Service Inquiry Program

Spend a summer in service and receive a $1,500 scholarship for tuition and a $750 - $1,000 stipend.

The Service Inquiry Program (SIP) enables students at Goshen College to spend three months in service with a church-related service or mission agency. The goal of the Service Inquiry Program is to facilitate significant student engagement with service under sponsorship of a church agency and through the tutelage of an on-site mentor. Students are expected to learn from both their active service and from their observation of others engaged in service. They are also expected to participate actively in the life of their service unit, including involvement with a local congregation. Interested students may complete and submit an application form as a first step toward participation in SIP.

About the program

"My hands-on position in Samaritan Ministry gave me a better glimpse at some of the fundamentals of homelessness and poverty in U.S. cities. The stories of participants I've met will act as powerful fodder for learning as I continue my formal education." - Isaac Beachy SIP 2007

Students in SIP will experience:

• Direct, meaningful service to others
• Exposure to societal inadequacies and injustices
• Creative responses to perplexing human problems
• Encounters with people from other cultures
• Insight into service agency needs and requirements
• New relationships with representatives of a church agency

At the end of the service period, agency and site supervisors will each 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 SIP experience.

How do I apply to participate in the Service Inquiry Program?

"This internship gave me the opportunity to explore non-profit work in depth and it is definitely an area I would like to work in." - Anna Hade SIP 2007

Registration Deadlines:

Though we would love to provide placements for all students who apply, we are only able to accept 5-8 applicants per Inquiry Program. There are two deadlines: early-bird (December 1, 2007) and final (January 31, 2008). Students who complete their applications by the early-bird deadline will be processed (accepted or not accepted) first. Depending on the number of applicants in a given year, the possibility exists that all slots might be filled even before the final deadline! Therefore, it is in the best interest of the student to apply early! Complete the application NOW!

If you are a student:

• Visit the Campus Ministries Office and speak with Bob Yoder, the SIP 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 service 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 Service Inquiry Program administrator at Goshen College and nominate an excellent student candidate from your congregation who would benefit from SIP.
  

"This summer was an amazing learning experience for me as I was able to discern more about my vocational desires, hone my leadership skills, and encounter a world quite different from my own." - Matt Harms SIP 2007

If you represent a church agency responsible for administering service programs:

• Call or write to the SIP administrator at Goshen College and submit a position description for any student who has applied to participate in the SIP program.
• Consider seriously how your agency could host a student as a SIP participant when a candidate names your agency as the preferred agency for a service assignment.
• Discuss candidly service options with students who express an interest in serving with your agency.

How does the program work?

"As far as SIP, I really appreciated how it enabled me to have this experience . . . . It definitely opened the doors for me as I explore the real possibility of doing some kind of socially aware media as a vocation." - James Weber SIP 2007

The Service Inquiry Program is designed to be a summer-long service-learning experience for Goshen College students. It calls for full-time involvement for 11 weeks.

Each SIP 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:

$1,000 Goshen College Campus Ministries $500 Student's home congregation or equivalent

The sponsoring agency will also arrange for and provide housing, a food allowance, and a $750 - $1,000 stipend. The student will be responsible for travel expenses to and from the service location.

Who may participate?

The Service 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 SIP and may negotiate an assignment with an other-than-Mennonite agency.

"She quickly figured out how to work in our office environment, but as a relative new-comer, she was also able to critique certain things that we do within our jobs, helping us improve our work practices." - Marlene Kroeker SIP 2007 Supervisor

May I participate in the Service Inquiry Program at times other than the summer?

Yes - if the SIP Administrator, your academic adviser at Goshen College, and the church agency agree on another 11-week period during the year. However, the program's primary intention is for a summer experience.