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News \ NBTS Receives $75,000 Gift from the Hall Education Fund to Establish Endowed Scholarship

NBTS Receives $75,000 Gift from the Hall Education Fund to Establish Endowed Scholarship

October 2, 2025

Pictured: **Barbara Meyer**, Elder at Presbyterian Church at Peace Chapel, North Brunswick NJ; **Cathy Proctor**, VP of Advancement at New Brunswick Theological Seminary; **Mark McMahon**, member of the vestry of Christ Church, New Brunswick NJ; **James Hart Brumm**, Pastor, First Reformed Church, New Brunswick NJ and NBTS Faculty member

New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) is honored to announce a transformative $75,000 gift from the Hall Education Fund of New Brunswick. This generous support will establish The Hall Education Fund Endowed Scholarship at NBTS, ensuring that students with financial need—particularly those serving in urban and underserved communities—will have greater access to theological education for generations to come.

The Hall Education Fund was established in 1801 by William Hall to provide educational opportunities for children of the poor in New Brunswick at a time when public education did not exist. For more than two centuries, the Fund has been administered by Christ Church (Episcopal) in the City of New Brunswick, First Reformed Church of New Brunswick, and the Presbyterian Church of New Brunswick, distributing scholarships to local students. Today, nearly 225 years later, its mission continues through this new partnership with NBTS.

“Since our founding in 1784, NBTS has been dedicated to equipping leaders historically marginalized by race, gender, and class,” said President Micah L. McCreary. “This endowed scholarship honors William Hall’s vision and extends our shared commitment to expanding educational access in the City of New Brunswick and beyond.”

The endowed scholarship will be available to students across NBTS’s master’s, doctoral, and certificate programs. Recipients will be selected based on financial need, a commitment to Christian ministry or service in underserved communities, and, whenever possible, a connection to the greater New Brunswick area.

In the 2024–2025 academic year, more than 85% of NBTS students received financial aid while balancing work, ministry, and family commitments. The Hall Education Fund Endowed Scholarship will provide enduring support, easing the burden for seminarians answering God’s call to serve.

NBTS is deeply grateful to the trustees of the Hall Education Fund for their trust and generosity in advancing a legacy of faith, justice, and education that began in New Brunswick nearly 225 years ago.

For more information about giving to New Brunswick Theological Seminary please contact Cathy Proctor, VP of Advancement at 848-237-2706 or cproctor@nbts.edu.