Africa University Today - Winter 2016

Africa University celebrates generous giving to the AUF

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Upper New York: “e simple truth is that the conference leadership team and council on finance and administration made the decision that the Upper New York Conference would improve,” says Steve Hustedt, director of communications. “is did mean some painful cuts to other areas of spending, but the feeling was that our connection is a priority.”

Sharing the success of Africa University is essential, he notes.

“Our Africa 360 project, which includes raising funds for Africa University and Imagine No Malaria, has done an excellent job of telling the story of the good that has been done by Africa University in … exciting and inspirational ways.”

Eastern Pennsylvania: About her conference’s success in paying the Africa University Fund apportionment 100 percent, Bishop Peggy A.

Johnson says simply, “I hope we can keep it up!

“It is because we paid all of our apportionments in full this year that we can celebrate that Africa University was a part of it,” Johnson says.

Pacific Northwest: “Pacific Northwest leadership made the bold decision to pay 100 percent in 2015,” notes Gretchen Engle, executive to Bishop Grant Hagiya. “It was included in church apportionments.”

Winter 2016

’m singing the Doxology,” says James H. Salley, “because of the numbers we have received from the General Council on Finance and Administration about the Africa University Fund.”

Salley is associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement for the United Methodist institution in Mutare, Zimbabwe.

“Once again, local congregations invested generously, providing 93.65 percent of the asking for a total of 32 annual conferences paying 100 percent or more,” he said, adding, “Local congregations invested a total of $2,185,211.73 in the Africa University Fund for the 2015 calendar year.”

Among the annual conferences stepping up their commitment were Upper New York, which went from 54 percent to 100 percent; Eastern Pennsylvania (96 percent to 100 percent); Pacific Northwest (100 percent for the first time in several years), and Indiana (67.5 percent to 90 percent). In the Northeastern Jurisdiction, all conferences gave at 100 percent, and in all five jurisdictions, giving to Africa University increased.

Indiana: “Indiana has been intentional on moving toward 100-percent payment of our general church apportionment,” says Cindy Reynolds, executive assistant to the bishop. “e increase for Africa University is part of our commitment.

Reynolds credits a campaign to raise $1.6 million for a special Africa University project with keeping awareness high in Indiana. “We are now at $1.3 million in our campaign,” she says, “and plan to finish it this year.”

Barbara Dunlap-Berg, general church content editor, United Methodist Communications, Nashville, TN.

100% SUPPORT

CELEBRATING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN AFRICA UNIVERSITY AND UNITED METHODIST CONGREGATIONS

Thank you for supporting Africa University through your 100 percent remittance of the Africa University Fund apportionment in 2015. Here is the listing of Annual Conferences with 100 percent or more in 2015 (with 2014 performance for comparison): North Central Jurisdiction Dakotas East Ohio Illinois Great Rivers Iowa Minnesota West Michigan West Ohio Jurisdiction Total Support

2015 100.03% 99.99% 100% 116.54% 100% 100% 100% 96.27%

2014 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 91.25%

Northeastern Jurisdiction Baltimore-Washington Eastern Pennsylvania Greater New Jersey New England New York Peninsula-Delaware Susquehanna Upper New York West Virginia Western Pennsylvania Jurisdiction Total Support

2015 100% 110.65% 100% 100% 100% 100.43% 100% 100% 100.02% 100.01% 101.11%

2014 100%

100% 100% 95.76%

South Central Jurisdiction Central Texas Oklahoma Indian Missionary Jurisdiction Total Support

2015 100% 100% 89.54%

2014 100% 100% 89.22%

100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Southeastern Jurisdiction Florida Holston Kentucky North Carolina Red Bird Missionary South Carolina Tennessee Jurisdiction Total Support

2015 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 101.41% 100% 91.73%

2014 100% 100% 100% 100% 100.50% 102.98% 100% 91%

Western Jurisdiction Alaska United Methodist California Pacific Desert Southwest Oregon Idaho Pacific Northwest Rocky Mountain Jurisdiction Total Support

2015 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 92.77%

2014 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 91.78%

Africa University Today — Winter 2016

Local church support key to Africa University success

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frica University has become a 10th university in our family,” says the Rev. Michael Selleck, director of connectional ministries for the North Georgia Annual Conference. “We have nine United Methodist colleges and universities in Georgia. ey are a blessing to us.”

What makes the conference’s support of Africa University and the nine United Methodist colleges in Georgia so distinctive, Selleck says, “is the generosity of the people in our local churches and the leadership of our clergy who see the value of education.”

