There are many forms of financial aid available for college students, but HELM's Fellows program offers something unlike any other program to assist students. The support that they provide is not only financial, but is also fundamental in shaping leaders for the future of the church and society, at large.

During my undergraduate tenure at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa I was accepted as a Fellow. As a private school Drake, like many similar colleges, expected students to seek private sources of financing for their education. The initial impact of the scholarship allowed me to devote more time to my studies and a bit of self-care that had been sacrificed before HELM's assistance. The scholarship is an important part of the assistance to HELMsters because, no matter how willing, over-worked and sleep-deprived students just can't do as much as those who can literally afford a bit more rest and relaxation by working less. But as I have already stated, the assistance I have received from HELM goes much deeper than that.

One of the most affecting aspects of the HELM Fellows program for students is their project. This can range from a Bible study to community center to just about anything that the Fellow is interested in addressing. I started my project with a perceived problem. Being a historically-related Disciples school, Drake bears the marks of the Disciples influence only in fleeting gestures. In the 75-or-so years that have passed since Drake officially separated with the Disciples denomination, little has remained that bears the mark of the Disciples. Across from the oldest building on campus stands the First Christian, a church where the Drake choirs sometimes practice and student groups have organized a day care for neighborhood children in the economically-impoverished neighborhood that surrounds Drake. Besides this, there is little mention or awareness of the impact that the Disciples had in the formation and maturation of this institution.

So, for my project, I attempted to create Drake Heritage Days, a set of events and displays to re-member how we Disciples informed the decision that we made and the course that was charted by Drake. I researched the various figures and movements, I found historical documents that needed unearthed and brought to attention and I worked with faculty and administration in this endeavor. Ultimately, my full scale of events ballooned into such a grand ordeal that Heritage Days never came to fruition as I had once hoped. But Drake did start to reclaim its heritage and used some of the items that I had found, brought in voices that had previously been left out of its story and worked closer with its neighbors at First Christian on their shared history. As a part of my HELM-required project, I also learned much about working through committees, something I hear might come in handy when working in a church. I realized that even though I am a humble Mid-Westerner by nature, I could be bold enough to proudly claim my Disciples identity. The skills I gained through this experience have been invaluable as I continue into congregational work as I seek ordination in the church.

Also as a part of my HELM experience, I was honored by my Fellow students by being selected to help plan the annual conferences where all the Fellows are able to meet and share stories from their studies and spiritual formation. The year I was able to be of service on the planning team, we helped form the 4 year track for programming at the conferences that give a focus for each year and give a holistic approach to the conferences so that HELMsters leave the program with a full set of skills as they continue their leadership in the church outside of the undergraduate realm. It is at these conferences that students can really meet leaders in the church and can learn from working in a close setting with them. Some of the best examples of leadership that students learn from is found within HELM through the models of Brad and Dennis, both of whom seem to be perennial influences on how students view ministry and their roles in the work of the church. It is partially due to the direction of my experience with HELM that I pursued further graduate work at Vanderbilt Divinity School and am seeking ordination in our church. Thanks to HELM and its leaders, and may we all continue supporting this program and the young people that it nurtures.