WASHINGTON — Extraordinary efforts at fostering diversity and building relationships with black Baptists earned Georgetown College special recognition April 30 in Washington. In a United States Capitol ceremony, officials of the Congressional Black Caucus recognized the Georgetown, Ky.-based Baptist school for its Bishop Scholars Program. The scholarship, established in 2006, currently provides funds for five Georgetown students.
The program is named after Bishop College, a historically black institution in Marshall, Texas, that later moved to Dallas and was forced to close in 1988. Over its more than 100 years of existence, Bishop earned a reputation as a solid training ground for black Baptist ministers.
In 2006, Georgetown "adopted" the school’s approximately 7,000 living alumni and established the Bishop Scholars Program to carry on the defunct school’s legacy. To qualify for the Bishop Scholarship, students must be the children or grandchildren of a Bishop alumnus and demonstrate strong academic achievement. Upon graduation, Bishop Scholars receive Georgetown diplomas that note their connection to the legacy of Bishop College.
"I am pleased to welcome the Bishop College Scholars in our nation’s Capitol in order to recognize their tremendous achievements," said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., first vice chairwoman of the caucus. "I commend Georgetown College and the Bishop College alumni for forming this historic partnership to promote academic excellence," said Lee, who is a Baptist.
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