Financial Aid Acknowledgments
A hand-written or typed thank you letter to your scholarship donor(s) goes a long way towards making your donors feel good about their gift to you and Duke Divinity School.
Letter Writing Parties
If you are not planning to attend a letter-writing party, please bring your letter to External Relations in 143 Langford.
You may either use the letter-writing template or your own format.
The tools below have been provided to facilitate this process:
Your award will be one of two types. It will either be endowed through the gifts of a person or group of people, or it will be a Divinity award originating from Divinity School Annual Fund gifts. Directions for each type are given below.
Please feel free to join fellow awardees at a letter-writing partywhere you will have the opportunity to express your thanks to donors and let them know how their money impacts your studies.
Endowed Awards
- Formal salutation (“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; “Dear Dr. and Rev. Johnson”). When in doubt, refer to Letter Salutations.
- c/o External Relations, Duke Divinity School, Box 90966, Durham, NC 27708.
- Express appreciation for the award
- Offer biographical information - hometown, church, denomination, other.
- Career plans, if known, & why you believe Duke Divinity School will help you achieve your goals
- If you’ve written previously to the donor for this award, update him/her on what you have been doing since you last wrote.
- Brief description, if applicable, of how the scholarship has encouraged you (e.g., “The support of faithful Baptists like you gives me great hope as I prepare to enter a career in ministry.")
Divinity (Annual Fund) Awards
- Use a general salutation (“Dear Friend” or “Dear Friends”).
- Explain that you are writing to thank the donor(s) for their gift to Duke Divinity School’s Annual Fund. Tell them that their gift to the Divinity Annual Fund, combined with others, provides scholarship aid for students. (Your award may be called by a name that the donor would not necessarily recognize, so keep it general.)
- Express your appreciation for the award.
- Offer biographical information - hometown, church, denomination, other.
- Close by thanking the donor again and letting them know how much their support means to you.
Using your own hand-written or typed format?
- Bring letter in unsealed, unaddressed envelope to 143 Langford.
- Include return address on envelope.
- External Relations will copy, stuff, seal, address, stamp & mail to donor.
Sample Letter 1 - Annual Fund
Dear Friends,
I am writing once again to indicate my appreciation for your generous gift to the Divinity Annual Fund. Your financial assistance provides the ability to lessen the amount of loans necessary for a theological education at Duke. Please know your support provides a heartening peace and stability for the spring semester.
I continue to be active in the MDiv/MSW dual degree program, which will offer me the chance for a field education placement within a social agency this summer. Pursuing theology among people burdened with economic and social problems is what I hoped for when coming to Duke Divinity, as that is where theology becomes practical for the purposes of the gospel. However, theological education has also permitted me to pursue tough questions in the classroom and library about how the church is to be a witness to the world’s poor and downtrodden, as well as the systems which disenfranchise people.
Needless to say, I am thoroughly enjoying my time of preparation at Duke Divinity, and it is largely due to your generosity to build up the church. Please continue to pray for my wife and I in our journey for God's calling.
Blessings to you this Easter,
John Student
Sample Letter 2 - Endowed Funds
4452 Student Address Drive
Durham, NC27707
July 8, 2008
Dear Dr. and Mrs. Abernathy:
My name is Susan Student. I am a student at Duke Divinity School. I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for your establishment of the Abernathy Endowed Scholarship Fund. As a recipient of this scholarship, I have felt your generosity in the most tangible way. This scholarship has helped to alleviate much of the financial hardship that comes when pursuing a professional degree.
I am entering into my second year at the Divinity School, and already I can see how God is using my time here to clarify my calling, shape the way I think, and further my spiritual formation. These areas of influence are only general headings for the comprehensive training I am receiving.
Again, please accept my sincerest thanks for establishing this scholarship. I can honestly say the Abernathy Endowed Scholarship Fund dramatically impacted my life, and I know it will continue to impact the lives of future students at Duke Divinity School.
