Reflections From our 2018 Summer Fellows
What a privilege it was to invest in five amazing Christian women and their projects this summer! Our Summer Fellows share about their experiences at ADM and their accomplishments over the month of January ...
Our ADM Summer Fellows (left to right): Jo Kadlecek, Robyn Wrigley-Carr, Lyn Kidson, Brooke Scriven and Christine Poon.
JO KADLECEK
Why did you decide to apply for an ADM Summer Fellowship?
I applied for a couple of reasons: I thought the focused time and space might allow me to dive more deeply and fully into my project. It did! I also wanted to get to know ADM better, as well as the folks who ensure its success and impact for God's Kingdom. That also happened! I'm grateful to have begun a fun and inspiring relationship with so many lovely visionaries and practitioners who are interested in networking with other like-minded women and men. It's helpful in the day-to-day to remember that we're not alone in the work that we sense that God has given us to do.
How did the ADM Summer Fellowship help you to develop your work?
When I started the fellowship, I had a bunch of books and a head full of research and ideas going in too many different directions. But with the commitment to being in the ADM office each day of summer, I was able to plot out a structure for my project and complete a first draft of the first act of my play. The combination of being in Sydney, enjoying the city and the camaraderie of the other Fellows and the ADM staff, as well as some cultural events, really ignited ideas and insights for my project, which is a two-act play that celebrates women writers.
What was the highlight of your ADM Summer Fellowship?
There was so much that was worthy of ‘highlight’ status that it's hard to single out any one. However, highlights included: the spontaneous conversations that happened over coffee or in the office; the access to research and various resources; the opportunity to sit in on ADM’s inaugural School of Theology, Culture and Public Engagement, including learning from Lynn Cohick on Philippians; the Sydney Festival; walks across the Harbour Bridge; getting to know mega-talented and lovely humans (including ADM staff); the lunch hour pow-wows with the Summer Fellows; taking my laptop to the NSW State Library (just wow); and imagining my play might someday find a home on stage because of this time at ADM. All good gifts.
What aspects of the program did you find most helpful in developing your work?
The flexibility of time, the warm hospitality and the professional space helped me the most in taking my work seriously and getting into it. These things only happen when someone has a vision to invest in others, as ADM does in its Fellows.
How was being part of the community of ADM Summer Fellows beneficial to you?
The spontaneous conversations and mutual respect were delightful and encouraging. What an amazing gift it is to gather with smart and humble women from the top of their fields who love Jesus and see their work as an extension of their calling to live faithfully!
Who would you recommend an ADM Summer Fellowship to?
I already have recommended it! About 10 times over! I'm looking forward to seeing the fruit of these fellowships and hearing how God continues to move in and through ADM and its many friends and Fellows for his purposes.
Lyn Kidson
Why did you decide to apply for an ADM Summer Fellowship?
I really want to continue my research as a continuation of my PhD work. There's more I can do and I'm not sick of it yet!
How did the ADM Summer Fellowship help you to develop your work?
Before I applied, I had decided to write a paper for the Society of Biblical Literature conference held annually in the US. I had already done a lot of the reading in preparation. I have now written my paper and I am ready to submit my abstract for consideration. The ADM Summer Fellowship bursary payment is what has made the difference, because I now don't have to worry about where the money for the travel and conference accommodation is coming from.
What was the highlight of the ADM Summer Fellowship for you?
I enjoyed getting to know the other Summer Fellows, and especially our lunches together. It was also nice to be in a nice place, without having to worry about the washing-up or the laundry. It was a very encouraging and supportive atmosphere.
What aspects of the program did you find most helpful in developing your work?
The biggest benefit for me was having the library in the next room.
How was being part of the community of ADM Summer Fellows beneficial to you?
I think it was having the others ask how my project was going on a regular basis … Some of my conversations found their way into the wording of my conference paper. It was a pleasure to meet those Fellows working in a related field, and it was encouraging to know that there are women academics working in Bible colleges. It was also stimulating to have other Fellows around you who, although they weren't working in the same field, were working on a project as well.
Who would you recommend an ADM Summer Fellowship to?
I definitely think that anyone who is a post-grad, and has a short project they want to work on, should apply. It's very gratifying to have completed a conference paper within four weeks. So, it's just right for anyone who wants to write a conference paper, an article or book chapter. It also seemed to work well for the ladies wanting to kickstart a project that they had been sitting on for quite some time.
Christine Poon
Why did you decide to apply for an ADM Summer Fellowship?
The ADM Summer Fellowships Program was recommended by a friend, and seemed to be an excellent initiative that supports focused projects, as well as the opportunity to get connected to ministry-related resources in Sydney. So I applied, and it was a great decision.
How did the ADM Summer Fellowship help you to develop your work?
It was helpful to use strategically what is traditionally a holiday period to conduct a thorough review in one of many current healthcare challenges, in order to develop and plan longer-term research goals. From the groundwork conducted during the Summer Fellowship at ADM, I was much better prepared for my current academic role.
What was the highlight of the ADM Summer Fellowship for you?
