Five emerging leaders in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have been named as the fifth class of HELM Leadership Fellows.

HELM Leadership Fellows are selected based on their leadership potential, church participation, and academic promise. The five new Leadership Fellows, who will all be incoming freshmen during the 2005-2006 academic year, are:

• Esther Lee, a biology major at Texas Christian University from Torrance, Calif., who worships at South Bay Korean Christian Church;
• Laura O'Donnell, a member of Zionsville Christian Church in Zionsville, Ind., who plans to major in elementary education at Vanderbilt University;
• David Weuste, a music performance major at Texas Christian University who worships at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Guthrie, Okla.;
• Zech Wilson, a biology major at Chapman University and a member of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Las Vegas, Nev.; and
• Felicia Wright, a computer science major at Texas Christian University from Missouri City, Texas, who worships at University Christian Church in Houston.

Lee

O'Donnell

Weuste

Wilson

Wright

• Jean Ellen Cowgill, a sophomore at Dartmouth College (Central Christian Church and Crestwood Christian Church, Lexington, Ky.)
• Carissa Cullumber, a junior social work major at Bethany College (Avon Christian Church, Indianapolis, In.,)
• Tiffany Curtis, a sophomore peace studies major at Chapman University (Familia de Fe in Downey, California).
• Rebekah Cypert, a junior religion major at Bethany College (First Christian Church, McKinney, Texas)
• Jenny Dale, a senior sociology major at Grinnell College (University Church, Chicago)
• Charlie Hall, a senior psychology major at Oklahoma State University (First Christian Church, Duncan, Okla.)
• Michelle Harvick, a senior music education and vocal performance major at Texas Christian University (First Christian Church, Arlington, Texas)
• Titus James, Jr., a senior animal science and business major at Kansas State University (North Heights Christian Church, Wichita, Kansas)
• Amanda McFarland, a senior English major at Centre College (First Christian Church, Paris, Ky.)
• Emily Brooke McIntyre, a junior mass communications major at Hampton University (New Hope Christian Church, Beaufort, S.C.)
• Christopher Miller-McLemore, a sophomore at Vanderbilt University (Woodmont Christian Church, Nashville, TN).
• Mandy Ogunnowo, a sophomore marketing major at Indiana Wesleyan University (First Christian Church, Lawrence, Kansas)
• Cassie Poncelow, a junior interior design major at Colorado State University (Heart of the Rockies Christian Church, Fort Collins, Colo.)
• Kelly Rand, a sophomore social work and English major at Texas Christian University (St. Andrew Christian Church, Olathe, Kansas)

Fifty-two students from 25 states applied for the Leadership Fellows Program. The selection process changed this year with the expansion of the selection committee. A former Leadership Fellow, a member of the HELM Board of Directors, and an administrator at a Disciples theological institution reviewed the applications along with HELM staff.

"The students applying for the Leadership Fellows Program are absolutely incredible," said HELM President Dennis Landon. "It's frustrating when we see how many of these students are outstanding leaders already, yet we don't have the resources to include them in our program. We are working on ways to expand our ministry to reach these additional leaders, whether through the Leadership Fellows Program or other new programs. We take heart knowing these young leaders will find additional creative ways of developing their leadership skills and their faith."

Since the scholarships are renewable for up to three years, HELM plans to work with participants on developing their leadership skills through graduation.

"The fellows are the core of our ministry. We make a concerted effort to build relationships with these students. We hear from a Leadership Fellow nearly every day, whether it's discussing the program or talking about music and sports."

"As the program enters its fifth year, we're on our second round of students; all the students who participated in the program's first year have graduated," Landon said. "When we look back to that first year, the way this program has evolved and grown shows us that God is at work in our college students and the church as a whole."

"While our program does not focus exclusively on calling students to the ministry, half of our 22 graduates are ministerial students, are considering seminary, or are already working in congregational life," Landon said. "Several of them are active in programs across the church or have taken up church-related causes as their vocation. It's a privilege and a joy to see these students mature and grow in their faith."

The Leadership Fellows Program provides several ways to help students explore and strengthen their leadership potential:

• Covenants: Students design their own covenant with HELM describing how they plan to work on developing their leadership abilities. Fellows work in cooperation with a campus chaplain, director of church relations, ecumenical campus minister or another appropriate official to develop leadership skills. Many participate in planning and leading campus ministry programs or similar activities, while others lead youth groups in local congregations or engage in outreach programs.
• Leadership Conference: Fellows also attend annual leadership conferences, where they learn from Disciples leaders, pastors, and each other while building bonds to support each other as their leadership skills grow. The next conference, scheduled for this November in Nashville, Tenn., will be a "behind the scenes" look at how the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) works.
• Summer internships: HELM works with Leadership Fellows to identify internships that will expose students to the wide variety of ways Disciples minister. During the summer of 2005, students are interning at churches in Kansas, Missouri, and Washington, D.C.
• Grant: Fellows receive a $2,000 scholarship at the beginning of each school year for educational use.
• Intangibles: Students maintain regular contact with HELM staff and other denominational leaders via e-mail and denominational meetings. Through a special gift to HELM, Leadership Fellows have the opportunity to attend the Portland General Assembly at almost no cost.

HELM works to nurture transforming leadership for the church in partnership with Disciples congregations, higher education institutions, campus ministry programs, regions, general ministries, and other agencies of the church.