About Lilly Summer
Discernment Institute
The Lilly Summer Discernment Institute, as a program, was established in 2002 by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. to the University of the South. The purpose of the program is to develop a new generation of religious and service-oriented leaders through substantive experiences in summer internships. In particular, the program was developed to help attract students to the ordained ministry and to vocations that embrace service as a way of life. To that end, the University has established a Summer Discernment Institute (SDI) that will consist of five days of classes, orientation, speakers, discussion groups, and group activities at the University of the South, followed by six weeks of internships, and will culminate in a five-day session back at Sewanee for formal presentations by participants on their experiences, reflection, and discussions of significant learning. Sixteen internship opportunities through the SDI are broken down into two tracks as follows:
Track 1 - Parish-Based Internships: These internships involve students participating in the religious life of the parish community in addition to engaging in parish-sponsored outreach. (Opportunities can be arranged through the University of the South with specific parishes in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, North Carolina and Dallas. For more information, see descriptions below).
Track 2 - Independent Internships: These internships provide an opportunity for students to explore service as a way of life.The Summer Discernment Institute operates within the Christian tradition, but invites interns to reflect on concepts of vocation and service from a variety of religious and ethical perspectives. The Institute solicits applications from all students interested in participating in such reflection, regardless of their religious or ethical orientation. We welcome a variety of vocational paths and ways of exploring your classing.
Students are paid stipends amounting to $2400.00. Work at site is expected to be thirty-five to forty hours per week for six weeks.
All 2009 Interns must be available for the On-Campus Program Dates:
June 1st – July 25th, 2009
Please note that the on-campus weeks at Sewanee of June 1st – June 5th and July 20th – 25th are mandatory for participants.