2019-2020 PhD Scholarship Awards

HELM is pleased to announce the names of the 5 Disciple students who have been awarded PhD scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year.  Three students were awarded the Ann E. Dickerson scholarship and two students received the William Gilbert and Florence Jones scholarship. Both the Ann E. Dickerson and William Gilbert & Florence Jones scholarships fund members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who are working towards a PhD in the field of religion.  The Ann E. Dickerson scholarship specifically supports female PhD students.

The 2019-2020 Ann E. Dickerson Scholarship Recipients

Miseon Choi is a Ph.D. student in Practical Theology with an emphasis on Religious Education at Claremont School of Theology. She studied Christian Education at Hanshin University in South Korea and completed a Master of Divinity at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Her vocational goal is to practice ‘living together’ with the identity of Christ and the daughter of God, whether she becomes an ordained pastor or an educator in the future.  She currently serves at Saegil Christian Church in Burbank as Children's Minister.

 

Tomeka Jacobs is pursuing a PhD in Practical Theology at Claremont School of Theology. In the fall she will begin her term as student trustee on the Board of Trustees at CST. Currently, she works in the Financial Aid Office as a Student Assistant and maintains a Research Fellowship with Dr. Rick Hanson, researching neuroscience and contemplative practices. She attends First Christian Church-Orange (Orange, CA) and calls East Second Street Christian Church (Lexington, KY) her home. Black women's contemplative practice is an academic interest and part of her research and she is interested in understanding how Black women use contemplative practices in their lives and what those practices look like daily. She hosts a Black Women's Contemplative group, started last year.

Rev. Laura Jean Torgerson is a Ph.D. student in Interdisciplinary Studies in Biblical Interpretation and Sociology of Culture at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. Her research on biblical interpretation among Nicaraguan Pentecostals grows out of her time as a Global Ministries (DoC/UCC) mission coworker in Managua, where she worked in theological education. She is currently Director of Education and Mission for Disciples Seminary Foundation in Northern California. She is a member of Mills Grove Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oakland, CA.

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The 2019-2020 William Gilbert and Florence Jones Scholarship Recipients

Rev. Nick Green will begin his PhD in Biblical Interpretation at Brite Divinity School this fall. He is interested in the Bible's authority for Christians today, especially taking into account how different people see the Bible in different ways. While he hopes his research, which focuses on the New Testament, will contribute to the academic community, he also hopes it will help everyday Christians better understand how to approach the Bible in a diverse, worldwide church. He first found inspiration in the Bible's teachings at his home congregation, Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Pocatello, Idaho. Later experiences with diverse populations—including a Global Mission Internship in El Salvador, student ministry at a bilingual congregation in Indianapolis, and a seminary environment that encouraged intercultural dialogue—served to foster his interest in diversity and how it relates to the Bible. He received his Master of Divinity and Master of Theological Studies dual degree from Christian Theological Seminary in 2016. Since seminary, he has served as the Associate Minister of South Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Springfield, Missouri.

 

Aizaiah Yong has spent the last eight years working in a variety of educational, congregational, and nonprofit leadership roles. His previous roles include adjunct professor, non-profit director, an associate minister for youth and young adult ministries, spiritual retreat leader, and a scholar publishing on the intersection of spirituality and social change. He is a sought-out speaker on issues of race and religion as well as other issues of inclusion and spirituality. He has presented keynotes over one hundred times to audiences both large (over 2,000 people) and small. He currently lives in the bay area with his wife and two small children while he completes a doctoral fellowships with the Hispanic Theological Initiative and the Fetzer Institute.

 

Disciples Related Institutions Welcome Renowned Commencement Speakers

Disciples colleges and universities recently held graduation ceremonies and a number featured well-known speakers giving the commencement address.

Tougaloo College hosted New York Times bestselling author and civil and human rights advocate Stacey Abrams.  Abrams, who grew up in Mississippi and who’s parents graduated from Tougaloo, shared that “My parents were part of the civil rights movement. They would tell us stories about the safe haven they found in this magical place, with its trees and its history and its lessons learned.” Abrams told graduates that when she decided to run for governor of Georgia in 2018, there were many, even friends, who doubted her. They told her she was smart enough to do the job but said that no African American women had ever been governor of a state in US history. But Abrams persevered and encouraged graduates, saying “You cannot edit your desires.  You are not allowed to limit what you believe you can achieve. The world is waiting for you to come and we need your help to make this world right-side up.”

