Stories from the 2008-2009 academic year
Stories from the 2007-2008 academic year
Stories from the 2006-2007 academic year
Stories from the 2005-2006 academic year
Stories from the 2004-2005 academic year and "What I'm Doing This Summer"

HELM Leadership Fellows
Caroline Hamilton: "The Cry of My Soul?" A graduate-level class on the writings of Greek writer and philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis was both intriguing and daunting to Caroline Hamilton. She hadn't yet read his work, but the professors and the structure of the class appealed to her. Little did she know what an impact the class would have. Kazantzakis' work has turned Caroline's thoughts inward, focusing on the true cries of her soul.
Charisse Knorr: Busy work? No, good work Even by the standards of busy college students, Charisse Knorr is really busy. Between studies, work, shadowing mentors, cheerleading, her sorority, a new puppy, trying to graduate a year early, and a steadfast commitment to church, she's always on the go. It could be a recipe for burnout, but Charisse feels the busyness feeds her soul. She's also learning a lot about herself and her future.
Henry Brewer-Calvert: A dive into snow The first big snowfall of the year thrilled Georgia native Henry Brewer-Calvert. As he made the year's first snow angel, he remembered one reason he wanted to go to school farther north: Change. Changes like a new climate, a new town, and a new culture are obvious and common in life. The tougher changes — more rigorous academic standards, the need to learn self-sufficiency, and discovering a new church home — those posed bigger challenges, but he's adjusting to those new elements in life, too.
Kiersten Hawes: The road to psychology Kiersten Hawes is pursuing a career in psychology because of her desire to help others. So when the syllabus of her first psychology class began with learning the biological structure and functions of the brain, she questioned whether she had made the right choice in majors. As she prayed about her choices and read scriptures, two passages reminded her that God has great plans for her and that serving others is indeed a holy mandate.
Alan Moore: The "C" and me The "C" in YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) has confused Alan Moore since heading to their camps as a kid. No altar calls, no prayers — how could this be a Christian organization? This summer's experience as a counselor answered that question. The Y's focus was serving others, promoting the ideals of equality, spirituality, respect for nature and health, and love reminded him of the nature of a true Christian community.
Arrington Foster: Rejection Acting is harder than it looks. Arrington Foster has been trying out for stage productions at TCU for more than a year now, hoping to sharpen his acting skills in preparation for a career in Hollywood. He's still waiting for that first show, and it's frustrating and discouraging. At the same time, Arrington also sees rejection as preparation for that acting career, and he believes God is toughening him up for the rigors of his future career.
Alexis Westerhausen: Mount Moses As part of a three-week study-abroad class, Alexis Westerhausen rose early one morning to climb Mount Moses, better known as the legendary Mount Sinai. Despite withering cold and crowds of climbers, Alexis arrived at the summit in time for daybreak. As the sun rose and the landscape around her transformed, she found herself surrounded by history and blanketed in the presence of God.
Aly Gideon: Finally settled Most college freshmen find relocating to campus the hardest part of starting college. For Aly Gideon, it was a relief. A turbulent senior year in high school left her feeling uprooted, so having a dorm room with her own bed and her own desk was a blessing. As the first semester winds to a close, Aly looks forward to returning to Oklahoma for the Christmas break — but also to heading back to her new home on campus.
Allie Lundblad: Making the most of Advent Allie Lundblad admits it: She's lousy at Advent. That's no surprise considering the demands of finals piled atop all the other seasonal distractions. A campus pastor provided an Advent calendar with daily assignments, which helped Allie focus a bit better on Advent, but she still wishes she had some nugget of wisdom as Advent concludes. Her recognition that God was present even when she wasn't thinking about God may be a start.
Stephen Hall: Respectful disagreement Fascinating discussion with three Muslims and a fellow Christian left Stephen Hall both respecting the faith of others and stronger in his own faith. The five friends found more similarities in opinion, belief, and values, than differences. The chat also left Stephen contemplating how different faiths get along — and wondering how we can find different approaches to those moments when we disagree, even with fellow Christians.
Courtney Waters: Light in a dismal place The fall semester has been pretty rough for Courtney Waters. With her faith challenged and her life rattled, she found hope in the annual HELM Leadership Fellows conference, where it seemed as if God was telling them just what to say to lift my spirits. She realized God knows her, and God knows that she can handle any strife brought to her life. Sources of revitalization are all around us; we just need to identify them and hold on to them in tough times.
