The Dr. Rebecca Belcher-Rankin Scholarship

Dr. Rebecca Belcher-Rankin was a professor of English and literature at Olivet Nazarene University from 1997 until her retirement in 2019. While at Olivet, Dr. Belcher-Rankin, or “Dr. B.” as she was known to her students, shared her great love of literature, writing and people. As her husband Jim says, “She didn’t teach literature; she taught students.”


Dr. B. was a holistic teacher who made every person feel like a valued member of her classroom. Students remember her as someone who pushed them to work hard while offering grace and encouragement. She was an active member of the College Church of the Nazarene University Avenue, where she served as Mission Council President, a church board member, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award.


Dr. Rebecca Belcher Rankin passed away in November 2021. Because Dr. B. devoted her life to education and made Olivet a welcoming place for so many students, Jim Rankin and Dr. B.’s colleagues want to honor her memory and support English department majors. Please help to establish a new, endowed scholarship in her name and memory.