Naming & Endowment Opportunities

An endowed, need-based scholarship can provide qualified, admitted students the opportunity to join the Converse community. A named scholarship may be endowed for $25,000 or more. Contributions of any amount may be added to an existing scholarship at any time. An annual gift of $2,500 with a 4-year commitment can also create an immediate scholarship.

A gift of $25,000 or more can provide a student with distinctive academic, artistic and/or athletic abilities a named, merit-based scholarship. Upon funding at this minimum level, additional contributions of any amount may be made at any time. An annual gift of $2,500 with a 4-year commitment can also create an immediate scholarship.

Alumni, trustees and friends of the College are dedicated to helping qualified students finance a Converse education through their Scholarship support.

Following is a snapshot* of Converse’s most generous benefactors and the prestigious scholarships they provide each year. We are grateful to them and the many others whose scholarships and annual support assist Converse students to achieve their educational goals.

Abney Foundation Scholarship: Established in 1982 by The Abney Foundation in memory of Susie Mathews Abney, Class of 1911, to provide scholarships for students with demonstrated financial need and who have shown outstanding academic achievement. Preference given to residents of South Carolina.

Ann Ebersbach Scholarship: Established in February 2003 by Bill Barnet, Roger Milliken, Elise Manning, sister of Anne Ebersbach, and other friends in honor of Anne Ebersbach to provide scholarships for students who have demonstrated financial need, who are making satisfactory academic progress and who reflect the characteristics of the vision of the Founder’s ideals as personified by Ms. Ebersbach.

Betty Heath Johnson Scholarship: Established in 1995 by Mr. and Mrs. George Dean Johnson, Jr. and Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Heath Johnson in honor of their mother, Betty Heath Johnson, Class of 1940.

Converse Academic Scholarship: Converse Academic Scholarships are for undergraduate students that show academic promise.

Elsa Ezell Holman Scholarship: Established by a gift from Walter S. Montgomery, Sr. in honor of Elsa Ezell Holman, Class of 1922, and wife of Wayne J. Holman, Jr., member of the Board of Trustees of Converse College. The scholarship was established to provide scholarship assistance for full-time students who maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 and who have demonstrated financial need.

Faith Courtney Burwell Voice Scholarship: Established in August 2006 by Miss Caroline Ashley in memory of Faith Courtney Burwell to provide scholarships for students majoring in voice and based on merit and financial need. Freshman recipients must have a 3.0 high school GPA and at least 1100 on the SAT. She must have a satisfactory record of campus citizenship.

George Dean Johnson Endowed Scholarship: Established in May 2006 by Mr. and Mrs. Dean Buntrock to honor George Dean Johnson, Jr. for the many contributions to Converse College and the local community.

Jane L. Bratton Scholarship: Established in June 2000 by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh L. McColl, Jr. (Jane Spratt ’60) in honor of her mother, Jane Love Bratton ’34, to provide scholarships for students who have demonstrated financial need and exhibit the ability to succeed at Converse College.

Jeanne Smith Harley Library Scholarship: Established in 1988 by Jeanne Smith Harley, Class of 1973, to assist full-time students who are working in the Mickel Library. The students must be in good standing, demonstrating financial need, and making satisfactory progress toward a degree based on the evaluation of the College.

Johnson Academic Endowed Scholarship: Established in June 2007 by Mr. and Mrs. George Dean Johnson, Jr. to provide scholarships for undergraduate students who demonstrate high potential for success at Converse.

Justine V.R. Milliken Endowed Scholarship: Established in May 2004 by Mr. and Mrs. George Dean Johnson- Jr. in memory of Justine V. R.(Nita) Milliken for her extraordinary contributions to Converse College to provide scholarships for students who demonstrate high potential for success at Converse.

Justine V.R. “Nita” Milliken Scholarship: Established in 1986 by various donors and supplemented by gifts from the Milliken family, to provide scholarships for Converse College students of the highest caliber, showing leadership qualities and above average abilities.

Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship: Lettie Pate Whitehead was an ardent supporter of education as well as an extraordinary philanthropist and businesswoman. The scholarship, provided by the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, awards annual grants for the education of deserving Christian female students from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Malloy Family Endowed Scholarship: Established in 2006 by gifts from the Edwin Malloy, Jr. Charitable Lead Trust to provide scholarships.

Marsha H. Gibbs Scholarship: Established in March 1999 by Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy I. Gibbs to provide yearly full scholarships for students having financial need and demonstrating good moral character and a personal commitment to Christ.

Mary Gammon Dickson Class of 1912 Memorial Scholarship: Established in 2013 to provide a scholarship to a student at Converse on the basis of merit and will be awarded as part of a competition that is conducted during a special weekend each year when cadidates for academic scholarships are invited to Converse’s campus to learn more about Converse and to participate in the competition.

Mary Helen Dalton Scholarship: Established in 1993 by Mary Helen Garrison Dalton, Class of 1946, to provide scholarships for students who exhibit exemplary character, good academic achievement, and are considered leaders as indicated by their high school activities and references. Preference will be given to students from Lovett and Westminster schools in Atlanta, GA and Charlotte Country Day School in Charlotte, NC.

Ruth Paddison Arts and Science Scholarship: Established in September 2007 by the Ruth Paddison CRAT to provide scholarships for students majoring in the arts or sciences.

Ruth Paddison Music Scholarship: Established in September 2007 by the Ruth Paddison CRAT to provide scholarships for students majoring in music.

Simpson Scholarship: Established in 1985 by an anonymous donor to provide scholarships for students whose performance in academics, extra-curricular activities, and community involvement merit the recognition of this prestigious award.

Walter S. Montgomery Sr. Scholarship: Established in 1985 by Provident Life & Accident Insurance Company to honor Mr. Walter S. Montgomery, Sr.

Weisiger Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Scholarship: Established in June 2006 by Mr. and Mrs. Edward I. Weisiger (Agnes Binder Class of 1963) to provide scholarships for outstanding scholar-athletes majoring in one of the sciences. Read more about the Weisiger Scholarship and its recipients.

*The above list may not be comprehensive and is periodically updated 

Committed faculty members are core to Converse’s educational mission. Endowed funds for faculty support underwrite professors’ teaching and research projects and can offset start-up costs associated with new faculty appointments. A gift of $50,000 or more would provide needed resources for faculty support and research. A gift of $1,250,000 or more will provide a named Professorship which is one of the highest honors bestowed on a faculty member.

Many ongoing special programs are funded by endowments. Research projects, internships, lectures, campus-wide learning activities and more are funded through endowments created by specific ongoing programs. With a minimum funding requirement of $25,000, the size of the endowment required is dictated by the goals of the program. An annual gift of $2,500 with a 4-year commitment can also create an immediate impact for a program at Converse.