Chapman University hosted Matt and Ross Duffer, Chapman alumni (’07) who created the Netflix hit “Stranger Things.” The Duffer Brothers shared that while people may look at the brothers’ success now and think it was easy, it was a difficult and long road. Using examples from film, they asked, “Would Luke Skywalker have become Luke Skywalker if he wasn’t pulled into the Death Star?  Would Neo have become Neo if Morpheus wasn’t kidnapped?  There is no movie without obstacles and the same is true of your life.” They went on to tell graduates, “Don’t hide form your failures, don’t run from the obstacles. Confront them head on, learn from them and blow up the Death Star.”

The University of Lynchburg heard from Kathrine Switzer, the first women to officially run the Boston Marathon.  She attended what was then Lynchburg College 53 years ago, playing field hockey, lacrosse and basketball.  While there was not a women’s track team at the time, then men’s track coach Aubrey Moon asked her to run in a meet. After transferring to Syracuse, she went on to run full marathons and decided, with the encouragement of a coach, to officially enter the Boston Marathon: “Other women were not in the race or didn’t undertake difficult or adventurous things because they were afraid. They were afraid of all those old myths that limited them.” However, she also shared that that “I wasn’t special.  I had an opportunity.  Talent is everywhere.  It only needs an opportunity.”

At Barton College, graduates heard from the Reverend Canon Nontombi Naomi Tutu, Missioner for Racial and Economic Equity at the Cathedral of All Souls in Ashville, NC. The daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rev. Tutu said that “Our world desperately needs changing. We live in a time when many live in fear, when many live in the margins of our society, when there seems to be more that separates us than brings us together. Therefore, we need people who dream big, who see a different world, who believe that our world can indeed be a better place.”  She noted, however, that “To do that, you must believe you have the ability to change the world. Even if not the entire world then at least the world of another person. And to do these things you must have compassion for the world and you must have compassion for yourself.”

Jarvis Christian College hosted Donna Brazile, the first African American women to lead a mainstream presidential campaign and former chair of the Democratic National Committee.  Brazile shared that in the current political and social climate, graduates must be willing to speak truth to power: “You can’t sit down and get anything. You’ve got to step up and sometimes you can’t wait for somebody to call.  You’ve just got to be there because you know you should be there.” Brazile also encouraged graduates to take responsibility as leaders because “You soon will be in charge. Whether it’s as a national leader, a small-business owner or as a neighborhood leader, the responsibility for what happens next will be yours.”

HELM congratulates all the graduates from the fifteen Disciples related colleges and universities and looks forward to seeing the gifts you bring and the changes you make in our communities and world.

The Importance of Authenticity in Leadership – A Conversation with Richie Sanchez

The Disciples Leadership Institute (DLI) brings together emerging Disciples leaders, seeking to deepen understanding and develop relationships across perceived boundaries of race, culture and language. This month a past DLI participant, Richie Sanchez, who has just recently been called to serve as the Regional Minister for the Pacific Southwest Region, shares what he gained from the DLI program and how it continues to influence his life and calling.

On his current ministry:

“I currently serve as Interim Regional Minister and President for the Christian Church in Arizona. While the region is without a settled minister and in a time of transition, I work to meet the needs of our local congregations, clergy and partners.  I’ve been able to care for several congregations in search of a new minister. I helped a congregation close it visible worship life and find a resurrection story into a new ministry center in Glendale, AZ.  Currently, we’re working to graduate a group of Spanish speaking clergy and lay leaders in the Hispanic Ministries Certificate program at Lexington Theological Seminary.  These efforts will provide more theologically trained leaders for our own future story in the state of Arizona.”

On memories from participating:

“I most cherish the memory of the holy spaces that were purposed and made priceless for our ashes and beauty.  I remember the willingness of participants to share their stories and engage in peer learning.  Participants were unafraid to be vulnerable about past or current struggles and difficulties in ministry or life.  The DLI program leaders and community gathered were creative, adaptable, supportive and caring.  The spaces were built into an environment that allowed many of the participants to embrace a reflective process in order that they might find beauty from their ashes.

