“The young men, women, and leaders said to me: ‘Sister, nobody has explained this to us the way you have in a way we can understand. We need more women like you in the church.’” She understood then that she was needed just as she is: “a Latin American immigrant woman with indigenous roots who has witnessed and experienced firsthand cross-cultural challenges, life struggles, and the longing for Good News in our broken world.”
Having resisted God’s call for many years, it was in that moment that all her past experiences made sense.
“I knew God was calling.”
— Alina Saucedo Paucara, first recipient of the Simmons Scholarship
The foundation administers scholarship programs established by United Methodist donors for the benefit of United Methodist students. These funds support the dreams and gifts of talented young Christian leaders.
Simmons Scholarship
The Ben & Martha Simmons Scholarship Fund was created to support the education of seminary students seeking ordination within The Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. Through The Florida United Methodist Foundation, this scholarship will support one full-time seminarian with an annual scholarship of approximately $6,000 per year, and renewable for up to four years.
The Simmons, members of Cypress Lake United Methodist Church in Ft. Myers, created this scholarship fund with a singular purpose: to make ministerial education available to more people who have been called.
Simmons Scholarship
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for a Simmons Scholarship, the student must:
Apply For A
Scholarship
To apply, you will need:
All materials can be sent by mail or electronically to:
Simmons Scholarship Fund
c/o Florida United Methodist Foundation
450 Martin Luther King, Jr Ave
Lakeland, FL 33815
development@fumf.org
Scholarship Participants
It is the responsibility of the scholarship recipient to ensure a verification of enrollment form is returned to our office at the beginning of the term for which they were awarded. Students are welcome to use a verification of enrollment form from their school or use the Foundation’s Verification of Enrollment Form.
Please let the Foundation know if there has been any change in your enrollment status or your permanent mailing address.
Forms should be mailed to our office at 450 E Martin L King Jr. Ave Lakeland, Florida 33815 or emailed to us at development@fumf.org