Here’s a remarkable thing about longstanding relationships: with time, new opportunities to connect surface, allowing people lean in and deepen the relationship. That happened with Africa University (AU) and Wespath Benefits and Investments, the largest faith-based pension fund in the world.
Your support of the Africa University Fund apportionment supports the general operating expenses of Africa University including faculty and staff salaries and vital infrastructure.
As a not-for-profit administrative agency of The United Methodist Church, Wespath and AU have been family since the university’s inception. Wespath Institutional Investments is the lead sponsor for AU’s golf tournament, held annually in Orangeburg, SC. In addition, Wespath is the
investment manager for the second largest segment of AU’s endowment holdings and Kevin Goodwin, an AU advisory development committee member since 2001, served 16 years on the Wespath board of directors.
Goodwin had numerous occasions to share AU’s story with the Wespath staff and his fellow board members, including wearing his AU T-shirt to Board meetings.
“[Like] Africa University, programs provided by Wespath enrich the financial education of its members,” said Goodwin. “The investment ties between Wespath and Africa University benefit both organizations.”
Wespath General Secretary and CEO Andrew Q. Hendren visited retired pastors and widows in Mozambique and Zimbabwe in 2023, working on the agency’s Central Conference Pensions Program. In Zimbabwe, he met with Vice Chancellor Dr. Peter Mageto; made friends with Nathan, an AU student from Uganda; took a run on the beautiful campus among the acacia trees and fell in love with Africa University.
At Wespath’s final board meeting of the quadrennium, Hendren explained, going beyond a
gift, dinner and speeches, the agency leaned in:
“We did this $10K donation to AU. It comes from our Illinois Endowment Fund, which is Wespath’s own money...I thought commemorating our board with a gift to AU in their name, the 32 members of our Board, would be great a way to use those funds.” Wespath’s gift to AU became the miracle that four student debtors had been praying for.
Unable to clear their unpaid fees, the students— Moses Duma (Zimbabwe), Nelly Okongo and Ngoi Wa Ngoi Umba Rhode (D.R. Congo), and Tito de Fatima Jorge (Angola), all pursuing the Master of Arts in Religious Studies—could not write their final examinations, which put their graduation at risk. Emergency financial assistance from Wespath’s gift allowed the four to graduate in June.
Andra M. Stevens, Director, Communications and Creative Services, Africa University Development Office
One of seven apportioned giving opportunities of The United Methodist Church, the Africa University Fund transforms Africa by educating and empowering students from across the continent through Africa University, the first fully accredited, United Methodist-related educational institution on the continent. The Africa University Fund supports the general operating expenses of Africa University including faculty and staff salaries and vital infrastructure. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Africa University Fund at 100 percent.
