news article
Auburn UMC paying it forward
February 17, 2026 / By UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Beginning this year, Auburn UMC will sponsor one student at Africa University (AU) each year through a fully endowed scholarship. The church will not select the recipient; instead, AU will choose the student annually based on its own criteria. The endowment is funded through the Starbucks Foundation—unrelated to the coffee company—which awarded Auburn UMC money to use not for church operations, ministry shares, or salaries, but solely to “pay it forward” in meaningful ways. AU’s Director of Endowment, Dr. James Salley, visited Auburn UMC during Sunday worship on February 15 to receive the endowment scholarship.
The Gene and Florence Starbuck Scholarship Committee at Auburn UMC is responsible for stewarding these funds. This year, the committee sought to make a significant gift with lasting impact, leading to the decision to support an Africa University student in perpetuity.
“The Starbuck Scholarship Fund grew from Bob Keil’s donation to Auburn UMC to honor Gene and Florence Starbuck for their love and care while he was a lonely soldier stationed in Auburn during WWII. With God’s blessing the fund has grown over forty years, providing the means to offer even more educational aid,” a recent church bulletin stated.
Generosity is nothing new for the Auburn congregation. Each year, the church awards scholarships to local students. Earlier in 2025, Auburn UMC awarded a Starbuck Scholarship Fund Grant to Monica Ajak Kaman, a first-year AU student from South Sudan studying Computer Information Systems. In a letter and video shared with the congregation, Monica expressed her gratitude to the Auburn UMC family for supporting her educational journey as one of seven children.
“My family has always encouraged me to pursue education despite the many challenges we have faced. Coming from a country affected by conflict and limited opportunities for young people, I have always been inspired to work hard and use education as a tool for change in my community. I also want to be a good example and motivate my younger siblings to follow the same path,” she said. Click here to read Monica’s full letter and click here to watch a special video message sent to the church.
For more than a decade, Auburn UMC has also sent 25–30 children annually to an Upper New York Camp & Retreat Center. Families cover only the registration fee; the church pays the remainder of the cost, ensuring camp is accessible to all.
The Starbuck Foundation also offers financial support to one Auburn High School graduate attending a college or trade program of their choice. Previously awarded only to students who attended Genesee Street Elementary School, the scholarship is now open to any graduate who attended any of Auburn’s three elementary schools.
Licensed local pastors serving in the Crossroads and Finger Lakes Districts are also eligible to apply for a scholarship. The Starbuck Scholarship Committee selects two recipients each year to help cover course fees and associated expenses to fulfill the requirements. Anyone interested in applying in 2027 should contact the Rev. Diane DiLuzio (Crossroads) at dianed7246@gmail.com or the Rev. Stephanie Brown (Finger Lakes) at s.brown1197@hotmail.com from the District Committee on Ministry (dCOM).
Rooted in its mission to serve others, Auburn UMC views these scholarships as a tangible expression of faith in action. By investing in education and opportunity, the church is living out its calling to transform the world—one student, one gift, and one act of generosity at a time.