We thank all our donors for their generous support. Here are some of their stories.




Mrs. Elizabeth A. Copeland

Mrs. Elizabeth A. Copeland

Elizabeth A. Copeland was born and reared in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her parents were active members in their local Methodist church.

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Rev. Warren E. Covell

Rev. Warren E. Covell

Warren E. Covell is a retired United Methodist pastor in the Upper New York Annual Conference (formerly the North Central New York Annual Conference) of The United Methodist Church. He currently resides in the Syracuse, NY area.

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Rev. Dr. Robin Dease

Rev. Dr. Robin Dease

Robin is a graduate of Claflin University (Orangeburg, SC) and Wesley Theological Seminary (Washington, DC). She is an ordained elder in the South Carolina Annual Conference and is presently serving as District Superintendent of the Hartsville District.

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Mrs. Connie E. Disney

Mrs. Connie E. Disney

Connie Ellen Disney and her late husband, Bill, were first inducted into the Richard E. “Dick” Reeves Legacy Society in 2010 when Connie established an endowed scholarship in their names in Bill’s memory. Connie recently informed the Planned Giving Office that she has designated Africa University a contingent beneficiary of her estate plans.

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Mr. Stephen E. Drachler and Mrs. Michelle Drachler

Mr. Stephen E. Drachler and Mrs. Michelle Drachler

Michelle and Stephen Drachler were introduced at a hockey game in Hershey, Pennsylvania, in January 1978, beginning an adventure that led them to Nashville, and to be part of the Africa University family. They live in Harrisburg (PA) with their Shi Tzu rescue buddy, Marley.

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Rev. Kenneth S. Jones

Rev. Kenneth S. Jones

Kenneth S. Jones was born in Glen Rock, N.J., and reared in Baltimore’s Mount Washington neighborhood. He was a 1937 graduate of Baltimore City College, and he attended the University of Baltimore School of Law.

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Ms. Margaret J. McKelvey

Ms. Margaret J. McKelvey

Margaret McKelvey hails from Rochester, New York where she grew up in Grace United Methodist Church. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French from Duke University, and a Master of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. She has made the Washington, DC area her home since 1975.

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Rev. Gérard Nsabimana

Rev. Gérard Nsabimana

Gérard Nsabimana is an ordained Elder in the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is currently the lead pastor of First United Methodist Church, Stroud, Oklahoma.

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Dr. Robert M. Schneider and Mrs. Virginia Schneider

Dr. Robert M. Schneider and Mrs. Virginia Schneider

Robert and Virginia Schneider were both born and reared in America’s Heartland, Kansas. They met at Kansas State University (KSU) in the fall of 1952 when Virginia was a freshman and Robert a junior, and they married two years later.

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Mr. Earl J (Tommy) Thomson,Jr. and Mrs. Margaret C. (Margie) Thomson

Mr. Earl J (Tommy) Thomson,Jr. and Mrs. Margaret C. (Margie) Thomson

Margie and Tommy were married in May 1951 in College Park, Maryland. In 1956, they re-located to Denver, Colorado, where they became active members of Park Hill Methodist Church. Both sang in the church choir. While Tommy became involved in mission outreach, Margie had her hands full at home caring for four small children.

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Rev. Lola Turnbull

Rev. Lola Turnbull

Lola Turnbull was born and reared in Buffalo, New York. She grew up in what is now the Presbyterian Church USA and was one of the first female and youth elders in the denomination. She attended both Presbyterian and United Methodist churches while in college, and later joined The United Methodist Church as a young adult.

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Dr. Harriet King Vivion

Dr. Harriet King Vivion

Harriet King Vivion was born and reared in Austin, Texas. She attended the Peabody Demonstration School and Vanderbilt University, where she earned her undergraduate degree. She earned her master’s degree from Wayne State University (Detroit, MI). Later in life, she returned to Vanderbilt and earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in education.

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Rev. Dr. Donald R. Wood and Mrs. Dorothy A. Wood

Don and Dorothy met at the Student Christian Center at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. Soon after they began dating, Don was drafted into the U.S. Army. They were married after his discharge, and Don returned to Clarion University to complete his Bachelor of Science degree in social studies and later his Master of Science degree in communications. Thereafter, Don

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