2025 Maranatha Scholarships
Maranatha at Riverside seeks to foster greater understanding and equity for LGBTQI people and their allies. There are three scholarships currently open for students. Click the links below to learn more about the John Fiske Robson Scholarship Award, The Edgar Richards Scholarship Award and The Dr. Ronald B. Lonesome Scholarship Award.
The application deadline has been extended to June 9, 2025.
John Fiske Robson Scholarship Award
John joined The Riverside Church in the early 1970s and was a founding member of Maranatha. He served as Treasurer for several years and relished the role of “cash box custodian” at numerous Maranatha events. He continued as an active member until his death in 2013. John was a generous individual, specifying that his life insurance proceeds go to a number of charitable projects, one of which is the John Fiske Robson Music Scholar Award.
Click Here to Learn More and Apply
The Edgar Richards Scholarship Award
Edgar Richards fell in love with The Riverside Church and was a leader in the Maranatha ministry, bringing the concerns of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community to The Riverside Church in the form of education and action, while providing fellowship and spiritual community.
Click Here to Learn More and Apply
The Dr. Ronald B. Lonesome Scholarship Award
From 1964 to 1968, Dr. Lonesome’s interest in psychiatry was sparked by a family member’s hospitalization. His transformative education at Howard University led to a medical internship in Los Angeles during early de-institutionalization, where he saw the impact of inadequate community support. In 1970, he began psychiatric residency at Columbia’s New York State Psychiatric Institute, later becoming a leader in addiction psychiatry. An openly gay man, he integrated his Christian faith and sexuality through Riverside Church’s Maranatha group and LGBT Faith Leaders of African Descent. A dedicated clinician, educator, and advocate, Dr. Lonesome remained active in community service until his passing in 2020.