Jim Upton Scholarship for Lay Studies

The scholarship has been funded in memory of the Venerable Jim Upton. Archdeacon Upton was ordained to the diaconate in the Diocese of Kansas in 1984 and served as archdeacon under Bishops Smalley and Wolfe. He served a variety of parishes and ministries around the diocese and was instrumental in the development of the Kansas School for Ministry, BKSM's predecessor in the Diocese of Kansas. He was known for his deep passion for servant ministry, and he was a nationally recognized resource on the modern diaconate.
 
Eligibility Guidelines
  • Recipients must be a lay member of an Episcopal church in the Diocese of Kansas, Nebraska, West Missouri or Western Kansas.
  • No individual who is a postulant or candidate for Holy Orders is eligible for this scholarship. However, students enrolled in a Lay Certificate track are eligible to apply.
  • Scholarship recipients can receive one scholarship per academic year. However, in the event that no one applies for a scholarship in a given month, the scholarship committee reserves the right to offer the scholarship to an enrolled student who has  previously received a scholarship during the current academic year.
  • The $100 stipend covers the cost of auditing a class. If a scholarship recipient wishes to take a class for credit, $100 will be applied to the course balance of $195.
  • Applicants must submit the online application form to be considered for the scholarship.
 
Selection Process
  • Scholarships applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, but they are due on first of the month for the next month's course. For example, if you wish to attend a class in August 2019, the start date of the class in July 15. Therefore, your scholarship application must be submitted by July 1 for priority consideration. Late applications will be reviewed if no award has been granted for the next month.
  • Scholarship applications will be reviewed by a three-person BKSM Scholarship Committee.
  • All applicants will be notified by email by the fifth day of the month.
  • In the case no scholarship is awarded in a given month, the BKSM Scholarship Committee will consider late applications on a case-by-case basis.
Learn more about the Dean's Scholarship.
Learn more about general scholarships.