Betsy Lyon Hendrix was born and reared in Durham, NC. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her Master of Arts in Religious Studies from Yale Divinity School. Although she grew up in the Southern Baptist Church, she is now a member of Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, McLean, VA.
Betsy was married to Cliff Hendrix, who died during their marriage in 1992. Three wonderful boys were born of their union. For many years, Betsy was a stay-at-home mom, busy rearing three rambunctious boys and participating in the usual church, community, and civic activities. Following Cliff's death, Betsy returned to the workforce and secured employment at the Ft. Myer Memorial Chapel, Ft. Myer, VA. The chapel is adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, the burial site for many who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Betsy is a firm believer in the education of women and agrees wholeheartedly with the statement of the renowned educator, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, that when you educate a woman, you educate a nation. Africa University was brought within her philanthropic gaze by her long-time, close friends Jim and Fentress Boone Waits, for whom she has great admiration and whose judgment she highly values. After hearing the Waitses speak so glowingly of Africa University and how it is in the forefront of educating women on the continent of Africa, Betsy was happy to join the Waitses and countless others in supporting the institution.
Betsy hopes that her support of Africa University through her support of the Fentress Boone Waits Endowed Scholarship Fund for African Women will transform the lives of these young women, their families, their communities, and their nations.
Elaine Jenkins, director of planned giving, Africa University Development Office
A World Service Special Gift is a designated financial contribution made by an individual, local church, organization, district or annual conference to a project authorized as such by the Connectional Table. Current World Service Special Gifts projects include the Africa University Endowment Fund, the Leonard Perryman Communications Scholarship for Ethnic Minority Students, the Methodist Global Education Fund, the National Anti-Gambling Project and the Lay Missionary Planting Network.
