Quaker Leadership Scholars Program

Purpose

The Quaker Leadership Scholars Program (QLSP) at Guilford College is a systematic program that seeks to enable the committed Quaker student to utilize the rich Quaker resources of the College and piedmont North Carolina to deepen and expand involvement in the Religious Society of Friends. Through academic courses, small group discussions, worship, mentoring, internships, conferences, retreats, travel, and exposure to frequent Quaker visitors to campus, participants in QLSP have the opportunity to develop their own spiritual life while preparing to be of service to Friends. In bringing together students from the diverse strands that constitute the body of Friends, QLSP affords the opportunity for gentle exploration and discovery in a framework of love and acceptance.

A second, less intensive level of the Program, the Quaker Scholars Program, enables a student to connect with QLSP through ongoing programs but without the expectation of fulfilling all the requirements of full participation.

Program Sponsorship

Friends Center at Guilford College oversees the QLSP program, with the assistance of the offices of Admission and Financial Assistance and Planning. Friends Center and QLSP director Max Carter, Friends Center assistant Deborah Shaw, and director of adult programs for Friends Center, Sara Beth Terrell, work with the Friends Center Steering Committee, interns, and QLSP student leaders to plan and guide the program. Income from the Clyde and Allie Hinshaw Fund, the Judith Weller Harvey Endowment, the J.M. Ward Fund, The Harvey and Louise Godwin Fund, the Sidney and Pauline Tismis Fund, the Frances Osborne Gust Endowment, the Binford and Jewel Farlow Fund, and the Friends Center Annual Fund provides program support.

Program Goals

Active involvement in QLSP throughout a student's career at Guilford College should offer preparation for significant service to Friends in one or more of the following areas:

1. Quaker ministry in programmed and unprogrammed Meetings.
2. Teaching in Friends' education institutions.
3. Work for Quaker peace, advocacy and service agencies.
4. Application of Quaker principles in the field of business, industry, or other professional work.

The QSP student will focus on a particular area of academic or spiritual involvement with Friends through consultation with the director of QLSP.

Academic Credit

Entering QLSP/QSPers are expected to take GST 105 "Quaker Social Testimonies" during their first year at Guilford; this course carries two credits. The second, third, and fourth years of QLSP include a yearlong, two-credit seminar.

Selection and Financial Assistance

Applications for participation in QLSP are available for students accepted for matriculation at Guilford College, as well as for current and transfer students who would be able to spend at least two years in the program. Application materials are available online and through the Office of Admission. Applications must be submitted by March 15.

Selection into the program will be made by a committee consisting of current QLSP students and staff from Friends Center, Admission, and Financial Assistance and Planning. Notification of acceptance into the program will be made as soon after April 1 as possible.

If financial need has not already been met by other awards, Guilford College provides a grant of up to $3,000 for QLSP participation. In addition, the College will match up to $500 assistance provided by a student's Meeting. Grants are renewable for each year a student remains active in QLSP. A grant of up to $1,000 is given to participants in QSP. Small grants from Program funds are available to assist students in attending conferences, workshops, and other Quaker-related programs. Request for assistance must be made in writing to the director. Four $250 "Farlowships" are available annually to enable further participation in important Quaker work. To qualify for a "Farlowship," a QLSP student must submit a written application and have maintained a strong record of involvement in the program.

Beginning in the fall of 2000, a second level of the program has been instituted: the Quaker Studies Program (QSP). This level is available to the student who is not yet ready to commit to the full QLSP program but wants to be connected with it. The QSP student will focus primarily on an academic study of Quakerism through the Quaker Studies Minor and the frequent Quaker resources brought to campus. All activities of QLSP will be open for involvement, but participation expectations will be less. A $1,000 annual scholarship is available to QSP students.

Re-enrollment

Students are given opportunity each year to indicate their intention to continue involvement in QLSP. A sample re-enrollment form is included in this handbook (appendix B). Continued enrollment in QLSP is based on the mutual decision of the student and the Selection Committee. To be considered for continued enrollment, a student must display fidelity to the goals and program of QLSP through active participation throughout the year. To maintain eligibility for financial assistance in QLSP, a student must maintain a 2.5 grade point average after the sophomore year.

Maintaining Fidelity in the Program

A student who is accepted into QLSP is expected to meet the objectives of the program without the need of undue coaxing from others. In light of the Quaker testimony on integrity, it is understood that participants will understand their obligations and responsibilities and meet them.

As nearly as can be anticipated, those responsibilities are outlined in this handbook. It is estimated that fulfilling QLSP responsibilities will involve five hours of activity a week, on average. At the beginning of each semester, a calendar of events will be provided which outlines upcoming QLSP activities and denotes those which may be chosen to meet specific obligations a student may have in the program. At events for which attendance is required, students will be expected to mark their presence in a "guest book" provided at the activity.

Should a student fail to meet his or her obligations to the program, response will be made from Friends Center staff and QLSP student leadership. The director of Friends Center, working with the clerk (or co-clerks) of QLSP and the QLSP Ministry and Oversight Committee, will seek to encourage full participation. Should satisfaction not be reached, a student may choose not to continue in QLSP or may not be accepted for re-enrollment.

Portfolios

A file is kept in the director's office for each student in QLSP/QSP. Students are encouraged to place in this file responses to special programs, speakers, work trips, conferences, courses, and other activities of the program as an ongoing record of growth and development. Modeled after the tradition of maintaining a C.O. file with one's local meeting, the portfolio will be a valuable resource to the student and directors for future reference. This portfolio will focus on the student's area of specific Quaker interest. It will build every year with more information on the focus area, and can be used to facilitate the design and creation of the student's Senior Project.

Skills Workshop

Each semester, a variety of "skills" workshops will be offered to increase proficiency in important aspects of Quaker life and work. Examples include clerking, minute-taking, mediation, clearness committees, spiritual disciplines, lifestyle simplification, public speaking, and journaling. Response to participation in these workshops will be a valuable component of student portfolios.

Positions and Committees of QLSP

To enable the process of leadership and service development, QLSP encourages active student involvement in the life of the program. A student clerk (or co-clerks) for QLSP is named during the second semester of each year. Each year-level group has a clerk or co-clerks, AND a recording clerk. A variety of committees and leadership positions exist to facilitate this involvement. The expectation is that a student will serve on at least one of the following committees within their four years.

Ministry and Oversight Committee: This committee will be made up of clerks of various committees as well as the clerk(s) of QLSP and will oversee the details and day to day running of the program.

Worship/Nurture Committee: Representatives to this committee will be chosen by year- level groups. Spiritual oversight of QLSP will be the primary role of this committee in addition to programming worship possibilities and opportunities with an eye toward greater variety of worship experiences. Potentially this committee may also take on the oversight of Deputations, which involves handling the requests, assembling the teams, and working with Max and Deborah to arrange transportation.

Community Service: Coordinates service projects that QLSP could do as a group or that could be participated in individually.

Speakers/programs committee: Works with the directors on selection of programs and speakers, voicing particular student interests.

Epistle Committee: Responsible for soliciting articles for and producing a QLSP Epistle that goes out to Meetings, donors to Friends Center/QLSP, various Quaker organizations. In the past there has been one Epistle per year.

Application Committee: Members of this committee read and comment on QLSP applications for the next year. Revising and updating the application forms will also be considered.

Orientation Committee: Members will decide on time and location of QLSP orientation at the beginning of each semester and will organize activities, etc.

Naming Committee: During the second semester selects the Nominating Committee for QLSP clerk(s).

Nominating Committee: Proposes a name for clerk(s) of QLSP. Names are then place before a monthly meeting of all QLSP students for approval.