Father Leroy Lawson

The Lawson Endowment Program

The Lawson Endowment Program is named in honor of Father Leroy Lawson (1917-2001), a long-time Visiting Professor of Philosophy at Stetson (1952-1966). Born in Los Angeles, Father Lawson earned the Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkley, CA in 1941. After graduate work at the General Theological Seminary in New York City, he served as Chaplain in the U.S. Maritime Service and was posted to St. Petersburg, FL. Following WWII, he was called to DeLand as Rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church (1947-1966), where he lived with his wife Dorothy and sons Jerry and Tommy. During his leadership, St. Barnabas grew from 200 to 1,000 members. His ministry and his appeal to young people was legendary.

The Lawson Program is designed to carry on the legacy of Father Lawson's commitment to the value of scholarship and to the importance of fostering the moral development of the human community. The Lawson Endowment was established thanks to a generous gift from a former DeLand resident, who was touched by Father Lawson's kindness and guided by his wisdom and spiritual insight.

The Lawson Scholarship Program

Three Lawson Scholarships are awarded annually to students of unusal ability, academic achievement, and commitment to principled citizenship. This prestigious award can be renewed up to four years. Preference is given to students intending to major in philosophy and/or related field within the humanities.

The Lawson Lecture Series

The Lawson Lecture Series aims to provide a forum at Stetson University for distinguished scholars to carry on the legacy of Father Lawson's exemplary embrace of faith and reason. The Lawson Lecture Series presents a lecture by Richard Swinburne, from Oxford University. The lecture is on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 7:30 PM in the Chapel of Elizabeth Hall. This lecture is free, open to the public, and a cultural credit event.

Damaris Del Valle and Mike Riggs with Roger Kimball, 2005 lecturer

The Lawson Scholars

The first Lawson Scholar to graduate in the program was Damaris Del Valle. In spring of 2005, she graduated with a double major in Philosophy and History. Damaris attends The University of Cincinnati Law School. Kevin Hanson, a Philosophy and Religious Studies double graduated in May 2006. The current Lawson scholars are Michael Riggs, Joseph Qualls, and Ryan Napier.