The Communication and Women’s Ministries departments at the Seventh-day Adventist world church headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland are honoring a beloved co-worker’s memory and helping women get an education at the same time.

The two departments introduced the Lynn Friday Scholarship Fund for Women in Communication at an April 24 reception at the church’s headquarters, in honor of Friday, who was an administrative assistant in the world church’s Communication department. Friday died last May after working for the church for more than 30 years.

“Lynn was, forgive me for saying this, not ‘just an assistant,’ she was an institution,” said Communication director Rajmund Dabrowski. “We all knew her faith, generosity and passion to be a people person.”

Many who knew Lynn said a scholarship fund for communication is the perfect way to remember a woman whom they considered masterful at communicating compassion.

“She was a communicator ... who mixed care with attention to detail.” Dabrowski added.

Dabrowski said Friday’s 10 years in the Communication department were invaluable not only in daily work but integral to staff during two world church business meetings—in Toronto, Canada in 2000 and in St. Louis, Missouri in 2005. There she worked with hundreds of communicators, staff members and volunteers. In 2005, her contribution was recognized with a Bridge Award—given to Adventist communicators who have made “outstanding contributions to Seventh-day Adventist communication.”

At the recent reception, former co-workers spoke about what made Lynn so special.

“The relationship she developed with us here in Communication, in the building and around the world serves as an example of how we can effectively and genuinely communicate with one another,” said John Torres III, a media relations manager in the Communication department. “This scholarship is a very appropriate way of remembering a life dedicated to honesty, compassion and transparent communication.”

Raquel Arrais, associate director for Women’s Ministries, said Lynn touched many lives in the building with her generosity. “This memorial fund in her name will continue her generosity and help many women fulfill the dream of becoming a communicator and serving the church,” Arrais said.

The Women’s Ministries scholarship program has given more than 1,000 scholarships to women in approximately 105 countries since its inception in 1991.

For more information about the Women’s Ministries scholarship program, visit the Women’s Ministries Web site at http://wm.gc.adventist.org/ and click on “scholarship” or call (301) 680-6672 or (301) 680-6636. Donations may also be sent, with the notation “Lynn Friday Scholarship,” to: GC Women’s Ministries, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.