother, Don Douglass, believed in the power of a higher education, and its ability to transform the course of a person’s life. He also believed that true stewardship is an investment in others. When we help others, we help the entire community. It was a joy for my brother to fund the scholarships, and he would be truly delighted, as we have been as members of the Diocesan Scholarship Committee, to see the numerous scholars who have been able to fulfill their dream for a higher degree and to observe the accomplishments of these recipients. Their achievements are a lasting testament to the power of stewardship, the promise of education and the enduring power of investing in the lives of others.”
Applications are reviewed by the Douglass Scholarship Committee composed of past Douglass Scholarship recipients, clergy, and lay from the Diocese of West Texas.
The scholarships have been transformative for recipients, enabling students to pursue their education and ultimately provide a positive impact through the services they provide in their vocation, all made possible by the generosity of the Douglass Foundation.
The Rev. Riva Heron, Curate at St. John’s in New Braunfels and past recipient of a scholarship share, “The Douglass Scholarship helped me follow God’s call to ordained ministry by easing the financial burden of leaving full-time employment to attend seminary full time. People often ask whether I miss being a veterinarian. The truth is, I carry that vocation with me every day. It taught me compassion, patience, and the privilege of walking with people through moments of joy, stress, and grief. By reducing the financial strain of seminary, the scholarship allowed me to devote myself more fully to prayer, study, and formation. I am deeply grateful to the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas for investing in those discerning a call to ordained ministry, and I hope to serve the Church with the same compassion and dedication that guided my work as a veterinarian.”
