New Scholarship Honors Foundation President
The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation honored recently retired President and CEO Robert “Bob” Fletcher at its annual Board of Trustees meeting with the announcement of the Robert R. and Deborah Fletcher Scholarship Endowment.
Bob and his wife Debbie were the guests of honor at a dinner hosted by the UMHEF Board of Trustees on Friday, September 6 at the Emory University Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Following recognition of Fletcher’s impact and achievements during his thirteen-year tenure with the foundation, Board Chair Dr. William Johnston presented the couple with news of the newly created scholarship fund for which more than $111,000 was raised by current and former trustees, family, foundation partners, and other special friends.
“Bob has been an outstanding servant, witness, and leader to the United Methodist Church and UMHEF,” Dr. Johnston said. “It is an honor to recognize him and Debbie with this scholarship created out of love and appreciation for the lives they have impacted over their careers.”
The new endowment fund will allow UMHEF to award several annual scholarships to United Methodist students attending UM-related institutions of higher education. Those who would like to may give to the Robert R. and Deborah Fletcher Scholarship Endowment.
“I am greatly humbled and thrilled that the board, staff, and friends would see it fitting to honor me in this way,” Fletcher said. “What thrills me most is that this scholarship fund will provide the opportunity to help marginalized students obtain a quality higher education within the context of our exemplary United Methodist-related institutions.”
Under Fletcher’s leadership, UMHEF awarded more than $28 million in scholarships to nearly 13,200 United Methodist students. In addition, during his tenure the foundation experienced significant growth as well as increased and strengthened relations within the United Methodist and higher education communities.
Fletcher’s career spans decades of service to the church, including serving as President and CEO of the North Georgia UM Foundation, which later became the Georgia UM Foundation (1991-2011); as Executive Secretary for the General Board of Global Ministries (World Division) (1988-1991); and in the church pastorate (1980-1988). Fletcher also represented the UMHEF as an active member of the National Association for United Methodist Foundations, North America Association of Methodist Colleges and Universities, and the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities.
The Rev. Dr. Philip Jamieson became UMHEF’s new President and CEO in July 2024. He joins the foundation with more than three decades of experience in United Methodist ministry, planned giving, and fundraising. Since 2013, he served as President for the United Methodist Foundation for the Tennessee/Western Kentucky Annual Conference and the United Methodist Development Fund for Tennessee/Kentucky.
UMHEF is a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Nashville, TN with the grand vision to make it financially possible for qualified students to attend United Methodist-related institutions of higher education. Annually, the private non-profit foundation awards $2+ million in scholarships to nearly 1,000 students. Learn more.