Dedication ceremony is set for April 5 on the campus in Decatur, Georgia
Special to Presbyterian News Service
Photo by Alexis Brown via Unsplash
DECATUR, Georgia — Agnes Scott College is grateful to announce a gift of an endowment to support the Center for Writing and Speaking from The Presbyterian Writers Guild. The Presbyterian Writers Guild, which voted to dissolve as an organization and selected Agnes Scott College as the recipient of its entire organizational endowment, will be honored at a dedication ceremony on Friday, April 5, at Agnes Scott College. Agnes Scott’s longstanding affiliation with the Presbyterian Church, its emphasis on writing and speaking within the liberal arts, and its leadership in higher education were all factors in the Presbyterian Writers Guild’s decision.
“When our board made the decision to gracefully close, secure in the knowledge that our mission for more than 35 years to nurture the skills of Presbyterian writers and friends had been fulfilled, Agnes Scott appeared to us as a beacon of light and hope,” said the Rev. Emily Enders Odom, outgoing president of the Presbyterian Writers Guild. “And now, as we move toward a season of resurrection and rebirth, it is my prayer that our respective communities will join me in welcoming the arrival of something new — and possibly even miraculous — as the Guild’s assets are entrusted to a member of our own Presbyterian family, not only for safekeeping but for enduring.”
For many years, the Guild hosted a biennial awards luncheon during meetings of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), presenting The David Steele Distinguished Writer Award to Presbyterian writers whose works have made an impact on the church at large, and the PPC First Book Award to Presbyterian writers for a first published book, underwritten by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
Leocadia I. Zak (Photo courtesy of Agnes Scott College)
“It is a profound honor to receive this gift from the Presbyterian Writers Guild,” said Leocadia I. Zak, president of Agnes Scott College. “As a community that not only embraces diversity of thought and expression, but encourages all voices to be heard, Agnes Scott College will continue to advance the Guild’s mission.”
The Presbyterian Writers Guild’s gift to Agnes Scott is comprised of funds that originally created The Vic Jameson Scholarship for members needing assistance to attend Guild conferences, and The Hines/Jameson Scholarship offering financial aid for PC(USA) college or seminary students, ages 18-35, who were interested in pursuing communication careers in the PC(USA).
For more information, please contact Lee Davis, interim senior director of development at Agnes Scott College, ldavis@agnesscott.edu.
About the Presbyterian Writers Guild
The Presbyterian Writers Guild was formed in 1975 to encourage and support Presbyterians who have been called to write as a form of ministry. Members came from across the breadth of the church in all parts of the country. Leadership was lodged in a dedicated board of ordained ministers, published authors, and others who are actively committed to “telling the story” through a wide variety of communications vehicles. The Guild provided services to its members including an online newsletter, training events and contests for people interested in writing, and conferences, workshops, and webinars attended by many writers and aspiring writers.
About Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College educates students to engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times. Ranked No. 1 Most Innovative liberal arts college for the sixth year in a row, No. 2 for Social Mobility and No. 3 for First-year Experiences, this liberal arts and sciences college located in metropolitan Atlanta is home to a diverse community of scholars. Agnes Scott is a premier institution known for SUMMIT, its signature approach to a liberal arts education focusing on global learning, leadership development and professional success. Agnes Scott’s graduate studies programs are also propelling students to new heights and designed for forward-thinkers. Learn more here.
About Vic Jameson and Jane Hines
Generous donations to the Presbyterian Writers Guild by two legendary Presbyterian writers created the endowment that will benefit the Center for Writing and Speaking at Agnes Scott College. Vic Jameson, who died in 2008, was editor of Presbyterian Survey, the national magazine of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) and predecessor to Presbyterians Today, from 1983 to 1991. Jane D. Hines, now retired, worked for many years as editor of The Presbyterian Voice, the longest-running synod newspaper in the PC(USA), published by the Synod of Living Waters. Fittingly, their commitment to the church and to good writing will now touch the lives of aspiring writers at Agnes Scott College.
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