**Non-Core Award**

The Harvey Fellows Program provides scholarships to Christian students who are pursuing graduate studies at premier universities in fields considered to be underrepresented by Christians and who possess a unique vision to impact society through their vocations.

Initiated by the Mustard Seed Foundation (MSF) in 1992, the Harvey Fellows Program seeks to mark, equip and encourage individuals to actively integrate their faith and vocation as leaders in strategic occupations. We understand God to be creator and sustainer, not only of human beings, but of society’s disciplines and structures which make up our world. We believe God uses individuals to redeem these structures. We therefore desire to empower students who evidence the passion and ability to lead others as they participate in God’s work in the world. Through the program, the Foundation seeks to identify, prepare, and celebrate this generation’s Daniels, Esthers, Josephs and Lydias — people of God willing and able to assume positions of leadership and influence for the cause of Christ in fields such as media, government, scientific research, industry, the arts, and higher education.

Selection Criteria

Criteria for selecting individuals for the Harvey Fellowship includes the applicant’s:

• Description of his/her Christian faith, and evidence of its strength and maturity

• Demonstrated ongoing commitment and accountability to the local church

• Articulation of the strategic nature of his/her vocational arena as a mission field and as a position from which to influence society

• Argument for the lack of a distinctive Christian voice in that field

• Demonstrated expertise within the discipline/field

• Demonstrated passion and ability to lead others

• Potential to impact people and systemic structures within the field through his/her vocational vision and commitment

• Ability to be successful in the chosen field of study, profession and cultural context

• Outstanding academic history

Stipends

Each individual selected for the Harvey Fellowship is awarded an initial stipend of $16,000. Fellows are free to use their stipends for legitimate educational expenses which further their vocational goals including tuition, living expenses, research tools or travel, studio space, professional conferences, and interview travel. The number of Fellowships awarded each year (both new and renewal) varies according to available funds of the Mustard Seed Foundation.

Stipends may be renewed for up to two additional years. Funding may be provided for a total of two years for most master’s programs and a total of three years for law and doctoral programs. Stipend payments beyond the first year are contingent upon the Fellow’s good academic standing, reaffirmation of the statement of faith and vocational goal as articulated in the student’s application, timely attendance at a Summer Institute, the approval of Mustard Seed Foundation, and funds available to the Foundation.

Expectations

Expectations of individuals chosen to be Harvey Fellows include the following:

Summer Institute
A significant component of the Harvey Fellows Program is a Summer Institute where Fellows meet to explore together the integration of faith, learning, and vocation. Typically held in Washington, DC in June, the Institute offers a unique opportunity to build networks for future interaction and encouragement. Participants learn from the examples of outstanding individuals who are committed to Jesus Christ and to a life of serving Him through strategic vocations.

New Fellows are expected to attend the Summer Institute as soon as one is offered (Institutes are held every-other year). Funding is contingent upon attendance at an Institute. The Mustard Seed Foundation pays program costs for the Institute. Fellows are responsible for transportation to and from the Institute and are required to stay for the duration. All Fellows are expected to participate in one Summer Institute.

Stewardship
The Biblical concept of stewardship is central to the way mature Christians organize and prioritize their lives, by emphasizing the fact that all that we have — time, talents, and financial resources — have been given to us by God for his glory. In the selection of Fellows, the Foundation seeks to steward its resources to assist talented students to pursue the vocation to which God has called them. In return, the Foundation expects Fellows to continue to steward their lives to God’s glory and the building of his kingdom. All Fellows, as available, are expected to participate in Harvey Fellows activities through the Mustard Seed Foundation. This includes, first and foremost, participating in the annual process of identifying and selecting new Harvey Fellows, but also includes other opportunities, such as sharing promotional materials with potential applicants.

