Values and Vocations Fellowship The Values and Vocations Fellowship, funded by the Angell Foundation, provides students with a unique opportunity to explore the nexus of spiritual development and a commitment to serve the common good through work projects or internships. In addition to work in the community, Fellows attend a weekly seminar. The seminar focuses on spiritual development theory and practice as discussed by leading scholars in the field of grassroots spirituality and trans-traditional spiritual development. The seminar work allows students to explore their passion for social change and their need to develop a spiritual practice that will ultimately help to sustain a lifelong commitment to social justice. The basic philosophy of this project is to develop tangible and long-lasting connections between a passion to improve our society with a commitment to spiritual wisdom and practice. Seminars will be structured to help students identify a spiritual practice or orientation that will strengthen and support their continued commitments to meaningful engagement in our democratic society. The seminars will draw from a fundamental belief that social justice work cannot be effectively sustained over a lifetime without a strong, centered and regular spiritual practice. Fall 2008 Fellowships now open! Fellows will work 10 hours per week at a social justice project in the community. Students are encouraged to design their own project or to join an existing project in an approved agency or community setting. Fellows will receive a stipend for their work. An additional 2 hours each week will be spent attending a theory and practice integration seminar under the direction of the ORSL Interim Director, the Rev. Susan E. Young. Fellows will explore the relationship between the passion to make a positive change in our society and one's spiritual development. Fellows will be expected to engage the seminar process by reflecting on and exploring spiritual perspectives and practices, and discussing the ways in which the development of a spiritual center or practice grounds and sustains a life committed to social justice work. Seminars will explore a variety of spiritual and religious practices; fellows will be expected to engage religious diversity as a central ethic in seminar discussions. This opportunity is open to students of all faith and spiritual backgrounds---including those with none. Students may apply for only the Fall semester or the full academic year. Priority will be given to students who have not previously received V&V Fellowships. Interested students should contact the Rev. Susan E. Young @ young@oxy.edu. Applications are due on September 5, 2008. |
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