Why Give to Hood Theological Seminary?
- Hood provides rigorous academics in offering the following degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, and Doctor of Ministry. Your gift allows the next generation of religious leaders and scholars to pursue their call to serve.
- Hood has outstanding faculty who have a wide range of Theological and Christian education and experiences from leading seminaries. Your gift will help the Seminary to maintain, attract and develop world-class faculty and staff.
- Your gifts to the Firm Foundation Annual Fund create scholarships, support teaching and research, and fund new initiatives. You will support new initiatives including Christian thought and scholar programs, theological research, new chapel and library, and endowed chairs.
- Annual scholarships provide the resources needed to continue to attract and graduate qualified students at Hood. Your support provides students with financial-based and merit-based scholarships.
- Hood is fully-accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the U.S. and Canada (ATS), approved by the University Senate of the United Methodist Church (one of only three in North Carolina, including Duke Divinity School) and recognized by the universal church for academic excellence.
- Hood is sponsored by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
- Hood is a fast growing and a very diverse seminary with students representing sixteen Protestant denominations.
- The Seminary's student body is comprised of men and women of varying backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities.
Our Donors Tell Us...
A Transformative Experience
When I began my journey to fulfill a more informed call to the ministry by seeking to enter seminary, God opened the door to Hood Theological Seminary. I had not heard very much about Hood; but I liked the distance from my home in Winston-Salem, the flexibility in the class schedules, and the diversity of students and faculty impressed me. I thought that I had made a good decision. My thoughts turned into reality when I came to campus.
At Hood Theological Seminary, I found my community. I found kinship. I found acceptance. I found challenge. I found help. I found a nirvana-like matriculation. The basis of our commonality was a belief that despite our denominational, racial, gender, and age uniqueness, we were all being excellently trained to be theologically sound, intellectually competent, radical agents of change for God based on our relationship with Jesus the Christ as guided by the Holy Spirit.
Hood prepared me to enter into the world as one confidently bound for the next world and determined to bring as many with me as God gifted me to bring. The transformative experience is one that continues to this day.
As a result, to not give to Hood would be tantamount to 1 Timothy 5:8 which reads, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (KJV) There is no space in my mind when it comes to Hood Theological Seminary. I am so indebted to Hood that I have to give. It would speak ill of me not to do so.
I pray that for all of those who have benefited from the phenomenal education that we have received at Hood Theological Seminary, it will be as much of a priority to give back, sustain, and nurture Hood as we would any other institution or individual that has made such an indelible impression on our lives in preparation to impact the lives of others.
Rev. Randell A. Cain, Jr., M.Div., 2015
To Sustain My Thankfulness
Why do I give to Hood? Gratitude; yes, it sounds corny but the primary goal is to sustain my thankfulness to Hood Seminary for a lifetime. It indicates the love, loyalty, appreciation and life changing growth that Hood Seminary brought about in my life.
It also happens to be a reliable indicator of excellence in my life.
I started giving monthly to Hood when still a student. It was less than a cup of coffee for the days a month that I attended class. It is automatically withdrawn from my checking account each month. That way it is and was built in to my monthly expenses and became, as I look over my account each month, a reminder of the people and values learned at Hood that changed my life.
Is it a huge amount of money now or then?
No; but as life has settled after seminary and God has lead me to a path I never anticipated, I have been able to increase my giving by small fractions. It is all designated to operating expenses because as all of us who work and attend Hood know it takes money to keep the lights on.
Hood for me was not just book learning but seeing the Face of God in everyone and learning, loving and appreciating others. Knowing that my small monthly donation is helping to keep Hood open for future students of the Lord is a Blessing. May more have eyes to see and open the eyes of more hearts.
Melody Troncale, M.Div.,2015
A Solid Foundation
I give to HTS due to the fact that HTS is a great school. The courses offered, the knowledge imparted, the support of the President, the professors, the staff and my fellow students – all of this gave me a solid foundation for fulfilling my call from God to be a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I give so other students can receive the same foundation and the experiences that I so much enjoyed and will never forget.
Rev. Frances E. Williams, M.Div., 2009
