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MFA 2020 Seminary Scholarship Winners Announced

Students demonstrating exceptional promise attending one of the 13 accredited United Methodist seminaries may be selected by The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas (MFA) to receive annual scholarships. Scholarship recipients are required to sign a covenant agreement committing to serve as a deacon or elder under appointment in Arkansas two years for each year of scholarship support received.

Since the program's inception, the Foundation has awarded 36 total scholarships to Arkansas students attending United Methodist seminaries. We currently have nine students enrolled as Foundation scholarship recipients.

The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas Seminary Scholarships aims to strengthen Methodist churches in Arkansas by ensuring strong leadership in our local communities. These seminary scholarships enable some of our best and brightest students to answer God's call and become local church pastors/elders and deacons.  Assisting these young people is important and satisfying work, and the MFA's donors have responded generously in making these scholarships possible.

Congratulations to our 2020 class of Seminary Scholars!

Miranda Donakey Hornsby

Miranda is from Hammond, Louisiana where she is a member of First United Methodist Church, Hammond. In 2018, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies with a concentration in religious education from Hendrix College. Following graduation, Miranda has been serving as the Chaplain’s Office Intern and Interfaith Coordinator at Hendrix College. She is a certified candidate for ordained ministry on the Elder track and will begin pursuing a Master of Divinity at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in the fall.

Chad Hornsby

Chad is from Brinkley, Arkansas where he is a member of Brinkley First United Methodist Church. He graduated from Hendrix College this May with a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies with a concentration in Biblical texts and Christian history and a minor in classics. Throughout his undergraduate experience, Chad has worked for Technology Services at Hendrix and served as an intern for The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas and the Center for Vitality at the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is a certified candidate for ordained ministry on the Elder track and will begin pursuing a Master of Divinity at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in the fall.

Rachel Shepherd

Rachel is a member of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Religious Studies with a concentration in social justice from Hendrix College in May, 2020. During her time at Hendrix, Rachel served as a Chaplain’s Associate and worship leader. She was previously a pastoral intern at First United Methodist Church, Columbus, NE and a pastoral care intern for Methodist Family Health. This summer, she is serving as the intern for The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas. Rachel is a certified candidate for ordained ministry on the Deacon track and will be attending Garrett- Evangelical Theological Seminary in the fall where she will pursue a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Counseling.

LaToya Shepherd

LaToya is a native of Detroit, MI who now lives in Van Buren, Arkansas and is a member of Mission United Methodist Church in Fort Smith. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Family Life Education in 2008 from Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, MI and worked as an educator in Michigan before moving to Arkansas where she worked for Fort Smith Public Schools. LaToya now serves full-time as the Associate Pastor of Outreach at Heritage United Methodist Church in Van Buren while pursuing a Master of Divinity. She is a certified candidate for ordained ministry on the Elder track and will continue her seminary education at Saint Paul School of Theology in the fall. LaToya is a 2020 recipient of the Allen Asbury and Roberta Fuller Few Memorial Scholarship.

Andrew Smith

Andrew is from Centerton, Arkansas. He is a member of the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church and currently serves as a licensed local pastor at Highfill United Methodist Church and Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church while pursuing a Master of Divinity. In 2013, he received his Bachelor of Science from Arkansas Tech University in Emergency Administration Management, and he now also works as an Adjunct Instructor, teaching classes in Emergency Administration Management at Arkansas Tech University. He is a certified candidate for ordained ministry on the Elder track and will continue his seminary education at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University in the fall. Andrew is a 2020 recipient of the Allen Asbury and Roberta Fuller Few Memorial Scholarship.

Our next class of seminary scholars could include YOU! The application deadline is Monday, March 15, 2021. Contact Rev. Mackey Yokem, the Foundation's Director of Leadership Ministries, at 501-664-8632 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more.

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Little Rock, AR 72211
Phone: 501-664-8632
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Rogers, AR 72758
Phone: 479-957-3089
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