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Equipping Tomorrow's Leaders to Embrace the Church and Engage God's World

Trinity Fellows [trin·i·ty n.] [fel·lows n.]. A small fellowship of about 12 recent college graduates working and studying in community in preparation for a lifetime of living out their faith in the marketplace and in all of life.

Download application here.

Open a PDF file of the Fellows Program brochure.

Read about the 2008-09 Fellows Class (PDF file) (This is a large file, please be patient.)

The Trinity Fellows Program is a nine-month (September through May) leadership development and training program for young adults recently out of college or graduate school. Twelve young men and women from all walks of life come together to engage in a program designed to foster a God-centered view of knowledge, culture, work and life. Fellows receive theological training, participate in seminars with Christian scholars and community leaders, and enjoy one-on-one mentoring relationships with mature Christian men and women. Fellows apply their training as they minister in the community, work in a marketplace internship and interact with their host family.

Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) is home to the Fellows Program. Trinity is a vibrant body of believers living out the Gospel in the city of Charlottesville, the university community and the world. Situated in the foothills of Central Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville has been described as the essence of small city sophistication, rich in historical and cultural significance. Home to the University of Virginia, the city offers a myriad of restaurants, coffee shops, theaters, art galleries and live music venues, as well as outdoor activities such as mountain biking, hiking and skiing. Its location in central Virginia allows easy access to the natural beauty of the Appalachian Trail and Virginia Beach as well as the urban centers of Washington, D.C. and Richmond.

Fellows Calendar

Calling and Career

The Trinity Fellows program seeks to prepare and equip young men and women for a lifestyle of living by the Gospel and for the Kingdom of God. It prepares young adults to integrate their Christian worldview in their future vocations and all areas of their lives. Emphasizing the sacredness of calling in all work, the Fellows program exists as a discipleship and leadership training tool for those called to serve God in the professional marketplace as lawyers, doctors, bankers, artists and in all professions. Each participant builds a framework for discerning God's calling and answering the question: "What do I do with my life?" The program emphasizes the importance of understanding the redemptive work of Christ as the foundation of life, work and calling.

The Fellows Program assists each Fellow in obtaining a part-time, paid professional position in an area of interest: business, law, medicine, education, youth work, etc. These marketplace internships allow Fellows the opportunity to apply biblical principles in the workplace while developing professional and Kingdom relationships. Working combines practical experience with the personal exploration of day-to-day issues of faith. It gives young people a framework for viewing their work through God's eyes. Fellows also receive career counseling and aptitude assessment through a nationally recognized career evaluation and consulting center.

Teaching and Training
Each Fellow receives theological training through classes at the Center for Christian Study and is eligible for seminary credit through Reformed Theological Seminary. The Fellows also attend special functions and lectures held in and around the University of Virginia. Fellows participate in weekly seminars where they are exposed to godly men and women from a broad range of professional environments. Off-site retreats and conferences, in locations varying from woodland cabins to New York City, offer opportunities for reflection and discussion.

Service and Discipleship
Service lies at the heart of leadership. Fellows are given many opportunities to serve within Trinity Presbyterian Church and in other community ministries. These opportunities include working alongside other volunteer leaders in Trinity's Family, Student & Children's Ministries and tutoring inner-city children through Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries. Each Fellow participates in a mentoring relationship with a mature Christian. Fellows, in turn, will follow the biblical mandate of discipleship by mentoring younger students.

Community
The Fellows Program is a smaller community within the fabric of Trinity Presbyterian Church. It is a place where shared convictions are embodied and embraced. A family in the church community hosts each Fellow, allowing him or her to experience life with people who are striving to serve Christ in the midst of their own challenges, joys and failures.

One evening each week the Fellows share a meal together and participate in a roundtable-style discussion reflecting on the biblical principles and practical implications of Christian community. The Fellows community is committed to accountability, prayer, biblical teaching and fellowship. Often, the friendships forged within this community are the type that will last a lifetime.

