Investing in the Future

On a Sunday in Springdale, Arkansas, David ’66 and Bernie ’67 Teague found themselves in an unexpected situation. Their car had broken down on the way home from JBU Homecoming.

Without a cell phone, they headed inside a local café to make a call. As David approached the counter, a familiar voice called, “Mr. Teague! What are you doing here?” It was the JBU student who received their endowed scholarship. Upon hearing about the Teagues’ car troubles, the student offered to drive them to their destination in his pickup truck.

While the Teagues created an endowed scholarship to bless a student, they found themselves blessed in return by their student’s kindness.

JBU awarded more than $3.4 million to 571 students from 350 endowed scholarships this academic year. These scholarships are created through the generosity of donors, and their lasting impact is felt in the lives of students who meet specific criteria, making Christian higher education more accessible.

Donors can establish an endowed scholarship with a minimum donation of $10,000. Currently, JBU is matching donations, effectively doubling the donor’s contribution and multiplying the impact of the scholarship. Donors can specify some general criteria for awardees, such as program of study. JBU invests the funds to provide annual distributions for current needs and long-term growth for future needs.

While many schools use software to match scholarships to students to save time, JBU’s student financial services team takes a more personalized approach. They dedicate over 100 hours to carefully match each student to the appropriate scholarship, ensuring the donor’s criteria are honored when distributing awards.

Initially, David was drawn to the idea of creating an endowed scholarship after learning his investment would double. However, he quickly realized that the benefits of establishing an endowed scholarship go far beyond financial returns. David recounted how his involvement has led to meaningful connections with the students who benefit from his support.

“I liked the idea that it would provide scholarships for years instead of money that would be gone at the end of the year,” he said. “But after attending several Scholarship Dinner events, I learned that creating an endowed scholarship at JBU can open the door to some special relationships. When we go watch one of our student’s games, hear that they landed their dream job or see that they have received special recognition for something, I’m just as proud as if it were one of my own children.”

Endowed scholarships are more than just a way to give back — they create lasting legacies that continue to grow and benefit students year after year. For donors, these scholarships offer the opportunity to make a lasting impact while building deep, meaningful relationships with the students they support.

For the students who receive these scholarships, the opportunity can be life-changing — opening doors to opportunities they never imagined possible.

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