wfn.org | DHE adds 11 undergraduates to Leadership Fellows

["Communication Ministries" <wshuffit@cm.disciples.org>]

Program
Date: May 3, 2002
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
E-mail: news@cm.disciples.org							
Web: http://www.disciples.org

Contact: Brad Lyons, Division of Higher Education
(314) 991-3000, blyons@dhedisciples.org

02a-44

	ST. LOUIS - Eleven undergraduate students will join the
Division of Higher Education Leadership Fellows Program, a
group of students preparing to take leadership roles in the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

	The purpose of the Division of Higher Education is to
nurture men and women, both lay and clergy, for
transformational leadership in the church and the wider
human community through the church's institutions of higher
education," said DHE president Dennis Landon. "We believe
these students embody future leaders for our church and for
society in general."

	DHE Leadership Fellows are selected based on their
leadership potential, church participation, and academic
promise. The division moved from a more traditional
scholarship program beginning in 2001.

	"While we expected a lot from our initial group of
Leadership Fellows, they have astounded us with their
vision and commitment," Landon said. "They have
revolutionized the way DHE works. Not a day goes by that we
don't think about the Leadership Fellows and their
relationship with the church. It is a privilege to know
them and work with them. We expect this new group of 11
fellows to add to the diversity of ideas and enlarge the
vision of this group."
	
	The eleven new Leadership Fellows are: Rosalyn Cunningham,
Bethany College '04, Bethany, W. Va.; Jenny Ruth Dale,
Grinnell College '06, Chicago, Ill.;
Charles Hall, Texas Christian University '06, Duncan,
Okla.; Michelle Harvick, Texas Christian University '06,
Arlington, Texas; Titus James, Jr., Kansas State University
'05, Wichita, Kan.; Steven Mason, Drake University '04,
Lincoln, Neb.; Jeffrey Mays, Texas Christian University
'06, Arlington, Texas; Amanda McFarland, Centre College
'06, Paris, Ky.; Jeremy Spitzer, Virginia Tech University
'05, Winchester, Va.; Valerie Steffan, Drury University
'05, Cushing, Okla.; and Ralph Wesley, Delaware State
University '05, Washington, D.C.

	Nineteen students from the inaugural class of Leadership
Fellows will continue their participation in the program:

	Class of 2003 include: Diana Batzka, Lynchburg College,
Jacksonville, Fla.; Erin Moore, Barton College, Raleigh,
N.C.; Laurie Morse, Pacific Lutheran University, Kirkland,
Wash. ; Sarah Olson, Northwest Christian College, Ontario,
Ore.;  Jessica Wright, Culver-Stockton College, Lorena,
Texas.

	Class of 2004 include: Casey Abney, Texas Christian
University, Corsicana, Texas; Kelly Johnson-Hill,
University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; and Shannon
Smith, Northwest Christian College, Boise, Idaho.

	Class of 2005 include: Drew Blackman, Culver-Stockton
College, St. Louis, Mo.; Sara Blackwood, Texas Christian
University, El Paso, Texas; Sarah Carter, William Woods
University, Garden City, Kan.; Natalie Dixon, Eureka
College, Wellington, Kan.; Laura Jennison, Mount Holyoke
College, Spokane, Wash.; Brandon Johnson, Transylvania
University, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Krista Johnson, Ball State
University, Greenwood, Ind.; Emily Klingenfus, Grand Valley
State University, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Peter Mitchell,
Texas Christian University, Keokuk, Iowa; Todd Mostak,
University of North Carolina, Cary, N.C.; and Alison
Williams, Indiana University-Purdue
University-Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind. 

	Nearly 100 students from across the country applied for
the scholarship. Twenty-three colleges and universities,
including 11 institutions either in covenant or
historically related to the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ), are represented in the group.

	"Choosing this year's Leadership Fellows was a difficult
task because there were so many students with such great
leadership potential. We just didn't have the resources to
support all of them. If we could afford it, we could
probably have 50 or 60 of these students in the program -
the field was that strong," Landon said. "Because of
students like these, we have great hope for the future of
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)."

	DHE plans to work with participants through graduation.

	"Since these scholarships are renewable, we have the
opportunity to watch these students develop their
leadership skills as they develop their professional skills
in the classroom," Landon said. "We look forward to knowing
these outstanding students for many years."

	This year's fellows will receive a $2,000 scholarship for
educational use. In addition, DHE undergraduate scholarship
recipients will covenant with DHE to participate in
planning and leading campus ministry programs or similar
activities. The campus chaplain, director of church
relations, ecumenical campus minister or another
appropriate official will oversee this participation. DHE
Leadership Fellows also will attend annual leadership
conferences.

	To be eligible for the fellowship, students are required
to attend a regionally accredited American college or
university, be a full-time student, participate in a
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregation, and
express a commitment to serve the church as a clergy or lay
leader and to participate in the leadership development
activities required by the DHE Leadership Fellows Program.
Beginning with the 2003-2004 academic year, all new
recipients will be incoming first-year students.

	Including cooperative efforts with local congregations,
DHE helped distribute almost $178,000 in scholarships in
2000. DHE also works with the Phillips University Legacy
Foundation to award additional annual scholarships to
students attending Disciples colleges and universities who
demonstrate potential for leadership in the church.

Fourteen universities and seven theological institutions in
12 states are in covenant with the Christian Church,
serving 24,000 students. In addition, three schools and
three theological institutions maintain associate or
historical ties with the denomination. Also, DHE is
affiliated with more than 80 campus ministries programs
across the country.

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