Gustavus Adolphus College

Summer 2009

• application form
• recommendation form

Deadline for applications and recommendations are due Tuesday, April 14, 2009.

The 2009-2010 Summer Servant-Leadership program is open to students who will be in residence for the entire 2009-2010 academic year and will spend the summer of 2009 working with an organization or agency that contributes to the common good, in a capacity that will enable them to function and grow as "servant-leaders." Examples of appropriate settings include a non-profit human service agency; an organization that deals with issues of peace, social justice, community building, the environment, the arts, education, or health care; a summer camp; a congregation, retreat center, or related ministry; and the like. The several components of this rigorous, high-commitment program--including a $1250 stipend and a year of follow-up reflection and leadership development opportunities--are intended to encourage students to spend their summer working and growing as servant-leaders, and to support them in exploring potential "callings" to a lifetime of leadership and service.

Click here to see stories of previous SLPers!

Participants are selected on the basis of an application, two recommendations, and an interview. Applicants who have participated in the program before are eligible to apply, although priority for acceptance may be given to those who have not yet participated. A limited number of applicants will be invited to serve in the capacity as peer mentors / small-group leaders, who will help to shape the program's culture of high expectations and powerful growth. In addition to taking on added leadership responsibilities within the program, these peer mentors will also have opportunities for additional training and development, including participation in a travel-study-reflection experience.

Since the primary aim of the program is to develop servant-leaders by nurturing substantive reflection on issues of vocation and lives of service, participants are asked to make a significant, sincere, and enthusiastic commitment to participating in all its aspects throughout both semesters of the next school year, including:

• an opening "pre-flection" grill-out picnic and commissioning celebration on May 3, 2009
• a welcome-back celebration during the first week of class, and an overnight weekend retreat in September
• regular small-group activities throughout the year (including, for example, discussion of common readings and a group-designed service project)
• a series of four, 3-hour Servant-Leadership Development Workshops, across fall and spring semesters
• a celebration dinner in December
• a half-day Leadership Integration retreat in early May 2010

The application deadline for the 2009-2010 Servant Leadership Program is April 14, 2009.