wfn.org | UMCom seeks third ethnic graduate for fellowship

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Feb. 22, 2000 Contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-31-32-33-34-71B{087}

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Racial ethnic minority students have until March
13 to apply for a one-year fellowship exploring communications in the United
Methodist Church.

United Methodist Communications (UMCom) is accepting applications for the
agency's third Racial Ethnic Minority Fellowship, a full-time, salaried,
one-year fellowship that will be given to a recent college or seminary
graduate for a 12-month period beginning Aug 1.

The fellowship offers hands-on experience and mentoring in annual conference
communications. The program is aimed at building communications leaders of
racial ethnic minority background in the United Methodist Church. The
fellowship was begun in 1998 to address the under representation of racial
ethnic minority communicators in the church's 66 U.S. annual (regional)
conferences.

Applicants must be United Methodist with an educational background in
communications and an interest in annual conference communications as a
possible career. 

The fellowship will provide a salary of $30,000 plus benefits, moving and
travel expenses.

The recipient will be placed in one of the church's U.S. annual conferences
to work alongside an experienced communicator in a variety of media. A
stipend is provided for the communicator who serves as a mentor to the
fellow.

"The fellowship is more than just a one-year job," said Barbara Nissen,
resource consultant with UMCom's Conference Resourcing Team. "The primary
purpose is to provide a learning opportunity where a person interested and
skilled in communications is mentored by an experienced conference
communicator."  

In placing the recipient, UMCom seeks a conference that offers the widest
variety of hands-on experience, Nissen said. 

Larry Hygh Jr., of Marshall, Texas, was the first fellowship recipient. He
served in the New England Annual Conference and was mentored by Director of
Communications Michael Hickcox. Near the end of his fellowship year, Hygh
accepted a position with the Mississippi Annual Conference as director of
communications.

The 1999-2000 fellowship recipient is Eunice Dharmaratnam. She is working
with Lynne DeMichele in the United Methodist Church's Indiana Area
Communications Office.

Applications may be completed online at http://crt.umc.org/rem or obtained
by writing to REM Fellowship Committee, United Methodist Communications,
Conference Resourcing Team, P.O. Box 320, Nashville, TN 37202-0320. For more
details, send an e-mail to crt@umcom.umc.org or REM@umcom.umc.org, or call
(888) 278-4862.
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United Methodist News Service
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