Bethany Receives $1M Gift to Support Student Financial Aid

Bethany Theological Seminary has received a $1 million gift from Priscilla Wampler of Bridgewater, Virginia, and her late husband, Dr. J. Paul Wampler, who served on the Bethany Board of Trustees. With this commitment, the Seminary will establish the Wampler Fellows — an endowed scholarship program that will support exceptional students who live and study at Bethany’s residential campus and participate in service work while completing their studies. The gift was made as part of Flourish: A Campaign for Bethany Theological Seminary. This fundraising effort was launched in March 2024 with a goal of garnering $12 million to strengthen the student experience, encourage faculty innovation, and bolster annual fundraising. 

“Paul and I have always been very pleased to support the Seminary’s educational mission, and to witness the positive contributions that Bethany alumni make in the church and the world,” says Priscilla Wampler. “It is gratifying to know that the Wampler Fellows program will provide support and encouragement to future generations of students as they answer God’s call to ministry and service.” 

President Jeff Carter noted that this gift came after many decades of generous support from the Wamplers, whom he served as pastor at the Manassas (Virginia) Church of the Brethren, a role he held prior to becoming Bethany’s president. 

“We are so grateful to Priscilla and Paul for their steadfast commitment to the Seminary. This is a transformational gift  that will impact the lives of our students in perpetuity,” says Carter. “The Wampler Fellows will help us to recruit and retain generations of talented and passionate individuals who will excel in the classroom and put their education, faith, and energy into making a difference in the community while they are still students. The Wamplers have been generous supporters of Bethany for decades, and we are grateful that they have found that their interests and passions match up with the mission and goals of the Seminary. By establishing the Wampler Fellows, they will leave a legacy that will have a permanent impact on Bethany’s mission — to prepare every student to lead through spiritual practice, faith-filled thought, and transformative practice.”

Bethany is already focused on providing students with opportunities to apply their faith and education to address real world problems through the Bethany BOLD program. With a $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, the Seminary launched BOLD (which stands for Build, Organize, Love, and Dare), providing exceptional students with full tuition scholarships, free housing, and a living stipend while they complete their graduate degrees and serve at local nonprofit organizations. 

The Bethany BOLD program merges academic excellence with intensive community service. This residential program provides a debt-free education so students can boldly follow their vocation. BOLD is a rigorous and demanding program that challenges Bethany’s best and brightest students to address real-world problems, including poverty and racial injustice. Community service assignments will include volunteering with underserved and at-risk populations in schools, shelters, and community organizations. This selective, immersive program fosters grit, faith, intelligence, and love. With broader perspectives, greater self-awareness, and courage in the face of adversity, graduates will be prepared for vital leadership. Students will learn leadership skills to serve their churches, communities, and the world. Thanks to Paul and Priscilla Wampler’s generous financial support, students who rise to the challenge of Bethany’s BOLD will be known as Wampler Fellows.

As of October 10, 2024, Bethany has received $10.2 million in gifts and pledges to the Flourish Campaign. The Seminary expects to conclude the campaign in 2026.

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