Lilly Grant: Exploring Our Gifts
- PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS
Lectures:
Worship: The Community Conversation on Vocation
Campus Ministries has monthly worship mini-convocations during the academic year with themes oriented to vocation. Watch the web site for dates and details.
Vocation Forums
During the course of the year speakers and experts on the topics of vocation will offer their wisdom and experience to the community through workshops and convocations. Watch the web site for dates and details.
Mentoring Programs:
Vocation Mentoring Teams
Campus Ministries, and the Center for Service Work and Learning, and others will create mentoring groups that include students (primarily sophomores, juniors, and seniors), faculty, staff, and alumni. Each year, the group participants will commit to a year-long experience, including monthly workshops, one-on-one meetings, and retreats, which will encourage alumni and students to explore how to live life and pursue a career with faith.
Mentoring in Spiritual Disciplines
During this year-long project, 20 students, faculty, and staff are trained in spiritual practices that help them to develop the ability to stop, reflect, and listen to God. After choosing and committing to one or two spiritual exercises most useful to him/her, each participant will strengthen his/her personal reflection and search for God’s call with monthly meetings with a small group and a silent retreat.
Career and Vocation Exploration:
Student Vocation Assessments
The Center for Service Work and Learning has assessment tools available to students so that they can reflect on the deeper questions of purpose and call with a career counselor before they choosing careers and professions. All students are welcome to use these resources by appointment. Call Lois Olson (The Center for Service, Work, and Learning) at 612-330-1474 for more information.
Vocation-Quest Retreats
Primarily for freshmen and sophomores, the vocation-quest retreats give students the opportunity to explore their calling together in a setting of peace and reflection. The weekend retreats are held twice a year, and each retreat has room for twelve students. Call Lois Olson (The Center for Service, Work, and Learning) at 612-330-1474 for more information.
Courses:
Courses Centered on Vocation
Over the next five years, new courses centered on vocation will be developed and offered. While some of these courses will be designed to meet the specific needs of students who intend to pursue careers in Christian ministry, others will discuss more general aspects of vocation and its implications on all careers, professions, and disciplines. Some existing courses will also be revised to emphasize vocation. All students are encouraged to enroll. Watch the web site and the course catalog for more details.
Exploration of Vocation in the International Community
In cooperation with the Office of International Programs (OIP), new courses are being developed to allow students to focus on vocation in a global context in CGE locations (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Namibia) and other places around the world. Students will receive funding to participate in these international programs and will share their experiences with each other and other students on campus. For more information, contact Andrea Wojtanowicz in Augsburg Abroad at 612-330-1669, or wojtanow@augsburg.edu.
Service Experiences and Internships:
Lilly Vocation Internships
The grant will provide stipends, up to $1500, to 32 selected Lilly Interns to participate in semester internship experiences at faith-based non-profit sites around the Twin Cities, working in partnership with the College. This experience will give students the opportunity to explore how they can use their gifts in ministry, lay ministry, and public or social service settings. An accompanying seminar allows time for personal self-assessments, vocational reflection, and leadership development. For more information, contact Heidi Lender in the Office of Service, Work and Learning at 612-330-1762.
Church Leader Development
The grant subsidizes students who are interested in serving as camp counselors but who cannot afford to do so for financial considerations. Camp salaries are supplemented so that it is possible for the counselor-students’ earnings to total a sum of up to $2000. For more information, contact Sonja Hagander in Campus Ministries at 612-330-1735.
Washington, D.C. Immersion Experience
Each year of the grant, 16 students are subsidized to participate in aone-week immersion experience at the Steinbruck Center for Urban Studies and Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, D.C. They visit local organizations and churches, shadow a person in the community, attend lectures, and take part in self-assessment exercises and reflections. For more information, call Garry Hesser at 612-330-1664 and watch the web site for more details.
Programs for entering students and freshmen
Orientation for Entering Students
New students and their parents are introduced to the theological exploration of vocation through campus tours, the college website, contacts with students, and presentations made by faculty and staff during Summer Orientation and Welcome Week.
Augsburg Seminar
Parts of two or more sessions of AugSem are devoted to discussion about and reflection on vocation. Through readings and reflection pieces linking their service experiences to vocation, all new Augsburg students will see the connection between faith, life, vocation, and their careers.
Programs for Juniors and Seniors
Lilly Scholars
Exploring Our Gifts, a program generously supported by the Lilly Endowment, Inc., invites current sophomores or juniors to apply to be a Lilly Scholar for the 2008-2009 academic year. This program is a year-long academic seminar for students who have an interest in attending seminary or pursuing graduate study in the sacred arts or theology. (Note that this does not mean that applicants have made a definite commitment to attend seminary or to pursue graduate study in a field related to religion, but only that the they are considering that option.)
The Lilly Scholar seminar will meet over the course of the 2008-2009 academic year. Seminar participants will also have the opportunity to take graduate-level courses at Augsburg or Luther Seminary.
The 10 applicants selected to be Lilly Scholars will each receive a scholarship of $2,100 as well as 1.0 upper division credit in the Religion Dept. upon successful completion of REL 405/406 (The Lilly Scholar Seminar). This credit would fulfill one elective credit for a major or minor in religion.
Applicants should have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 or higher and must complete an application form, compose a statement of interest, and obtain a letter of support from a faculty advisor or other faculty member. Applications are available on the door of the Exploring Our Gifts office, Memorial 231, or you may download one here. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Diane Glorvigen at 612-330-1334 or glorvige@augsburg.edu.
Submit application to: Diane Glorvigen, CB 114
Application deadline: Friday, March 28, 2008