Sincerely,
Susan Student
Fund |
Salutation |
# of Letters |
| African American Alumni Legacy | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Aldersgate Scholarship Endowment | Dr. and Mrs. Jones | 1 letter |
| Alexander Scholarship Fund | Dr. Alexander | 1 letter |
| Andrews, Martha A. & John S. Scholarship Fund | Mr. Andrews, Mrs. Hills | 2 letters |
| Balentine, George L. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Ms. Wells | 1 letter |
| Baptist House Scholarship Fund | Friends | 1 letter |
| Barclift, Chancie & Thelma Scholarship Endowment Fund | Dr. and Mrs. Crowder | 1 letter |
| Bisanar, Elizabeth S. Scholarship | Ms. Krueger |
1 letter |
| Bowles, Hargrove, Sr. & Kelly B. Fund | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Bradley, H. Hawkins Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Bradshaw, Fred W. Fund | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Brandaleone Family Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Brandaleone | 1 letter |
| Brown & Riggins Family Scholarship Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Brown | 1 letter |
| Campbell-Dowse Endowment Fund | Mrs. Campbell | 1 letter |
| Canipe, Walter G. Scholarship | Mrs. Canipe | 1 letter |
| Cannon, Emma McAfee Memorial Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Carlton, John W Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Bailey | 1 letter |
| Carson, William L. Scholarship Fund | Mrs. Whitehouse, Mrs. Carson | 2 letters |
| Centenary Scholarship | Mrs. Hanes | 1 letter |
| Charis Scholarship Endowment | Friends (anonymous donors) | 1 letter |
| Clark Fund for Emergency Assistance | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Clem, Calvin W. & JoAnn C. Endowment | Reverends Clem (re. travel experience) | 1 letter |
| Cole, E. M. Fund | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Coltrane, Lela H. Scholarship | Mrs. Robertson | 1 letter |
| Craig, W. Mark & Sandra Sayre Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Craig | 1 letter |
| Crum, John & Kay Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mrs. Crum | 1 letter |
| Cushman, Robert E. Memorial Scholarship Fund | Friends (anonymous donors) | 1 letter |
| Dean's Scholarship | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Distinguished Service Scholar | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Divinity Class of 1944 | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Divinity Fellowships @ Duke | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Divinity Methodist College Advance | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Divinity Scholarship Grant | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Divinity School Scholarship Endowment | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Divinity Strategic Funds - Dean | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Douglas, Marjorie L. Scholarship Fund | Dr. Douglas | 1 letter |
| Duke Scholarship | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Duke, Benjamin N. Scholarship | Mr. and Mrs. Williams | 1 letter |
| Duncan, Henry C. Fund | Men of the Village Chapel | 1 letter |
| Dunlap Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Eason Memorial Scholarship | Members of the Eason Family | 1 letter |
| Financial Aid Loan Supplement | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Finch, George D. Scholarship Fund | Mrs. Lambeth | 1 letter |
| Fisher, Albert F. & Rebecca S. Endowment | Dr. and Mrs. Fisher | 1 letter |
| Fisher, Edgar B. Memorial Endowment | Mr. Fisher, Mrs. Veazey | 2 letters |
| Fitzgerald, Ned Scholarship Endowment Fund | Friend (anonymous donor) | 1 letter |
| Fizgerald, Bernard Scholarship | Dr. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Francis | 2 letters |
| Fogelman, Shelley Abbey Scholarship Endowment Fund | Dr. Fogleman | 1 letter |
| Fonville, Charles L. Family Scholarship Fund | Mr. Fonville | 1 letter |
| Foundation for Evangelism-Th.D Fellowship | Dr. Ewing | 1 letter |
| Garland, Jimmy & Helen Scholarship Endowment Fund | Ms. Garland | 1 letter |
