• Covenants: Students design their own covenant with HELM describing how they plan to work on developing their leadership abilities. Fellows craft their own leadership development project in cooperation with a campus chaplain, director of church relations, ecumenical campus minister or another appropriate mentor. 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 2007 conference in Washington, D.C., brought the church's leaders together to discuss the future of the church, what makes the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) unique and gives us such hope and potential, and what new leaders need to know to live into this vision.

• Summer internships: HELM works with Leadership Fellows to identify internships that will expose students to the wide variety of ways Disciples minister.

• Grant: Fellows receive a $2,000 scholarship at the beginning of each school year for educational use.

• Intangibles: Most Leadership Fellows were able to attend the Fort Worth General Assembly due to a donor's generous gift. Students maintain regular contact with HELM staff and other denominational leaders via e-mail, denominational meetings, and informal get-togethers. This network of Disciples has helped some find additional financial aid, make decisions about transferring to a new college, or - in the most dramatic cases - discover God's call to ministry.

"Over the four years of my time in college, HELM has been the major solidifying force connecting my personal beliefs, worship experiences, encounters with the general church, and network of friends and mentors throughout the church," says HELM Leadership Fellow Chris Miller-McLemore, a senior at Vanderbilt University. "Even though I see other HELM scholars and leaders only once or twice every year, I have developed many friendships among the group based on common beliefs and call to leadership. It has been rewarding to be part of such a group, and as I move into life after college, I will carry the experiences and friendships from HELM along with me."

MILLER- McLEMORE

Current high school seniors and community college students planning to attend a regionally accredited American college or university as a full-time student beginning in 2008 are eligible. Applicants must be members of a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregation and express a commitment to serve the church as a clergy or lay leader. Participation in the program can be renewed up to three additional years.

The application requires an essay, three references, and official transcripts, and all materials must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2008. All complete applications are reviewed anonymously by a scholarship committee, and students will be notified by April 30 whether they have been named as fellows.

Guidelines and application forms can be downloaded free online at www.helmdisciples.org or may be requested by calling HELM at 314-991-3000.

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 parts of the church.

• Download an application packet (PDF)
• Request a packet by e-mail
• Read about the 2007 conference
• Meet current Leadership Fellows
• See the great things Leadership Fellows alumni are doing