Camping Inquiry ProgramSpend a summer working with a camp administrator and receive up to a $1,500 scholarship and a $750 - $1,000 stipend. Mennonite Camping Association newsletter editor Jim Penner has written that outdoor ministry connects sacred journeys to sacred places. Camps provide places of pilgrimage for the modern church – sacred places where young people can explore what it means to live faithfully in a Christ-centered community and where care of the earth is an extension of Jesus' ministry.
About the programStudents in CIP will experience:
At the end of the service period, camp supervisors will write a report for Goshen College and the student, evaluating the student's performance and the suitability of the program for future interns. Students should meet with their academic advisers to learn about the possibility of earning academic credit for their CIP experience. How do I apply to participate in the Camping Inquiry Program? |
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- Visit the Campus Ministries Office and speak with Bob Yoder, the CIP administrator.
- Let your academic adviser know you would like to participate in the program.
- You can earn academic credit by registering with your academic adviser at Goshen College.
- Discuss your camp/retreat center interests with the pastor of your home congregation.
- Complete an online application form.
If you represent a congregation as a pastor or youth leader:
- Call or write to the Camping Inquiry Program administrator
at Goshen College and nominate an excellent student candidate from your
congregation who would benefit from CIP.
If you are a camp administrator:
- Call or write to the CIP administrator at Goshen College and submit a position description for any student who has applied to participate in the program.
- Consider seriously how your camp could host a student as a CIP participant when a candidate names your site as the preferred camp/retreat assignment.
- Discuss candidly camp/retreat center options with students who express an interest in serving with your camp.
How does the program work?
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Each CIP intern will receive a scholarship of $1,500 to be applied to college expenses during the academic year following the term of service. Ideally, the funds for the scholarship will come from the following sources:
The sponsoring camp will also provide food, housing, and a $750 - $1,000 personal stipend. The student will be responsible for travel expenses to and from the camping or retreat center location.
$1,000 Goshen College Campus Ministries
$500 Student's home congregation (or equivalent)
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Who may participate?
The Camping Inquiry Program is designed for Goshen College students who have completed two to three years of college. Ideally, candidates for the program should have a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Students from all faith traditions are warmly invited to participate in CIP and may negotiate an assignment with an other-than-Mennonite agency.May I participate in the Camping Inquiry Program at times other than the summer?
Yes - if the CIP Administrator, your academic adviser at Goshen College, and the camp agree on another 11-week period during the year. However, the program's primary intention is for a summer experience.You can find more information about camps at the Mennonite Camping Association site:
Mennonite Camping Association – www.mennonitecamping.org