I had the privilege to preach for DLI’s closing worship and will never forget that the hardest part would be before us.  We had to take with us what we learned and apply it to our lives, our near and distant circles.  To become leaders with courage that would champion the intersections of ministry, culture and life.  The call was to serve no longer only “the team” we may have represented or best identified with, but to be daring enough to change our team colors for one of unity and welcome for all.”

On important learnings: 

“This program offered me a non-judgmental space to reflect, be amongst peers and unmask some wounding perceptions.  I developed better listening skills and ways to make time for someone else’s story or journey.  I enjoyed being amongst Disciples who I had only known in passing or had never met.  We were graced with time to meet, break bread, worship together, learn from each other, finding and celebrating commonalities from our journeys.  I gained admiration for HELM’s participation in processes and programs such as these to help Disciples discover the depth, breadth, heights and width of our common faith.”

 On how it shaped his sense of call:

 “From this experience, it is my sense that those who desire to pursue ministry as a calling or vocation should do so from a place of deep authenticity.  An important aspect of being a leader is the ability to encourage honest and authentic relationships across several human imposed and perceived boundaries.  This is made possible when ministers have experienced honest and authentic relationships themselves.  Ministers should search for and find spaces or communities that engage in struggles and difficulties in non-judgmental ways.  If these spaces cannot be found, then purposely help create them.

DLI helped me to further clarify my calling in ministry as a unifier, a bridge builder between cultures and a bridge from time to time (even, though bridges can be trampled). I have embraced the idea that authenticity in leadership helps unmask perceptions and allows us to extend an openness so that matters of difference in yourself and others might dissipate.  This approach provides others with reasons to share time for dialogue and help discover unseen intersections, changing our current context and church climates. It is authenticity that will allow ourselves to be known and be loved.”

HELM Fellows Visit Colombia

The HELM Leadership Fellows Program is for undergraduate students who are part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  The Program aims to develop leaders through an intentional focus on four major areas.  The first year of the program focuses on Community and students reflect on what it means to be Christian community. The them for the second year is Transformation and it gives students a chance to reflect on how Christian communities engage in transforming church, society, and world. In the third year, students focus on Global Awareness and the interconnectedness of Christian communities around the world. The fourth and final year focuses on mentoring and spiritual vocational discernment.

In the third year, HELM partners with the Division of Overseas Missions/Global Ministries to take the students on an international trip to see how we engage in ministries of accompaniment in a particular part of the world. This year, the students traveled to Colombia where they learned about the Colombian peace accords and the successes and struggles in realizing peace in the country; heard from partner organizations working on issues of human rights and reconciliation; visited locations where Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) have fled to find safety; and had a first-hand experience of the rich culture and history of Colombia.

Click on the name of each student to read their reflections on what they experienced during their time in Colombia!

(Ainsley Anderson)

(Courtney Sells)

(Jordan White)

(Lydia Yang)

Gaining confidence and articulating my call – A conversation with Krista Johnson Weicksel

One of the principal aims of the Leadership Fellows Program (LFP) is to cultivate and strengthen participants’ potential for leadership. According to Krista Johnson Weicksel, her participation in the LFP did that and more. Below are some of her reflections on what she learned from the program and how it helped form her.

On Confidence:

“I think what I gained most was confidence. I don’t remember all the topics of the workshops, but I do remember feeling challenged. I don’t remember all the church leaders we met, but I do remember feeling heard and respected as a young person in the life of the church. I remember being encouraged to take a leap and volunteer as a Global Mission Intern in Israel/Palestine with Global Ministries, and I continue to be so grateful for that experience.”

On being mentored as part of a cohort:

“What I remember most is the people. I remember HELM staff who supported and challenged us. I continue to be grateful to mentors I was connected with who continue to be important people in my life. I remember my Leadership Fellows cohort and even today we continue to cheer each other on virtually.”

On how it shaped her sense of call:

“Being a part of the Leadership Fellows Program helped me to articulate a call to lay ministry through peacebuilding. At a time when it felt like there was a choice between working through the church by pursuing ordained ministry or studying Peace Studies and pursuing a career in a more secular realm, the HELM Leadership Fellows Program helped me to understand and articulate a calling to work with conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and advocacy as a ministry and to confidently pursue leadership within the church.”

