Religious Life develops holistic student programs
Jessica Patchett / Editor in Chief
The Religious Life Office will begin accepting applications
for positions as student program directors of the Vera
Richardson Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life
following an interest meeting next Thursday at 6 p.m. The
center, its programs and student directors will benefit from
Edna and Douglas Noiles’ $1 million gift to Religious
Life last fall, which became one of Elon’s largest
programmatic endowments last fall.
“We are grateful that we could be instruments in
setting something in motion. Now, we can step out of the way
and let God keep it going,” wrote Edna Noiles in a
letter to The Pendulum last week.
The staff of the Religious Life Office took the
Noiles’ dream for religious life at Elon and outlined
programs designed to nurture students’ faith while in
college and to prepare students to continue their faith
journeys after leaving Elon.
“The ultimate goal is to put planning in the student
arena so we address what students are interested in,”
said Kate Colussy-Estes, assistant chaplain and director of
Religious Life.
Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life will focus on
seven programmatic areas, including spiritual leaders in
residence, interfaith dialogue series, spiritual formation
retreats, spiritual formation workshops, living your values
programs, Thursday chapel and Sundays @ 5.
The reach of these programs is designed to encompass many
faiths and address many aspects of students’ lives and
growth.
“This will underscore a key value of the mission of
Elon’s Religious and Spiritual Life Office – that
spiritual vitality is not confined to any one dimension of
campus life but can be experienced in any aspect if we are
paying attention,” said Richard McBride, university
chaplain and director of church relations.
The Noiles’ endowment creates assistance and incentive
for students to devote one to two years of service to the
Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, providing
student program directors with a $2,000 annual stipend and a
one-time travel grant of $1,000 to participate in a religious
pilgrimage course or another Elon-sponsored course approved
by the Truitt Center.
Junior, Emily Shore, said she will apply for a position as a
student program director. Shore has been working in the
Religious Life Office for nearly a year helping with office
work, scheduling student appointments and assisting with some
planning.
“For me, the incentive that there’s money that
goes along with the job is good,” Shore said,
“I’m interested in going into Christian ministry
and this is an opportunity to explore a different part of
campus ministry.”
Shore and other students interested in positions as program
directors will undergo an extended application process
throughout the spring, including an initial application, a
group interaction meeting and follow-up interviews. Seven
students will be chosen by April 27 to lead each of the seven
programmatic areas.
Once these seven students have begun working with campus
clergy to plan their programs, there will be opportunities
for other students to engage in the programs from all angles,
including planning work and participation.
Student program directors will be paired with campus clergy
and hold regular meetings with a team of faculty, staff and
students as a guiding force through their experiences
planning and leading their program areas.
“[There will be] a lot of other people involved- a lot
of opportunities to work with programs and a lot of
creativity,” Colussy said.
Both Colussy and McBride said they were looking forward to
an increase in engagement with the center next fall when new
programs begin.
“I would love to see a lot more people involved
– the goal of the programs at the Truitt Center is to
involve students who – don’t have a niche
currently,” Colussy said.
According to Edna Noiles, the Truitt’s Center’s
main objective is to “provide students new
opportunities to explore meaning and purpose in life.”
“It’s something that’s already here, but
we’re hoping to enrich it,” McBride said.
“I am hopeful that people will be able to see that what
we’re doing is a contribution to the total university
project.”
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