John Weidner Foundation

Who is John Henry Weidner?

Dutch citizen and Seventh Day Adventist, John Weidner, saved the lives of approximately 1,000 British and American downed military personnel, as well as Jewish, Dutch, Belgian, and French people fleeing Nazi persecution during World War II. He has been honored by five governments and the Holocaust Museum at its 1993 opening. John Weidner died in Los Angeles in 1994, and his widow, Naomi, started a foundation to honor his “unselfish concern for the welfare of others.” The foundation bearing his name is committed to celebrating courageous, selfless action.

To learn more about the John Henry Weidner Foundation for Altruism, please visit their website: weidnerfoundation.org.

Butler University Chapter

In 2006, the Butler Student Sociology & Criminology Association (SSCA) established the principal university chapter of the John Henry Weidner Foundation for Altruism. William (Bill) Ervin, a former faculty member in the Department of Sociology & Criminology and current board member of the Weidner Foundation was integral in founding Butler University’s chapter. Mr. Ervin felt strongly that the Department of Sociology & Criminology’s emphasis on community service, human welfare, and social good, closely align with the mission of the Weidner Foundation. Since 2019, Dr. Ashley Hutson, faculty member in the Department of Sociology & Criminology and Weidner Foundation advisory council member, has worked closely with Mr. Ervin to preserve Weidner’s legacy of altruism at Butler University.

John Henry Weidner Endowed Scholarship for Altruism

Each spring semester, SSCA presents the John Henry Weidner Endowed Scholarship for Altruism to one Butler student who demonstrates an ethic of altruism. The exact amount of the scholarship varies annually, but past honorees have been awarded between $1,000-2,000. Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Butler University are encouraged to apply. Students whom have already been awarded full tuition are not eligible for this scholarship. To learn more about past honorees, please visit https://weidnerfoundation.org/student-scholarships.

Interested students may access the scholarship application through the Academic Works scholarship management portal. Students must enter their Butler login information to sign-in. If students are eligible for the scholarship, a link to the John Henry Weidner Scholarship for Altruism application will be displayed under “My Applications.”

The John Henry Weidner Endowed Scholarship for Altruism scholarship is made possible through the generosity of the Weidner Foundation.