Scholarship Funds

The generosity of our benefactors has enabled us to establish and build funds to support our scholarship program. We are grateful for these specific memorials and tributes aiding future ministry and leadership in the Church.

Williams Bertrand Mahoney Scholarship Fund
The Board of Trustees established the William Bertrand Mahoney Scholarship Fund in April 1984. Father "Bert" Mahoney, O.P., served as professor of philosophy from 1948 to 1970 at Dominican schools in Rome, River Forest (Illinois) and Dubuque (Iowa), and worked in the Business Office at Aquinas Institute until his death in 1980.

Arthur Bidwell Scholarship Fund
This fund was established in memory of Senator Arthur Bidwill, father of Father Joseph Bidwill, a member of the Central Dominican Province and a former Aquinas faculty member. Senator Bidwill founded the Chicago Stationers and later became president of the Pacific Company, a paving and contracting company. He served in the Illinois Senate from 1934 to 1972.

Christopher G. Kiesling Scholarship Fund
Christopher G. Kiesling, S.T.D., S.T.M., taught Systematic Theology at Aquinas Institute from 1956 to 1976 and from 1981 until his death in 1986. From 1976 to 1981 he was Formation Director in the Central Dominican Province. Upon his death, friends, colleagues and former students made contributions to Aquinas Institute in his honor. The Board of Trustees officially designated these contributions as a scholarship fund in his name.

Samuel and Peggy Lombardo Fund
This fund was established by the Aquinas Institute of Theology Board of Trustees with a gift from Mrs. Samuel S. Lombardo. Mrs. Lombardo, widow of Dr. Samuel S. Lombardo, is a longtime resident of Jacksonville, Florida. Trained as a nurse, Peggy was actively involved in medical education and services for many years. Peggy established this fund in memory of her husband to provide for the education of Aquinas seminarians and students.

Shaw-Karafiat Scholarship Fund
Raymond and Viola Karafiat Shaw, parents of Father Francis R. Shaw, a member of the Central Dominican Province and a former faculty member and administrator of Aquinas Institute of Theology, donated funds for aiding Dominican study programs. The Board of Trustees has established a scholarship fund in their memory.

George and Lillian Wright Scholarship Fund
George and Lillian Wright are the parents of Father David Wright, a member of the Central Dominican Province, a former dean and current adjunct faculty member at Aquinas Institute. The Wright Scholarship fund was established by the Board of Trustees with the many generous gifts the Wrights have made to Aquinas Institute over the years.

Jacquelyn van Merrienboer Tarride Scholarship Fund
This fund was established in 1991 with a generous gift from the family and friends of Jacquelyn van Merrienboer Tarride of New Orleans. Mrs. Tarride, sister to Brother Edward van Merrienboer of the Province of St. Albert the Great, died in 1991 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

The James and Anna Hyde Endowment for Preaching
The James and Anna Hyde Endowment for Preaching was established in 1995, when the Dominican Province of St. Albert the Great designated a portion of the funds left to the Province upon Mrs. Hyde's death. The proceeds from this fund are used to promote Aquinas Institute's teaching programs in a number of ways, including scholarship aid.

The Brother Duane A. Brown, O.P., Scholarship for African American Ministry
The Aquinas Institute Board of Trustees established this scholarship in memory of Brother Duane A. Brown, O.P., an Aquinas priesthood student who died of leukemia in 1997, at the age of 29. This scholarship, founded in order to promote ministry in the Black Catholic Church, is awarded to a lay, Catholic, African American student preparing for ministry or for advanced study in theology.