Media Contact: Kerry Traubert

(404) 727-1170
ktraubert@thefund.org

Rev. Eboni Marshall Rev. Michael Waters

Ebony Magazine Names Two FTE Fellows

To 2009 Young Leaders of the Future List

Eboni Marshall and Michael Waters Recognized for Scholarship, Community Leadership

ATLANTA, April 24, 2009 – Two Fund for Theological Education (FTE) Fellows—Eboni Marshall and
Michael Waters—have been named to Ebony Magazine’s 2009 Young Leaders of the Future list, featured in
the April issue of the national publication.
Ebony, a monthly lifestyle magazine, covers a broad range of topics in entertainment, culture, sports,
history and art, and has a circulation of more than 1.6 million.
This year’s feature spotlights rising young leaders in business, education, law, healthcare, nonprofit
and other sectors who contribute professional excellence to their fields and also make significant personal
contributions to community causes. Ebony Magazine, first published in 1945, has named a list of the nation’s
young leaders of the future since 1989.
Marshall, a 2009 FTE Dissertation Fellow and a 2008 FTE North American Doctoral Fellow, is an
artist and scholar who creates and performs ballet and modern jazz works focused on faith and justice
issues. A doctoral student in Christian Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, she earned her Master of
Divinity degree from Union and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Fordham University.
Waters is a 2002 FTE Ministry Fellow now serving as pastor of Joy Tabernacle African Methodist
Episcopal Church in Dallas. Rev. Waters is an active civic leader and has played key roles in Southern
Methodist University’s Civil Rights Pilgrimage seminars and youth leadership development programs. He
holds a Master of Divinity Degree from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University,
where he also earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and religious studies.
“Excellence in scholarship and service to others is a hallmark of FTE Fellows,” said Dr. Trace
Haythorn, FTE President. “Ms. Marshall and Rev. Waters exemplify both, and we’re proud to join Ebony
Magazine in recognizing them for deep dedication to their calling and their communities. This honor affirms
the leadership that FTE Fellows provide to society, and it reflects FTE’s abiding commitment to supporting
gifted African-American leaders for the church and for theological education.”
The Fund for Theological Education is an ecumenical advocate for excellence and diversity in
pastoral ministry and theological scholarship. It annually provides more than $1.5 million in fellowships and
support to gifted young people from all denominations and racial/ethnic backgrounds. For more information,
visit www.thefund.org.