Center for Vocational Reflection
Fraternity Alumni Network (FAN) on the Road!
Kevin Conte, student leader of Augustana's FAN program will be traveling to St. John's University in Minnesota on February 14th to present the "Augustana Fraternity Alumni Network" to other schools from across the country that are interested in how to engage men in vocational reflection. The FAN program matches current members of fraternities with alumni of Augustana who participated in a fraternity. Through e-mails, phone conversations, and Facebook experiences, pairs of alumni and students from respective fraternities are reflecting on vocation throughout the year. Information about the vision, successes, challenges, and the future of the program will be presented. Both mentors and mentees benefit from the relationship and vocational reflection. We will explore what it means to create and maintain a mentoring culture in the 21st century using the fraternity as a vehicle to support and strengthen men in our communities. This program is directed by Becca Poock, CVR Community Engagement Coordinator.
Extravaganza!!!! CVR in New Orleans
Last week two Augustana students, Anne Spoden and Melinda King, and CVR Program Associate Christie Anderson travelled to New Orleans for the ELCA Youth Ministry Network's Extravaganza. Highlights from the four day conference included an inspiring mix of street poetry and story telling from Leslie Hunter, a youth director and assisting minister at Holy Family Lutheran Church in Chicago as well as great workshops ranging in topics from Art in Youth Ministry to Facebook 101. The students found great opportunities to network with people from around the country and gain skills and inspiration for the work they do in youth ministry at Zion Lutheran Church. Christie, part of the Extravaganza planning team, spent the majority of her time preparing for and carrying out five worship services. Pulling from her experience at Taizé, which she attended two summers ago with a group from Augustana's campus ministries, she was able to create an authentic Taizé service for Friday night, an experience many attendees found to be inspirational. She also enjoyed creating prayer experiences like the one pictured here, where participants attached a piece of fabric symbolizing the gifts God has given them to a tree as an offering to God. For more information on the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and the Extravaganza please visit www.elcaymnet.org.
