Goshen College students awarded ministry undergraduate fellowships

Breanna Nickel is a senior Bible and religion and peace, justice and conflict studies double major from Windsor, Colo.
Crystal Zook is a junior peace, justice and conflict studies and history double major from Willow Street, Pa.

GOSHEN, Ind. – Two Goshen College students, Breanna J. Nickel and Crystal M. Zook, were awarded undergraduate fellowships this summer from the Fund for Theological Education (FTE). There were a total of 50 undergraduate fellowships awarded.

Nickel is a senior Bible and religion and peace, justice and conflict studies double major from Windsor, Colo. She is the daughter of Donovan and Jewel Nickel, a graduate of Windsor High School and attends Greeley Mennonite Church.

Zook, a junior peace, justice and conflict studies major from Willow Street, Pa., is the daughter of Gordon and Carol Zook. She is a graduate of Lancaster Mennonite School and attends James Street Mennonite Church.

The FTE is a leading advocate for excellence and diversity in Christian ministry. This is the second year in a row that two Goshen College students have been selected.

"Over the years, GC students have received this award," said Campus Pastor Bob Yoder. "But sometimes it's only one and sometimes no one gets it. So, I'd say that this is a really big deal."

Nickel is doing service work this summer with the organization DOOR Denver through the Goshen College Service Inquiry Program.

Zook is spending the summer at the Philadelphia Praise Center through Goshen College's Ministry Inquiry Program (MIP). She will spend three months working directly with the church.

As part of the FTE, both Nickel and Zook will be attending the annual FTE Conference on Excellence in Ministry held June 17-21 at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va. The conference will include several days of workshops, worship sessions, thoughtful discussions and lectures by notable theologians, pastors and other church leaders.

"I'm really excited to be going [to the conference] because it is a great opportunity to talk with other students/leaders in ministry about how the Christian church has changed over time and what it might look like in the future, as well as how different denominations approach theology and how they might work together, particularly in the area of social justice," Nickel said.

FTE was founded in 1954 in order to improve the quality of those entering the ministry. Leading educators, clergy and philanthropists joined together to create a fund that would help impact the leadership of congregations across North America. Around 6,000 fellowships have been awarded in the last 50 years.

Applicants for the FTE undergraduate fellows program must be juniors or seniors during the next academic year, possess a GPA of 3.0 or higher, be considering ministry as a career and possess exceptional gifts for ministry including love of God and church, imagination, creativity, compassion, a capacity for critical thinking, leadership skills, personal integrity, spiritual depth, dedication to a faith tradition and an ability to understand and to serve the needs of others.

Undergraduate Fellows receive $2,000 for the academic year for any educational expenses or to further their exploration of the ministry. Travel expenses to the conference are covered as well.

For more information on the Fund for Theological Education, visit: www.thefund.org.

-By Julie Weirich

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.