Meeting exceptional, bright and talented women from different fields and parts of Australia, but in the same family in Christ!
What aspects of the program did you find most helpful in developing your work?
Encouragement from other Fellows, seeing them flourish in their vocations and a tranquil office space that was conducive to productivity. I also enjoyed the time to reflect on the intersection of faith and work, and the ready access to theological books, which prompted non-academic reading.
How was being part of the community of ADM Summer Fellows beneficial to you?
Coming from a male-dominant field, it was refreshing to work in an environment with predominantly women. There is also something so special about working alongside fellow Christians that can't be found in the secular workforce – definitely a glimpse of eternity.
Who would you recommend an ADM Summer Fellowship to?
Any woman looking to spend a summer working alongside other Christians in exciting projects!
Brooke Scriven
Why did you decide to apply for an ADM Summer Fellowship?
As a primary school teacher in a Christian school and as a Sunday school (or kids’ church) teacher, I had been reflecting on the way I taught Bible lessons, and had recognised the importance of providing time for children to share their understandings during a lesson. I wanted to explore this further through an analysis of children’s interactions in a Sunday school class – to consider how they competently manage interactions in a classroom setting. Uncovering the ways in which children socially construct meanings in a Sunday school lesson would inform my teaching decisions and contribute to the body of knowledge on this topic.
How did the ADM Summer Fellowship help you to develop your work?
I began my ADM Summer Fellowship with video data of a Bible class to analyse, which was already partly transcribed. My intention was to produce three outputs: an academic journal article, an article for a professional Christian teacher’s journal and a fact sheet that I could share with the children’s ministry team at my local church. I completed a full draft of the academic journal article, which will now feed into my completion of the professional article and fact sheet. I am now refining the draft article for submission to an academic journal. I have also submitted a proposal to present the paper at a national conference later this year.
Our Summer Fellows hard at work.
What was the highlight of the ADM Summer Fellowship for you?
To complete the Summer Fellowship, I relocated to Sydney for four weeks. Being in a new space with new colleagues was an exciting and refreshing experience (and a welcome reprieve from the intense summer heat of Wagga Wagga!). I enjoyed the opportunity to meet and spend time with other Summer Fellows also pursuing their interests with the desire to bring glory to God. I will miss draining coffee pots together and walking the Fellows’ journey with them daily! An added bonus was the ADM office being only a short distance from many Sydney attractions, which to this girl from the country, was an exciting reward after reaching project milestones!
What aspects of the program did you find most helpful in developing your work?
The ample space and time provided for project work allowed me to use the short time frame of the Summer Fellowship productively. Regular check-ins by the Fellowships Manager and other ADM staff provided an arena to share progress and milestones as part of the ADM community.
How was being part of the community of ADM Summer Fellows beneficial to you?
It was an extremely positive experience to be part of a community of Summer Fellows. Through the simple act of putting in the hours together, day after day, we could celebrate each other’s progress and be a sounding-board for ideas and next steps. Working alongside other Summer Fellows was helpful in promoting discipline and accountability towards my work. It was personally enriching to meet other Christian women also dedicated to serving God through their research and writing projects.
Who would you recommend an ADM Summer Fellowship to?
I recommend the Summer Fellowships Program to other women living in regional and rural settings who wish to engage in a short-term project. The Summer Fellowship provided the gift of time and space in an often unstructured time of year, and I am thankful for the opportunity to use this time to pursue a project that I would be unable to complete at other times of the year.
Robyn Wrigley-Carr
Why did you decide to apply for an ADM Summer Fellowship?
I applied because I wanted a chunk of uninterrupted time to research and write a book I’ve wanted to write for a while now.
How did the ADM Summer Fellowship help you to develop your work?
I’ve kickstarted the project! Before the Summer Fellowship, I had a vast list of possible women I could research. By the end of the fellowship, I had selected the 10 women I will focus on in my book Prayer, Passion and Power (provisional title!). After choosing the 10 women, I started researching and taking notes on two of these women.
What was the highlight of the ADM Summer Fellowship for you?
The highlight was having uninterrupted time to do research, thinking, reflection and writing in a quiet space. I also enjoyed finding out a bit more about the community of ADM and the work it does. I attended two days of ADM’s School of Theology, Culture and Public Engagement, and the highlights of that for me were the two mentoring dinners and the conversations at those events.
What aspects of the program did you find most helpful in developing your work?
The application process was helpful in and of itself. Being asked to write a detailed application for the fellowship helped me clarify my thoughts. During the Summer Fellowship period, I appreciated being left alone to just get on with my work, knowing that I could contact the Fellowships Manager if there were any issues.
How was being part of the community of ADM Summer Fellows beneficial to you?
I appreciated being part of a community of Summer Fellows who were interested in what I was doing and were cheering me on. It was good to talk with each other about what we were working on and hear responses and comments, as well as to encourage each other.
Who would you recommend an ADM Summer Fellowship to?
I would recommend the program to women who have passion for a project, but do not always have chunks of uninterrupted time available to move it forward and make it become a reality.