Ten 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 10 fellows to add to the diversity of ideas and enlarge the vision of this group."

The ten new Leadership Fellows are:

• Rosalyn Cunningham, Bethany College '04, Bethany, W. Va.
• Jenny Ruth Dale, Grinnell College '06, Chicago, Ill.
• Charles Hall, Oklahoma State 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.
• Amanda McFarland, Centre College '06, Paris, Ky.
• Jeremy Spitzer, Virginia Tech University '05, Winchester, Va.
• Valerie Steffan, Drury University '05, Cushing, Okla.
• Ralph Wesley, Delaware State University '05, Washington, D.C.

Class of 2003
• Diana Batzka, Lynchburg College, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Laurie Morse, Pacific Lutheran University, Kirkland, Wash.
• Sarah Olson, Northwest Christian College, Ontario, Ore.
• Jessica Wright, Culver-Stockton College, Lorena, Texas

  Class of 2004

• Casey Abney, Texas Christian University, Corsicana, Texas
• Kelly Johnson-Hill, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
• Shannon Smith, Northwest Christian College, Boise, Idaho

  Class of 2005

• 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.
• Alison Williams, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind.

"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.