Shinnyo-En Summer Fellowship for Vocational Exploration
The heart of the Shinnyo-En Summer Fellowship program is integrating service and leadership experiences with reflection upon one’s vocational calling, or one’s unique path to creating a more just and peaceful world. The Shinnyo-en Summer Fellowship is designed to increase student capacity for community and campus leadership while also increasing their capacity to discern their vocational path.
Testimonials
Hear from a past summer fellow, Katie Boehnlein, '08, who also interned with the Shinnyo-en Foundation in 2009 - Giving, Growing, and Transforming: My Summer at the Shinnyo-en Foundation
Key elements of the Fellowship:
Preparation: Fellows meet with CSCE staff in May to begin discerning their community agency placements.
Service: Fellows serve at a nonprofit agency of their choice for 20 hours per week. Three fellows will be selected as SUYI fellows and will serve at SUYI organizations. Please indicate in your cover letter if you are interested in this opportunity.
Leadership: Fellows coordinate all aspects of a service project for approximately 10 hours per week: either the New Student Service Immersions (September 12-14, 2012) or SU’s annual
Serve Seattle day of service (September 22, 2012).
Reflection: Each week Fellows meet with one or more CSCE staff to reflect on their service and leadership experiences and to discuss directed readings.
Retreat: Fellows attend a 2-3 day retreat, which provides Fellows with an additional opportunity to reflect on their experiences and connect with other leaders from diverse backgrounds. Retreat dates for summer 2012 are TBD, likely in early July.
Evaluation: Fellows work with CSCE staff to evaluate the overall Fellowship Program in order to improve future work.
Time Commitment
10 weeks (Mid July – End of September)
Compensation
Approx. $2600 for 300 hours at $8.75/hour.
Eligibility & Criteria
Six currently enrolled Seattle University undergraduate students are selected as Fellows each year. Graduating seniors may apply with the understanding that preference may be given to continuing students. Preference will be given to applicants with prior experience in service and leadership. This fellowship is intended for individuals whose application and interview demonstrate:
- Commitment to community involvement and a willingness to take on leadership roles in service. Demonstrated leadership in service will strengthen one’s application.
- Desire to explore the meaning and purpose of one’s life and vocational “calling”, as well as a demonstrated capacity to reflect upon and articulate one’s experiences.
- Commitment to all of the program components listed above.
- Maturity, openness to new experiences, respect for the dignity of people with whom we serve, and an ability to reflect upon the meaning of one’s service experiences.
To Apply
Complete application on Redhawk Network by Fri. April 12, 2013.
Sponsored by
The Shinnyo-en Summer Fellowship for Vocational Exploration is made possible by a generous grant from the Shinnyo-en Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to “build more caring communities by supporting educational programs that engage and inspire young people in meaningful acts of service.” Shinnyo-en, a lay Buddhist order, nurtures an ethic of service “without regard to differences of faith or background.” In that spirit, students from all religious and spiritual traditions, as well as students who identify as agnostic, atheist, or having no faith tradition, are welcome to apply.