On the experience of consistency during a time of transitions:

“The Leadership Fellows Program was really helpful as I pursued a somewhat disjointed ‘tapas platter’ of undergraduate studies, starting off at Ball State University, joining a Washington Semester at American University and in Northern Ireland, transferring to Chapman University to further pursue Peace Studies and spending my final semester studying in South Africa. The HELM Leadership Fellows program was one of the only constants in my undergraduate education and helped to connect a young student with wonderful mentors in these different places. I am very grateful for that!”

After eight years working as Peacebuilding Coordinator in with the Mennonite Central Committee’s Planning, Learning and Disaster Response Department, Johnson Weicksel currently serves as a Global Advocacy and Education Consultant for Global Ministries. She says of her current work: “After working in the Anabaptist world, I’m really excited to have a chance to do this work within my own tradition.”

 

The HELM Leadership Fellows Program is for undergraduate students who are part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  Click here for more information.

HELM Leadership Fellows Go West!

2019 Retreat to be held in Oakland / San Francisco Bay area and will focus on Homelessness

In the almost two decades of the HELM Leadership Fellows Program, the annual fall retreat has been held in many different places throughout the US. For the first time, the retreat will be held in California. From October 31 – November 3, 2019, the HELM leadership fellows will be in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay area for three days and one of the primary topics to be explored will be chronic homelessness.

The participants will visit the Oakland Peace Center and will participate in a plenary workshop facilitated by noted Disciples author and activist, Rev. Sandhya Jha. Week of Compassion Executive Director, Vy Nguyen, will also address the group and share his perspective on the way the ministry works with partners throughout the world to alleviate suffering and promote compassion. As Regional Minister in the host region of Northern California-Nevada, Rev. LaTaunya Bynum had this to say: “We are pleased to welcome HELM scholars to the Bay area where they will be able to see the beauty and the opportunities for service in our region.” Students from Disciples Seminary Foundation will also play a role in helping with the retreat and engaging the HELM scholars.

The Leadership Fellows Program is the signature leadership development program of HELM and seeks to cultivate and strengthen participants’ potential for leadership in the church and society. During each of their four years of participation in the program, the students focus on a different theme:

Year One: Community – Students learn about Christian community and the centrality of Christ who invites Christians to serve and be in solidarity with the least of these.

Year Two: Transformation – This year focuses on what it means for Christians to engage in work that promotes peace, justice, and social transformation.

Year Three: Global Awareness – Students gain an understanding of the increasing interconnectedness of the world and how the church engages in mission with partners throughout the world.

Year Four: Mentoring – Students engage in facilitated discernment around what it means to be an emerging adult, seeking to integrate one’s faith into all facets of life.

If you are interested in supporting the work of HELM and the Leadership Fellows program, in particular, we invite you to visit our donations page to see how you can make a contribution.

Join NBA, HELM, and Obra Hispana for Dinner at General Assembly!

Young Adult Leadership Development: Intersections and Intersectionality

Monday, July 22, 2019

5:00pm – 6:30pm

 

Leadership and spiritual development with young adults happens in a variety of ways and is done by a number of ministries across the life of the Disciples church. In the last few years, the ministries of HELM, Obra Hispana, and NBA have collaborated on several occasions through their programs, such as HELM’s Leadership Fellows, which offers scholarships for Disciples young adults in undergraduate programs; NBA XPLOR, a faith-based, volunteer service program; and the Leadership Experience for Young Adults of the Obra Hispana. Yet, connections have also been made more personally, through conversations with and by young adult leaders about the realities of cross-cultural identities and the place of faith and church on justice issues today.

“Young adults are a locus of wisdom in this church,” says Rev. Rebecca Hale, NBA Executive Vice President. “Accompanying them as they shape and name what a faithful spiritual life can look like in the church and world for this day is a sacred task. It is a great joy to be part of the shared efforts of HELM, NBA, and Obra Hispana.”  In thinking about developing young adult leaders, Rev. Lori Tapia, National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries, added that “Investing in the development of young adults is not a privilege, it is a moral and spiritual responsibility of the body of Christ. What is a privilege, however, is building relationships with and working alongside such vital voices, gifted and talented individuals, and passionate, justice-seeking followers of Christ. The sustainability of the church is at stake, and we must take this sacred work seriously.”