Ben Hill United Methodist church in Atlanta is an example. It is one of many North Georgia congregations with a strong record of 100percent giving to all of the denomination’s apportioned funds, particularly Africa University.

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Rich Jordan, administrative board chair at Ben Hill, says support for the university dates back to Bishop Felton E. May’s challenge in 1991 to predominantly African-American churches to support Africa University. Support for Africa University continues today “to make possible education for students who are our future leaders,” Jordan says. “It helps bond the church universal.

“Ben Hill has always had a love for giving and answers a big challenge with a God-size response,” he adds. e congregation made a $300,000 pledge to build a women’s residence hall and placed the commitment within the church annual budget. e church activated a fundraising campaign and made quarterly payments to Africa University.

“More than 100 members attended [the residence hall’s] dedication in 2002,” Jordan says.

“We now have a personal bond and ongoing relationship with Africa University.”

Ben Hill provided an independent scholarship to a United Methodist minister from Mutare to attend seminary in Atlanta. As a special initiative, the congregation also endowed the salary for a professor at Africa University for one year. “We placed this expense in our annual

AU Choir’s Visit to COR and HPUMC

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embers of the UM Church of the Resurrection (COR) in Leawood, KS and Highland Park UMC (HPUMC) in Dallas, TX put faces to the Africa University story through experiencing the institution’s student choir. e choir visited the two churches in January/February 2016.

Congregants at HPUMC, including former president George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, heard first-hand about the hope delivered to Africa through Africa University. e visit has generated excitement at HPUMC for new partnerships with AU and its talented student body.

budget to ensure fulfillment,” Jordan explains.

“Our mission ministry ensures that a dedicated Africa University offering is taken annually,” he continues. “Supporting Africa University ensures that deserving students, including those from low- to moderate-income

families, can obtain a quality education.”

“We know that long-term health and education is the beginning of any real change,” Selleck says. “We can bring in bricks and mortar, but they can't compare to what a strong, sound university can provide a community, a country and a continent.”

Heather Peck Travis, freelance journalist, Glasgow, KY

How You Can Help

ocated at Old Mutare, Zimbabwe, Africa University is the first fully accredited United Methodistrelated educational institution in Africa, established by action of the General Conference. The university offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in six faculties of learning: agriculture and natural resources, education, health sciences, humanities and social sciences, management and administration, and theology. The Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance offers post-graduate diplomas and master’s programs.

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Africa University continues to be the evidence of faith, hope and belief in the visions of dreamers. We are counting on you! Encourage your church to set a 100 percent apportionment remittance goal. Sending a portion of your goal each month makes it easier to reach full remittance by year’s end. Your church’s 100 percent apportionment remittance means 100 percent Continued next page.

How you can help... continued. support of Africa University’s operational budget, for costs such as utilities, equipment and faculty salaries.

Conferences Honor Bishop Marcus Matthews

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hree annual conferences – Baltimore-Washington, Peninsula-Delaware and Eastern Pennsylvania – have come together in support of a special love offering appeal honoring Bishop Marcus Matthews of the BaltimoreWashington Episcopal Area to build sports facilities at Africa University. e Baltimore-Washington Conference (BWAC) launched the appeal last fall as a tribute to Matthews’ leadership contributions over more than three decades in ministry. As the bishop’s first episcopal assignment following his election in 2004, the Philadelphia Area – comprised of the Peninsula-Delaware and Eastern Pennsylvania conferences – has opted to support the appeal. e Peninsula-Delaware Conference is planning to take up an offering at this year’s annual conference gathering. e love offering appeal highlights and celebrates Matthews’ passion for physical fitness and for connecting people to ministry beyond their local church and context.

As council director in the BWAC in the 1990s, Matthews took the lead in raising funds to build two multisport courts on the AU campus.

Twenty years later, the courts and the adjacent sports fields are still the only sports facilities for students at the university. With this appeal, leaders in the three conferences hope to improve the quality of life of the students by helping to build a sports complex on campus.

Matthews has remained actively engaged with helping AU to grow and develop throughout his ministry, serving as an advisory committee member and as vice chair of the Africa University Board of Directors.

If you would like to contribute to the love offering to celebrate the bishop’s ministry, mail your check to the Conference Treasurer, Baltimore-Washington Conference, 11711 E. Market Place, Fulton, MD 20759. To give online, visit bwcumc.org. Or send your $10 gift by texting ‘BishopAU’ to 410-220-2402.

Alumni Profile: Elizabeth Ama Boakye

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or Elizabeth Boakye, one of Africa University’s most important contributions to the future of the African continent is the attitude of its graduates.