| George, L. Brunson Sr. Endowment Fund | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Giles, Lucille P. & Edward C. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Dr. Fitzgerald | 1 letter |
| Godwin, Clara Endowment Fund | Ms. Tew | 1 letter |
| Goodson, W. Kenneth & Martha Fund | Members of the Goodson Family | 1 letter |
| Grabarek, R. Wensell & Marion Norris Scholarship | Mr. and Mrs. Grabarek | 1 letter |
| Graves, William & Gladys Wells Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Graves | 1 letter |
| Groome, Lee Kilgo Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Groome | 1 letter |
| Haggar, Alexander & Mary Scholarship | Mrs. Haggar | 1 letter |
| Haggar, Ned & Carmen Scholarship Fund | Mrs. Haggar | 1 letter |
| Hall, Vanessa L. Memorial Scholarship Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Hall | 1 letter |
| Hanes, P. Huber Scholarship | Mrs. Lambeth | 1 letter |
| Harrison , Russell S. and Julia G. Scholarship Fund | Mr. Harrison | 1 letter |
| Harvey Fund | Mr. Harvey, Mrs. Harvey | 1 letter |
| Heath, B. D. Scholarship Fund | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Henry, Stuart C. Scholarship Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Williams | 1 letter |
| Herbert, Chelsey Carlisle, Jr. Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Pickett, Mrs. Herbert | 2 letters |
| Herndon, Clair M. & Mary Durham Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Godwin | 1 letter |
| Hickey, Timothy R. Scholarship Fund | Dr. Hickey | 1 letter |
| Hickman, Franklin Simpson Endowment | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Hill, Calvin Scholarship | Mr. and Mrs. Hill | 1 letter |
| Howell, James C. Scholarship Fund | Chair, Board of Trustees, Davidson United Methodist Church; Rev. Howell | 2 letters |
| Hyde-Tucker Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Tucker | 1 letter |
| Ingram, Geraldine Dysart Endowment | Rev. Dr. Ingram | 1 letter |
| Irion, Kimberly St. George Memorial Scholarship Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Irion, Mr. Cochrane | 2 letters |
| Johnson-Whitaker Scholarship Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker | 1 letter |
| Jones, Jameson Scholarship | Dean Jones, Mrs. Shinneman | 2 letters |
| Jones, S. Bruce Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Jones-Pickens Family Scholarship Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Jones | 1 letter |
| Jordan, Charles E. Scholarship Fund | Members of the Jordan Family | 1 letter |
| Jordan-Sprinkle Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Jordan, Mr. Jordan | 2 letters |
| Kerner, Lewis C. Scholarship | Mrs. Fleming | 1 letter |
| Kimrey, Elizabeth Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund | Friends, Centenary UMC, Greensboro | 1 letter |
| King, Carl H. & Mary E. Memorial Fund | Dr. and Mrs. King | 1 letter |
| King, Martin Luther, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Williams | 1 letter |
| Knight, James A. & Sally T. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Dr. Knight, Mrs. Henley | 2 letters |
| Lane, John Haden Memorial Scholarship | Mrs. Lane | 1 letter |
| Langford, Louie Mae Hughes Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mrs. Langford | 1 letter |
| Langford, Thomas A. and Ann Marie Fund | Mrs. Langford | 1 letter |
| Leonard Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Lewis, John Joseph Fund | Mrs. Wilburn | 1 letter |
| Lipe, Phil & Vertie Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Lipe | 1 letter |
| Litaker, D. M. Scholarship | Mrs. Litaker | 1 letter |
| Little, Calvin M. Scholarshp | Friends (group of donors) | 1 letter |
| Magee Christian Education Scholarship | Mr. Hilton | 1 letter |
| Marney, Carlyle Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mrs. Morgan, Ms. Marney and Rev. Newman | 2 letters |
| Massey, Robert B. & Mary A. Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Massey | 1 letter |
| McCormack, Robert Scholarship | Mrs. Cochran | 2 letters |
