SALEM, OR (February 15, 2024) – Corban University has been selected by the Murdock Charitable Trust to participate in its Vision and Call internship program.
Established in 2006, Vision and Call provides young adults with expanded internship opportunities that encourage them to carefully consider their future vocational paths through meaningful work experience. The program operates on an “apprenticeship model,” which includes mentorship and training opportunities from experienced leaders within each organization, resulting in a vocational experience that falls outside of the scope of a standard internship.
For Corban University specifically, this partnership will create new opportunities for interns in the offices of Student Life and Advancement, where they will work closely with department leaders while considering and expanding their understanding of their vocational futures. Beginning with two interns in summer of 2024, Corban hopes to see this program grow to include multiple Vision and Call interns, a gracious and competitive pool of applicants, and a legacy of leaders who have benefitted from the value it offers.
“This is an incredible opportunity for Corban to identify and help develop students who show a passion for leadership roles within Christian higher education,” says Corban University Vice President for Advancement, Shannon Johnson. “Vision and Call’s motto is ‘over the shoulder and through the heart,’ and that is the critical piece of this internship. These students are getting the chance to look closely at what I do as a professional and what Brian Jaworski does as Vice President for Student Life. They get to see the inner workings of the University and see the ‘why’ behind what we do.”
Jaworski sees this new program and partnership as a critical win for students. “This is a chance for us to really amplify the leadership qualities we see in our students on this campus, offering them an internship opportunity that gets them involved in more than the standard day-to-day tasks,” he says. “The mentorship component, paired with the training provided by Murdock, will go a long way in helping us to launch these students well into their future careers and ministries, and that has always been the goal here at Corban.”
The launch of the Vision and Call program at Corban University marks a six-year commitment to establishing the internship model in a manner that can be sustained beyond the Murdock Trust’s initial grant support. The vision of the program is to benefit both the student and the University by providing transformative vocational experience, increasing the pool of talented emerging leaders entering the workforce, and empowering the sustainable development of young leaders.
Johnson considers the partnership between the Murdock Charitable Trust and Corban University to be a perfect match, aligning with Corban’s mission to educate Christians who will make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. “The Murdock Charitable Trust is one of the most important partners we have, not just from the generous financial resources they give, but through the practical and training resources they provide, which are a critical component of sustainability,” says Johnson. “We both believe in the mission of this University, and this partnership is so critical in serving our students well.”
ABOUT CORBAN UNIVERSITY: Corban is a private Christian university, founded in 1935, with a storied history of educating students who will make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. Situated on a beautiful, forested hillside overlooking Oregon’s capital, Corban is only an hour from the Cascade Mountains and the Oregon coast. Offering academic excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, and online, Corban prepares students for careers as business leaders, educators, medical professionals, ministry leaders, and more. Expert faculty, a tight-knit community, and opportunities for local and global engagement provide for students’ growth both in and beyond the classroom.