Carolinas Black Clergy Effort Yields Four-Year Scholarship

A scholarship initiative, spearheaded by Black clergy leaders in the Carolinas in honor of Bishop Tracy S. Malone, is set to go over the top. To date, gifts and pledges for the Bishop Tracy S. Malone direct scholarship appeal from friends of Africa University in North Carolina, South Carolina, Western North Carolina primarily, and from across the nation, total more than $32K.

Launched at the annual Carolinas Black Clergy Leaders Retreat in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last May, the effort celebrates the start of Bishop Malone’s tenure as president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist

Church. Initially, the retreat’s program team set a goal of $7,000 to fund one year of undergraduate study. Africa University named Ruth Kamwanya, a business major from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and refugee based at the Tongogara Refugee Camp in Zimbabwe, as the scholarship beneficiary.

This year, James H. Salley, president and chief executive officer of Africa University (TN) Inc. and the university’s associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement, introduced attendees to Ruth using her bio and a video greeting as part of his update on developments at the institution.

Salley shared that for $28K students in challenging circumstances, such as refugees like Ruth, can complete a four-year degree at Africa University and he invited those present to lean in and take their engagement to the next level. Attendees responded generously, with 28 gifts made in person as well as online gifts, totaling close to $21K.

“You are the reason I get up in morning and continue to do the work that I do,” Salley said, thanking the crowd.

Adapted from an article by Jessica Brodie, editor of the South Carolina Advocate.