In this shared event, our ministries seek to offer an opportunity for reflection and meaningful conversations from leaders, in particular Disciples young adults. Following a meal, we plan for a moderated panel discussion by representatives from the Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries, Higher Education and Leadership Ministries, and the National Benevolent Association. The panel will focus on three themes: leadership development as culturally contextual, the importance of intersectionality, and the role of service and justice work in leadership development.

 

Event Details

Join us as we share our stories and fellowship together!

Tougaloo Formalizes Its Affiliation with the Disciples

Higher education has been a priority of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) from the earliest days of the movement. Alexander Campbell once said, “Colleges and churches go hand in hand in the progress of Christian civilization.” It is that idea and vision that has propelled Disciples across the generations to be committed to promoting education through the establishment of colleges, universities and theological institutions across the country. Disciples remain proud of this heritage and committed to keeping our institutions of higher education strong. One of the schools that is part of this legacy is Tougaloo College in Mississippi.

Having been founded in 1882 by the Home Missionary Society of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Southern Christian Institute of Edwards, MS, served black students during the Jim Crow era and trained several generations of African American educators, clergy and other leaders. In 1954, the Southern Christian Institute merged with Tougaloo College and continued its central mission of education, while also playing a critical role in advancing the cause of freedom justice during the Civil Right Movement.

While Tougaloo was not an original signatory to the 1977 Covenant between the colleges and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Tougaloo has continued to appreciate its affiliation with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and has stated such in its mission statement over the years. Beginning in 2015, Rev. Dr. Alivin O. Jackson, retired Disciples clergy and member of the Tougaloo board of trustees, began facilitating conversations to try and strengthen the relationship between Tougaloo College and the Disciples. These conversations led to a formal meeting between Dr. Beverly Hogan, President of Tougaloo College, and Rev. Chris Dorsey, President of HELM, where both agreed to work toward Tougaloo achieving full affiliation with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

At a recent Tougaloo College Board of Trustees Meeting in October 2018, the Board voted to affirm its commitment to the current Covenant between Colleges and Universities and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and officially requested to join in full affiliation with the other fourteen affiliated colleges and universities of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In November, the HELM Board of Directors voted to approve Tougaloo’s request for full affiliation, and this was followed by an affirmative vote by the Presidents who make up the Disciples Council of Colleges and Universities. Finally, the Administrative Committee of the General Board voted to approve Tougaloo’s request. This brings the total number of Disciples colleges and universities to fifteen!

At a time when many private colleges and universities are giving up their affiliations with churches and religious organizations, it is rare that a school would seek to strengthen its relationship with the church. Furthermore, as the church celebrates the merger agreement that brought together the National Christian Missionary Convention with the International Convention of the Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ), this is an opportunity for the Church to welcome another HBCU into a full affiliation with the Church. We give thanks for the deepening of the relationship between the Disciples and Tougaloo College as we continue to strive to make Campbell’s words a reality.

HELM Board of Directors Welcomes New Members and New Leadership

As the Higher Education and Leadership Ministries Board prepares to gather in April 2019, we welcome three new members to the Board and celebrate as current board members begin serving in new positions of leadership.

 

 

New HELM Board Members:

Joan Bell-Haynes

The Executive Regional Minister for the Central Rocky Mountain Region is an alumna of the Disciples Divinity House and the University of Chicago Divinity School. As an ordained Disciples minister, she has an extensive record of service in all expressions of the church. She served as first vice moderator of the General Assembly, secretary of the National Convocation, and has also served on the board of the Christian Church Foundation and Disciples Church Extension Fund.

Colton Lott

Colton is pastor of El Reno Christian Church in El Reno, Oklahoma.  Lott was ordained on June 2018 at First Christian Church in Ada, Oklahoma where he was born and raised. He received his bachelor’s degree from Eureka College in Eureka, IL in 2015 and is a graduate of Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago.

Michelle Scott-Huffman

Michelle Scott-Huffman is Campus Minister for Ekklesia, a progressive campus ministry at Missouri State University. Scott-Huffman studied at Central Missouri State University and Eden Theological Seminary and is currently enrolled in the DMin program at Phillips Theological Seminary. She formerly served as pastor of Table of Grace Church in Jefferson City, Missouri.

