Lentz/Stiner Memorial Scholarship

Scholarship Criteria: Eligible student recipients shall be enrolled as full-time students at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul and should be studying within the Christian Ministries department or Communications department. Recipients shall represent and demonstrate the high ideals of the Mission, Vision, and Values of the University of Northwestern. Awards are based on a desire to pursue missions, with preference given to students who are children of missionaries.

Scholarship Story:

Jim and Dalisay Stiner established the Lentz/Stiner Memorial Scholarship to encourage students who are preparing for lives of Christian service and ministry, particularly those with a heart for missions. The scholarship reflects the experiences of a missionary family that understood both the opportunities and financial challenges that often accompany a calling to serve Christ around the world.

This scholarship is unique in that it is funded annually by the donor while also building toward a permanent endowment. The fund was designed not only to assist current students, but also to create a lasting source of support for future generations of students pursuing God’s calling on their lives.

Jack and Alice Lentz were both students at Northwestern in the early 1940s. They became missionaries with Far East Broadcasting Company in the Philippines, Okinawa, and Korea, and retired after 42 years. They had three daughters graduate from UNW and know the hardship of college tuition for missionaries. They wished to encourage missions and leave a legacy to the college that encouraged students regarding God’s choice of careers for them.

The scholarship’s preference for children of missionaries reflects the Lentz family’s personal experience. Having invested their lives in international ministry, Jack and Alice understood the sacrifices often made by missionary families and desired to make Christian higher education more accessible for students following similar paths.

Through this scholarship, their legacy continues to support students preparing to serve Christ through ministry, communications, missions, and related fields. Each recipient becomes part of a story that spans generations and reflects a commitment to sharing the Gospel around the world.