2021 Thiel College graduate awarded full scholarship from ELCA to attend seminary

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College graduate Makenna Sanders ’21 was awarded the Fund for Leaders full-tuition scholarship from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to be used at any of the eight affiliated seminaries in the United States.

Sanders, of Newbury, Ohio, has chosen to attend Pacific Lutheran Theological. In May, he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and minors in religion and history.

While at Thiel, Sanders was a Student of the Month and president of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He was a member of the Thiel theater performers, the marching band and chapel staff. 

At Seminary, Sanders will complete three years of classes and one year of an internship before seeking ordination into the church. He will be seeking a Master of Divinity.

 “It is great to see Mak follow in the Thiel College tradition of going to seminary,” campus pastor Brian Riddle ’07 said. “He has a great heart and has grown in his leadership during his time at Thiel. We are so glad to see him succeed.”

The ELCA Fund for Leaders scholarship program supports students of promise attending ELCA seminaries.

Pacific Lutheran seminary is in Berkley, California and was founded originally in Portland, Oregon in 1910. Pacific Lutheran is the youngest Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seminary.

Thiel College is affiliated with the ELCA.

Related Links

• Department of Philosphy
• Department of Religion

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