Week at a Glance
- Monday-Wednesday is spent in a paid workplace internship, typically from 9-6. Monday evening is spent building intentional and purposeful community through dinner and a roundtable discussion and a time of spiritual formation, a time to wrestle with the deeper implications of living out of a gospel-centered paradigm, typically from 6:30-10 pm.
- Wednesday evening from 6:15-7:15 is a time of fellowship (dinner) and discipleship training with the Student Ministry. This is followed by a time of corporate prayer: 7:15-8:15 pm.
- Thursday from 9:30 am-12:30 pm is a class hosted jointly by the Center for Christian Study and Reformed Theological Seminary: Christian World and Life View (fall), and Cultural Engagement (spring). The late afternoon is spent tutoring inner-city children through Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries, typically from 3:30-5 pm at Johnson Elementary School. Thursday night is a time of intentional reading, rest and reflection.
- Friday from 9:30 am-12:30 pm is spent in class studying interpretation of the Old Testament (fall) and New Testament (spring). The rest of the day and evening are free.*
- Saturday is the Fellows’ day off.*
- Sunday morning is spent working with Trinity's Family, Student & Children's Ministries and participating in larger church worship. From 4-7 pm on Sunday is spent assisting with Trinity's Student Ministry.
*Fellows also have the opportunity to participate in outreach events, retreats and community service projects sponsored by the Trinity Student Ministry.
Note: This is an overview of a typical week and is subject to change.

Testimonials
"The Fellows Program is an ideal fit for a recent college grad who is interested in integrating faith with work in the marketplace and for someone who is seeking to understand how all of life and everything on this earth belongs to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Fellows Program builds a strong biblical foundation for young people who wish to engage the culture and not retreat from it; it teaches them to be as wise in the things of Christ as they will be in their professional career pursuits."
Hugh Jones, MidSouth Regional Director for Staffed Campuses, Campus Crusade for Christ

"With the combination of reformational theology, practical hospitality, vocational mentoring and community service, the Trinity Fellows Program serves the Church by equipping her future leaders for lives of Kingdom service."
Rev. Greg Thompson, Senior Pastor, Trinity Presbyterian Church

"I thought four years of college would help discern my calling and direct me toward a future career. However, faced with graduation I found myself with a lot more questions than answers! Being a Trinity Fellow didn't give me all the answers, but it gave me a church community in which I could ask hard questions, actively learn about my faith and myself, and apply it all in a work setting. The best part about the Fellows Program wasn't the answers I found, but the chance to ask more questions."
Shannon Bremer, Fellows Program Alumna & College of William & Mary Alumna

"The Fellows Program taught me in a very practical way what it means to live for and walk with Christ in every realm of my life. I learned that each moment of my day is soaked with purpose if it is viewed from a Christian worldview and biblical perspective."
Jon Thompson, Fellows Program Alumnus & University of Virginia Alumnus

"Though I became a Christian in college, I was still unsure how to apply my faith in practical ways, especially in the business world. The Trinity Fellows Program allowed me to see Christianity lived out in the home, community and marketplace. As an integral part of the local church, I could wrestle with tough questions without pretending to have all the answers. That process changed my understanding of Jesus' work on the cross from an abstract theory to a concrete reality."
Sam Voelkel, Fellows Program Alumnus & Auburn University Alumnus

Tuition Costs & Benefits
Each Fellow is housed with a host family from the church community. Room and board are provided at no cost, and living expenses are further offset by the part-time wages the Fellows earn in their workplace assignments. Fellows are responsible for their own car and health insurance. Before entering the program, each Fellow is required to raise $5,500 in tuition and is encouraged to seek financial and prayer support from his or her family, friends and church community. Tuition costs meet expenses related to seminary courses, field trips, career evaluations, books/study materials, conferences and administrative expenses. Please note that Fellows are classified as full-time students and thus may be able to defer student loans and retain dependent health insurance status.

Statement of Commitment
We in the Trinity Fellows Program desire to keep God's Word as the standard by which we live. We recognize that all of life, including life in the workplace, is to be lived out under the lordship of Jesus Christ and to His Glory! We are convinced that the most effective leader is a servant-leader who strives to know God's will and is compelled by His grace. As believers we celebrate our life of grace, we affirm that we belong to Christ, and we are committed both to serving others and to pursuing a mission greater than ourselves.

If this statement reflects your own commitment to a life of following Christ, we invite you to download an application for admission.

Applying to the Fellows Program
The Trinity Fellows Program has a rolling admissions policy but applications received on or before the deadline posted below will receive priority. Our admission process is very selective and the 12 spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Generally speaking we reserve six spaces for men and six for women. A visit to Charlottesville is strongly encouraged but is not mandatory.

Please download this application (opens a Word document), complete and email it to

fellows at trinitycville dot org

Note that applications are accepted until spaces are filled.