2009 Lina McCord Recipients

(click on the picture to enlarge the image)

Front row seated: Crystal E. Banks, Office Coordinator; Dr. Cynthia Bond Hopson, Assistant General Secretary; and Dr. Phyllis D. Adams, Consultant

Second Row: Brittany Purcell, Bennett College; Kevin Kosh Jr., Rust College; Jessica Baker, Claflin University;  Eboni Lemon, Clark Atlanta; Shannon Lawson, Rust College; Jasmine Johnson, Dillard University

Third Row: Audrey Moorehead, Huston-Tillotson University; Braque Talley, Rust College; Tyrus Smith, Huston-Tillotson University; Olaotan Awodipe, Huston-Tillotson University; Courtneika Hudson, Paine College; David Malveaux, Wiley College; Marcel Jagne-Shaw, Philander Smith College; and Tia Major, Bethune-Cookman University. 

Who are they and what do they do?

They are goodwill ambassadors for the 11 historically Black colleges and universities related to the United Methodist Church. They attend or are graduates of these schools and are leaders in their local United Methodist congregations. Chosen by their chaplains and professors and endorsed by their president, they must meet strict standards for character and academic excellence. Students come to Nashville for four days of intense training and orientation and then are sent to annual conferences during the summer. They gather at the end of summer for debriefing and are then promoted to ambassador status, meaning they are forever tied to the BCF and are available whenever and wherever they are needed to spread the BCF’s message of hope and empowerment. They receive a small stipend for incidentals. Although they serve without pay, successful interns and ambassadors (who are still students) receive scholarships for their participation. Dr. Lina H. McCord was the Fund’s first director.

Where do they go? Everywhere.

Interns and ambassadors mainly travel to annual conferences but also attend other UMC gatherings around the globe. We had ambassadors at the Young Peoples Gathering in South Africa in 2006, at Student Forum, the Thomas-Shockley Youth Theological Academy, Harambee, both nationally and jurisdictionally, and our goal is to make sure anywhere United Methodists are, the BCF message is there too.

Interested in being considered for a position in the McCord Summer Intern Program? Fill out an application!

BCF Graduates you know

Dr. Cynthia Bond Hopson, GBHEM staff, Clark College, 1985 (now Clark Atlanta University)
Dr. Luther B. Felder, GBHEM staff, Wiley College, 1971
Bishop Jonathan Keaton, Detroit Annual conference, Philander Smith College
Bishop James King, Kentucky Annual Conference, Clark College
Retired Bishop Woodie W. White, Paine College, 1958
Retired Bishop James S. Thomas, Claflin College (now Claflin University)
Retired but active Bishop Alfred Norris, North Texas Conference, Dillard University, 1960
Dr. David L. Beckley, President and alum of Rust College president
Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, President and alum of Claflin University
Dr. Joycelyn Elders, first African American woman U.S. Surgeon General, Philander Smith College
Dr. Larry L. Earvin, president of Huston Tillotson University, Clark College
Dr. John Maupin, alum and former Meharry president
Azie Taylor Morton, Huston Tillotson, the only African American woman treasurer of the United States (during the Carter administration)
Josefa Bethea-Wall, GBHEM Board Secretary and BCF Ambassador, Bennett College for Women
Dr. Oswald Perry Bronson, Sr., Bethune Cookman alum and president for 29 years