Community and Service
The Mustard Seed Foundation encourages the fostering of ongoing relationships among Fellows. This is achieved primarily through participation in the Summer Institute. In addition, the Fellows themselves organize events and programs to maintain these relationships. The hope of these relationships is to provide encouragement and support to live out one’s faith and vocation, and to counter the isolation often experienced in graduate school and in one’s profession. Senior Fellows (those having completed their degrees) are encouraged to serve as mentors to current Fellows. All Harvey Fellows are encouraged to actively foster and utilize the relational network, and to thereby learn from each other as they pursue the vocations to which God has called them. A select group of Fellows serve on the Harvey Fellows Advisory Board. The Advisory Board facilitates regional gatherings of Fellows, maintains an active prayer network among the Fellows, and participates in the selection of new Fellows.

Application Process

The application process includes completing and merging PDF files as well as facilitating the receipt of recommendation letters. The entire application must be completed by the November 1 deadline.

The application includes the following components:

1. Complete Contact Information

2. Current Resume or CV

3. Vocational Goal Statement

The vocational goal statement is a short summary of the applicant’s vocational goals. It should explain what the applicant’s degree program will enable him or her to accomplish.

4. Affirmation of the Lausanne Covenant

The Lausanne Covenant must be affirmed. Affirmation with qualifications to the Covenant are accepted.

5. Essays

Five essays are required and one is encouraged with a maximum 400 words each.

Essay #1: PERSONAL FAITH STATEMENT
Write a personal statement of your Christian faith (what it is that you believe). Explain the significance of your faith in Jesus Christ to your everyday life. Be sure to describe your involvement in a local church, and give examples of opportunities that you have had to demonstrate and evidence your faith.

Essay #2: VOCATIONAL GOALS
Briefly outline your vocational goals. Describe the factors that have motivated you to pursue your vocation. Be sure to reflect on your efforts to integrate your faith, learning and vocation.

Essay #3: IMPACT
Explain how this vocational arena impacts society at large, and how this vocation is strategic to Christ’s kingdom. Provide evidence that your chosen field is under-represented by Christians and tell us how you plan to impact your field for Christ.

Essay #4: LEADERSHIP
Reference at least one recent leadership experience related to your vocational goal. If possible, show how you have demonstrated the ability to lead others, particularly as the head of an organization or group. Describe how this experience has played a role in your development and/or informed your understanding of leadership in general.

Essay #5: DEGREE PROGRAM
Describe the special strengths of the degree program(s) to which you have applied, and how they compare to the acknowledged premier programs in your specialty. Discuss how these programs will prepare you to enter the job market and pursue a position of influence within your field.

Essay #6: OTHER (Optional, but encouraged)
Please state anything else that is important for us to know about you. We encourage you to share information you feel is important, but have not had the opportunity to fully present in the other essays. You may wish to explain gaps in work/study in your resume, explain your work sample, expound upon your vocational goals, give another example of your leadership gifts, etc.

6. School and Degree Program Information

7. Recommendation Letters

Four recommendation letters are required. The letters must come from the applicant’s:

1) Current Local Church

2) Academic Advisor

3) Academic or Professional Field

4) Other Spiritual Recommender

8. Test Scores

GRE, LSAT, GMAT or other test scores are required for those applicants who have not yet been admitted to their intended degree program. Test scores are optional for those applicants who have been offered admission, who have already begun their chosen course of study, or if the program to which the applicant is applying does not require text scores for admission. Official GRE reports may be sent directly to the Harvey Fellows Program by using code 5288. Official GMAT scores may be sent directly to the Harvey Fellows Program using code 9FQ-WL-78.

9. Official Transcripts

Official transcripts from undergraduate and graduate programs through the most recent semester are required. Applicants may exclude transcripts from schools where a degree was not pursued.

10. Work Sample

The work sample may be a significant piece of academic work (research paper or excerpt, conference presentation, published work, scientific research proposal, recital tape, artwork, etc). Written work samples must be no more than 25 pages in total length. Artists may submit work samples up to a 1 hour run time. Music and video work samples must be uploaded to a website – we do not accept CD or DVD work samples. Only one work sample may be submitted.