Tom Calvert-Rosenberger: Simplicity What makes you truly happy? How can we live more with less stuff? What role should money play in your life? These questions are posed by ""Voluntary Simplicity," a textbook from a course Tom Calvert- Rosenberger is taking this semester. He's taking this class to heart as he tries to find ways to live a simpler life on campus. The book says close and supportive relationships, faith communities, positive traits, and daily flow give people the most satisfaction. With these simple measures, Tom also feels God there at his side.
Virginia White: Life beyond the edge of campus With all the activities and opportunities offered to students, it's easy to go a week without leaving campus or seeing the world beyond a campus' informal boundaries. As she has settled into her freshman year at Rice University, Virginia White has stayed connected with that outside world during a vigil for victims of human trafficking and through a local Disciples congregation. How can you help college students stay connected with their church and their faith?
Katie Johnson: A different kind of Christmas Katie Johnson loves the traditions that come with Christmas as much as the actual Christmas holiday itself. But Christmas 2009 will be different. Instead of candlelight services and hymns and fellowship, Katie will spend Christmas with her sister in India. As the Christmas season nears, she is remembering that while tradition is important, celebrating Christ's birth is the true reason for the holiday, regardless of where you celebrate.
Cambria Findley-Grubb: My life is a 7-layer dip Cambria Findley-Grubb loves 7-layer dip; in her case, refried beans, avocados, tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, black olives, and cheese. She also sees her life as a 7-layer dip: faith, family, friends, education, church, service, and fun. In both 7-layer dip and her Cambria's life, each element is terrific on its own, but together, they're even better — the sum is greater than the equal of its individual parts.
Kristen Walling: Talk among yourselves During a summer internship with the Disciples Peace Fellowship, diverse opinions on peace and justice issues forced Kristen Walling to rethink the way she thought and spoke about those issues. Sometimes conversation, analyzing the differing opinions, could do more to open minds than a canned lecture. So when Kristen returned to campus to find a social justice-oriented student group had become more conservative, Kristen realized the skills she learned during the summer would come in handy at school, too.
Sarah Cheon: God at the center of marriage When Sarah Cheon's mentor recently asked her to play piano at her upcoming wedding, Sarah found her feet shaking on the pedals and her mind praying that her fingers would find the right notes. Once the jitter-filled opening procession ended, she got to watch the couple exchange their own vows. As she listened, she heard purity and holiness in the vows and a commitment of their marriage to God's works. Sarah hopes her own marriage will share the same foundation and trust in God.
Alison Simon: Out with the old, in with the new There are a lot of differences between Texas, where Alison Simon is studying at TCU, and North Carolina, Alison's home. She headed to a Fort Worth congregation and appreciated the traditions — Communion, the Doxology, a Call to Prayer — only to hear a sermon challenging worshippers to jettison traditions that have no meaning. As Alison settles into a new home, she is learning to appreciate useful traditions but also to embrace the new traditions around her.
Jesse Stephenson: Who's got your back? Sometimes you have no idea how much community surrounds you. Jesse Stephenson saw this first hand recently when his roommate's step-father died suddenly. In a moment of need, dozens of the roommate's friend pitched in to help him keep up with studies and laundry. So often, life knocks us off our feet; having these friends in our lives can help us get up and fight through difficult times.
Georgia Kuss: New camp, same road Georgia Kuss spent this summer working with special-needs campers who required one-on-one attention. The experience drained her energy and occasionally left her with a "battle scar" or two, but it also proved to her that therapeutic work is her calling in life. She also got to experience the gifts of unconditional love, learning to listen, and ultimately a life transformed with God's help.
Melissa Hall: Fear of the new Melissa Hall admits she tends to stay in a comfort zone, even when trying something new. Two experiences at this summer's General Assembly gave her reasons to reevaluate how she approaches the unfamiliar. Ushering helped her comprehend the vast variety of Disciples, and General Minister and President Sharon Watkins' address helped her think about how widen our circle of compassion to embrace all life and nature. She's hoping those lessons will change her way of looking at new opportunities.
Sabreena Rodriguez: Only time will tell Going to college might be the biggest, toughest change in anybody's life. For Sabreena Rodriguez, the beginning of her freshman year at Chapman University has left her confused about how to live on her own, doing the simple things like meals in the cafeteria, doing her own laundry, or having a roommate. How are you and your congregation supporting students heading off to college or friends in transition?
Merillat Pittman: OK, God, I'm listening All her life, Merillat Pittman believed she'd have her life all planned out by the time she finished college. Now that she's a senior, she's still trying to figure out what's next, and not knowing has her stressed out. As she explained this dread to her grandmother, one question stuck in her mind: "Are you talking to Him?" Merillat realizes has always thought she would make all the decisions about her future, but now she's paying attention, hoping to hear what God calls her to do.