Addie Davis Scholarship
The Addie Davis Scholarships provide financial support for Baptist women enrolled in seminary to pursue a calling to ministry and leadership. The scholarship is named in honor of Rev. Addie Davis, the first woman ordained to pastoral ministry by a Southern Baptist Church in 1964. Addie Davis Scholarships are funded by the generous support of the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and BWIM donors. The scholarship is named in honor of Rev. Addie Davis, the first woman ordained to pastoral ministry by a Southern Baptist Church in 1964.
2026 Addie Davis Scholarship Recipients
Alyson Calloway
Alyson Calloway is a licensed minister and serves at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Miami Gardens, Florida, under the leadership of Rev. Arthur Jackson III. She holds a Bachelor of Science and an MBA from Florida A&M University and currently works in operations and supply chain management for the automotive industry. Minister Calloway is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Virginia Union University’s Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology and is passionate about preaching, teaching, and helping people grow in their faith.
Janet Lakica
Janet Lakica is a dual Master of Divinity and Master of Business Administration student at George W. Truett Theological Seminary and Baylor University, with a concentration in Ministry Leadership. Originally from Uganda, Janet has served in a variety of ministry contexts including discipleship, worship leadership, hospital chaplaincy, and community outreach, both in East Africa and the United States. Through her commitment to spiritual formation, compassionate service, and leadership development, she seeks to equip the church to faithfully engage the needs of diverse communities.
Yeshi Lhamo
Yeshi Lhamo is a Master of Divinity student at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University and is believed to be one of the first women from Bhutan to pursue seminary education in the United States. A dedicated ministry leader, she serves at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, where she is helping to develop children’s ministry within a diverse, multicultural congregation. Yeshi brings together deep faith, global perspective, and compassionate leadership as she follows God’s call to serve the church and nurture the next generation.
Sandra Kayce Pittman
Sandra Kayce Pittman serves as the Transition Into Ministry Resident at First Baptist Church in Lumberton, North Carolina. Her previous work within educational settings and senior adult care has fostered in Sandra a passion for sharing the love of Christ through service, making the Bible conversational and accessible, and amplifying others’ voices. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Campbell University Divinity School, with the hope of fulfilling her God-given call either through chaplaincy or congregational ministry.
Mercy Sung
Mercy Sung had the privilege of serving as the Assistant to the Chaplain at Myanmar Institute of Theology in Yangon, Myanmar, for over nine years. She has also been serving as a part-time instructor in the Liberal Arts Program at Myanmar Institute of Theology. Mercy is pursuing her Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling at Asbury Theological Seminary this fall.
Grace Swartley
Grace Swartley is a student at Truett Theological Seminary perusing her Master of Divinity. During her time in seminary, she has served in Truett’s admissions and as a Graduate Assistant for various professors as well as for Baylor’s Chapel program. She is currently serving as the Summer Graduate Intern at Passage Institute for Youth and Theology, and she will be serving as a Graduate Assistant and as a ministry resident at First Baptist Lorena in the coming school year.
Who is Addie Davis?
On August 9, 1964, Addie Davis was the first woman ordained to pastoral ministry by a Southern Baptist Church. Rev. Davis was ordained at Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham, NC, while she was a seminary student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. As a student, Rev. Davis wrote a paper on the issue of women’s ordination and expressed to Watt’s Street Baptist Church pastor, Warren Carr, that she felt the call to preach the gospel as a young girl. Rev. Davis was rejected by Southern Baptist churches as a pastor and instead she served as pastor for several American Baptist churches including churches in Vermont, Virginia, and Second Baptist Church in East Providence, RI where she also served as the president of the East Providence Clergy Association.
What is the history of the Addie Davis Awards?
Baptist Women in Ministry established the awards in 1998 in honor of Addie Davis. These awards are also a way for BWIM to give public recognition to gifted women seminarians. Until 2024, BWIM has requested nominations for the awards from Baptist seminaries, divinity schools, and houses of study. Each theological institution was asked to nominate two women students: one for the Addie Davis Award for Excellence in Preaching and one for the Addie Davis Award for Outstanding Leadership in Pastoral Ministry.
Are there other scholarships for Baptist women preparing for ministry?
Yes! Baptist women from all over the US can apply for BWIM’s Addie Davis Scholarships if they meet the eligibility requirements. But there are also two state Baptist Women in Ministry organizations that award scholarships to Baptist women preparing for ministry. You can find information on BWIM of Georgia’s Sarah Owen Etheridge Scholarship and BWIM North Carolina’s Theological Education Scholarships on their websites.