New HELM Board Officers:

Lonora Graves

Lonora Graves assumes the role of Chairperson of the Board. Graves is a Disciples layperson who resides in Sacramento, California and serves as Branch Chief of the Native American Liaison Branch of the California Department of Transportation. She has previously served on the Regional Board of the Christian Church in Northern California and Nevada as well as the General Board of the wider church. She has been a participant in and a facilitator for HELM’s Disciples Leadership Institute. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University-Sacramento.

Santiago Piñón

Santiago Piñón will serve as Vice-Chair of the Board.  Piñón is an Associate Professor of Ethics at Texas Christian University and an ordained Disciples minister. His research and teaching are diverse, including Latinx Studies as well as Theology and Human Rights. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and is an alum of the Disciples Divinity House. He has been actively involved with the Hispanic Theological Initiative.

Pam Sparks

Pam Sparks is the new Board Secretary.  Sparks is a Disciples layperson residing in Dallas, Texas. She is a life-long Disciples and is a graduate of Texas Christian University.  She has worked previously as a community college professor. Pam and her husband have been strong supporters of DDH Chicago and are very much interested in supporting leadership development throughout the church. Pam is an avid photographer and an experienced global traveler.

Leadership Fellows Retreat Takes Place in New York

The annual HELM Leadership Fellows retreat took place from November 1st through 4th in New York City. This year, twenty-five Fellows gathered for an opportunity to share and engage with one another as well as meet with creative and faithful leaders from across the life of the church. During their time in New York, Fellows met with Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary, Dr. Patrice Rankine, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Richmond (VA), and Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, pastor of Riverside Church. They also visited the 9-11 Museum and, on Sunday, worshiped at Riverside Church.

When asked what she gained from the retreat, Quinlan Pulleyking, a third-year fellow from Missouri State University, noted she was reminded that it is okay to dream: “During one of our plenary sessions, Dr. Patrice Rankine spoke on designing our lives. I was encouraged to understand that there are multiple great lives within me and I get to choose which one to build toward. There is space within me and within all of us for more than one life outcome.” She also shared that, as a Religious Studies major at a state university, she often finds herself caught between two worlds: “There is the world of people who are totally emotionally stimulated by Christ but don’t let that cross over into their headspace. Then there is the world of people who are on board for studying religion and ideology but don’t have time for Jesus to be intimate. However, during the weekend we had time to break off into small groups (cohorts) and each had a conversation leader.”

Chris Dorsey, President of HELM, met with the first year Fellows as they discussed the theme of Community using Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together while, coincidently, meeting in the Bonhoeffer Room at Union Theological Seminary. The second-year cohort met with Brandy Daniels and focused on Transformation by discussing Martin Luther King’s Why We Can’t Wait, with particular attention to his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The time with third-year students was facilitated by former Global Mission Intern Toni Reynolds as they focused on the theme of Global Awareness using Solidarity Ethics by Rebecca Todd Peters. Finally, fourth-year students met with Patrice Rankine and Mark Anderson, President of the National Benevolent Association (NBA), using Parker Palmer’s Let Your Life Speak to talk about Vocational Discernment.

Paulina Garcia Gonzalez, a student at Chapman University, noted that for second-year students such as her, New York City was the perfect location: “My friendships with the other fellows were transformed into deeper friendships, my connection with God was transformed and challenged as we discussed what it means to be church today, and my point of view of liberty was transformed as we went to the 9-11 memorial.”

Finally, Colten Johnson, a first-year Fellow who is studying at Drury University, shared that “The best part of the trip was the people. I have never been surrounded by a group of people my age who are so grounded in their faith. An example I can give is comparing this weekend to church camp. Some of my best conversations about faith have come from camp, but rarely on the first day. Everyone tends to need a few days to warm up to each other, but the Leadership Fellows retreat was a different story. No warm-up was needed. Everyone knew why we were there. The conversations where educational and challenging. I’m so glad that I’m getting this opportunity.” Gonzalez agreed: “The Leadership Fellows retreat is one of the weekends I look forward to the most during the school year because I know I will get to see some of my best friends, get to explore a beautiful city, meet new people, learn new things and experience the glory of God.”

The Leadership Fellows Program is a leadership development program for Disciples undergraduate students. Each year of four years of undergraduate education has a different focus: Community, Transformation, Global Awareness, and Mentoring. Click “here” to learn more about the Leadership Fellows Program.