| McCracken, J. H. Memorial Scholarship Fund | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| McCutchen World Christianity Scholarship | Dr. and Mrs. McCutchen | 1 letter |
| Miscellaneous Divinity Scholarship | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Mission Outreach Initiatives Endowment | Dr. and Mrs. Jones (re. travel experience) | 1 letter |
| Mitchum, C. Graham and Gradie Ellen E. Fund | Dr. and Mrs. Mitchum | 1 letter |
| Mull, J. Alex & Vivian G. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Rev. Thompson | 1 letter |
| Needham-Hauser Scholarship Endowment Fund | Rev. Needham | 1 letter |
| Nelson, W. Fletcher Scholarship | Mr. Nelson | 1 letter |
| P.L. Grant - Hispanic Students | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Perrett, Emma Leah Watson & George W. Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Peter & Elizabeth Storey Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Williams | 1 letter |
| Petry, Ray C. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Pickens, Marshall I. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Pickens | 1 letter |
| Pitts, Maude Simpson Scholarship | Mr. Pitts, Dr. and Mrs. Pitts | 2 letters |
| Pooled Income-Divinity School Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Porter, Paul & Margaret Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Porter | 2 letters |
| Proctor, Myrtle & Fred, Sr. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. Proctor | 1 letter |
| Proctor, William Lee Memorial Scholarship Fund | Members of the Proctor Family | 1 letter |
| Puette, Jennie & Ross Scholarship Endowment | Mrs. Francis | 1 letter |
| Quick, William K. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Law | 1 letter |
| Rich, Simon & Nancy Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Rich | 1 letter |
| Robbins, H. Haywood Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mrs. Robbins | 1 letter |
| Rowe, Gilbert T. Memorial Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Rural Ministry Fellowship | Mr. Rob Webb, The Duke Endowment | 1 letter |
| Scholarship Fund for Minority | Friend (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Seymour, Robert & Pearl Scholarship Fund | Dr. and Mrs. Seymour | 1 letter |
| Shackford, John W. Fund | Ms. Turbyfill | 1 letter |
| Shaulis, Freida B. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Colonel Shaulis, Mr. Shaulis | 2 letters |
| Small, Gaston Elvin Family Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Small | 1 letter |
| Spears, Sally M. & Marshall T., Jr. Scholarship Fund | Members of the Spears Family | 1 letter |
| Spence, Dolly L. Memorial Scholarship | 1 letter | |
| Sprott, David Johnson & Mary Woodson Fund | Mr. Sprott | 1 letter |
| Stockton, Emorie & Norman Scholarship | Members of the Stockton Family | 1 letter |
| Stockton, Thomas B. and Jean S Scholarship Endowment Fund | Members of the Stockton Family | 1 letter |
| Tanner, James T. & Ellyn P. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Tanner | 1 letter |
| Texas Scholarship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Th.D Fellowship | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Th.D Scholarship Gift | Friends (general letter) | 1 letter |
| Thompson, Earle McCrary Scholarship | Mr. Thompson | 1 letter |
| Triple Your Dollars-Divinity School | Friend | 1 letter |
| Turlington, Henry & Helen Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mrs. Turlington, Dr. Turlington | 2 letters |
| Ummer, Janet S. & James W. Scholarship Endowment Fund | Mr. and Mrs. Ummer | 1 letter |
| University Scholar | Mrs. Gates | 1 letter |
| Wallace, Harold G. Scholarship | Mr. Westbrook | 1 letter |
| Weldon, Wilson O & Margaret Fund | Dr. Weldon, Mr. Weldon | 2 letters |
| Westbrook Scholarship Endowment | Rev. and Mrs. Westbrook | 1 letter |
| Williams, A. Morris & Annabel Scholarship | Mr. and Mrs. Williams | 1 letter |
| Williams, A. Morris and Annabel Fund for Parish Ministry | Mr. and Mrs. Williams | 1 letter |
| Woods, C. Carl, Jr. Family Scholarship | Reverends Goehring | 1 letter |
| York Family Scholarship | Mr. and Mrs. York | 1 letter |