Howard and Phyllis Baumgartner Scholarship

Howard E. and Phyllis J. Baumgartner Scholarship

The Howard E. and Phyllis J. Baumgartner Scholarship was founded in 2022 to support students a Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) as they prepare for ministry and leadership in the church.

In keeping with the intent of the fund, priority consideration may be given to applicants who meet one or more of the following criteria:

• any student demonstrating financial need.

All qualified students are eligible to apply and will be considered. When applicants do not meet the preferred criteria, the scholarship may be awarded to other students who demonstrate financial need and alignment with the purposes of the fund.

As of June 30, 2025, the scholarship's market value was $40,033. The earnings are paid out annually to cover approximately 13% of tuition.

Support Howard and Phyllis's scholarship

Click the big “Give Now!” button to give in U.S. dollars. If you’d like to give in Canadian dollars, click here.

If you prefer to donate by check, please make it payable to “AMBS,” note "Howard E. and Phyllis J. Baumgartner Scholarship" in the memo line, and mail it to 3003 Benham Ave., Elkhart, IN 46517.

More about Howard and Phyllis

Howard and Phyllis Baumgartner have each served faithfully in numerous organizations in the wider Mennonite Church. Phyllis served on the board of trustees of the then Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. They both strongly believe in Mennonite higher education, and also in the benefits of pastoral education and training at AMBS. They were married over 75 years until Phyllis passed away on January 4, 2024. Howard celebrated his 100th birthday on June 4, 2024. They were members of the Emmaus Road Mennonite Fellowship in Berne, Indiana.

Howard, along with Raymond L. Hartzler, wrote the bylaws for the Central District Conference when it formed in 1957. He served as president of CDC for two years in 1989-91. He also served on the Bluffton University board for 30 years, the MMA board, and the Schowalter Foundation board. Phyllis was the first woman to serve on the AMBS board. She was CDC's Women in Mission representative to the General Conference Mennonite Church denomination and advocated for women to be included on each board of the GCMC. She was one of the founders of Women's Retreat at Camp Friedenswald, starting this great tradition when her children were young. She has also served on the Ministerial Committee of CDC.

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