“During my stay in Africa University, I met a diverse group of personalities, but what struck me about almost everyone was the desire to make something great out of their lives for themselves and for the communities they come from,” said Boakye, an AU alumna. “is, I believe, is something that Africa University inculcates in its students. is kind of attitude, coupled with the knowledge gained, makes a great impact on the continent as persons with the can-do spirit go back to their communities.”

To see that attitude at work, one needs only to look at Boakye and her fellow AU alumni in Ghana. Boakye is a lawyer who works with Law Cognate Ghana on corporate and intellectual property (IP) issues. She graduated from AU in 2010, with a master’s degree in IP. In 2013, she

and eight colleagues – most of whom are AU graduates – founded the Intellectual Property Network Ghana.

Boakye is now the network’s executive director.

Elizabeth Boakye She describes the organization as a “think tank devoted to creating awareness in Ghana on intellectual property and assisting individuals and organizations to maximize their intellectual property assets for economic development.”

Under Boakye’s leadership, the network is focused on developing strategies and policies that are crucial to educating persons on IP and harnessing local innovation for development.

Ghana has recently launched a National Intellectual Property Policy, and the network intends to work with this policy closely in mind to achieve great results in the field of IP for Ghana.

Consider these additional ways of helping the university educate new leaders for the nations of Africa: Planned Gifts are the foundation for the long-term survival of Africa University. As you make your estate plans, consider leaving a gift or bequest to Africa University in your will. If you have already included the university in your estate plans, please let us know so we may welcome you to the Richard E. “Dick” Reeves Legacy Society.

Usahwira—This word in the Shona language means “a beautiful friendship.” Encourage your local church to become a partner with Africa University by supporting one student at the university for four years. The annual cost of supporting one undergraduate student is just under $6,000. Local churches may provide full or partial scholarships.

Endowment Fund—Give to the Africa University Endowment Fund (World Service Special Gift #03-0188). The interest income from the endowment provides scholarships for our students.

For more information about giving opportunities or to make a gift, visit us at support-africauniversity.org.

To learn about Africa University and its impact, visit africau.edu.

Let’s work together to continue the transformation of lives and of Africa. To order resources to help tell the story of the Africa University Fund apportionment, visit umcgiving.org or infoserv.um.org.

Or, call United Methodist Communications, toll-free (888) 346-3862, during normal business hours.

Available resources include: • Africa University: A Place of Peace, Learning and Hope DVD (600115) • Africa University Fund: Pieces of the Dream DVD (600512) • We are Africa University (600611) Africa University Development Office P.O. Box 340007 Nashville, TN 37203-0007 (615) 340-7438 audevoffice@gbhem.org www.support-africauniversity.org

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Africa University Development Office e United Methodist Church P.O. Box 340007 Nashville, TN 37203-0007

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Africa University Today — Winter 2016

Rev. Ralph B. and Mrs. Pearl P. Shoemaker: Lives Well-Lived

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or Ralph and Pearl Shoemaker, it was love at first sight. ey met at a Methodist Sunday school teachers conference in 1946 after Ralph returned home to Washington, D.C., from Army service and Pearl had moved there from Minnesota to be with her family. e attraction between the two was immediate because they had so much in common. Both grew up as Methodists; music played a large part in their lives; they loved to travel; and both felt that the learning process never stopped.

Pearl earned a music degree from Hamline University and a Master of Nursing degree from Case Western Reserve University. Ralph earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy at Hamline and a Master of Divinity degree at Drew eological Seminary.

Ralph was ordained in the Minnesota Annual Conference where he enjoyed a long, fulfilling and illustrious career. Pearl continued her nursing and music careers, and taught piano lessons until she was 91.

Pearl died in 2011 at age 94, and Ralph died in 2015, approximately 45 days after his 100th birthday. In reflecting upon her parents’ lives and legacies, their daughter Jan Warren said, “Family, music, and travel were the great joys of Mom’s life. Dad shared those same loves, but it was serving others that brought him the greatest joy.”

Ralph and Pearl included Africa University in their estate plans because of their passion for Africa and for higher education. At Ralph’s death, an endowed scholarship was established

in their memory to educate young men and women in Africa for generations to come.

What a wonderful legacy to leave!

Elaine Jenkins, Director of Planned Giving

The AU Today is published by the Africa University Development Office, in partnership with the Office of Communications, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM).

For more information, contact the: Africa University Development Office P.O. Box 340007 Nashville, TN 37203-0007 Tel: Fax: Email:

(615) 340-7438 (615) 340-7290 audevoffice@gbhem.org support-africauniversity.org.