Southern Wesleyan University to offer gap year program in 2017
Peter Sullivan, founder and CEO of OneLife, seated left, and Southern Wesleyan University President Dr. Todd Voss, seated right, sign an agreement to offer OneLife’s gap year program at Southern Wesleyan’s Central campus beginning in Fall Semester 2017. Looking on are Derek Melleby, left, executive director of OneLife and Dr. Tonya Strickland, Southern Wesleyan’s provost.
Starting in Fall 2017, Southern Wesleyan University will house an innovative program designed to help students gain focus while deepening in them an awareness of a calling into a particular career and a deeper relationship with God.
This program, known as a “gap year” program, will be offered in partnership between Southern Wesleyan and OneLife, a faith-based organization based in Lancaster, Pa. A typical profile for a OneLife student is an individual post-high school to age 21 who loves travel and adventure, appreciates learning both inside and outside the classroom, desires to grow in their faith and knowledge of God’s Word, demonstrates moral character, leadership qualities, has a positive attitude toward authority and expresses a desire to be teachable.
Peter Sullivan, founder and CEO of OneLife, noted that partnering with Southern Wesleyan fulfills a longing he’s had to extend the program’s presence into the Southeast. Gavin Potter, a Southern Wesleyan graduate now working as a resident leader (R.L.) for OneLife, encouraged Sullivan to make a connection with the university and President Todd Voss.
“We believe in the mission of OneLife and are excited to be able to fulfill that mission with a student base that longs to stay in the Southeast,” said Sullivan. “We are thankful for the God-given opportunity to extend the mission of developing students into infectious spiritual leaders to different and new places. Most of all, though, we are thankful for God’s guidance and the friendship He has blessed us with through our partnership with SWU.”
“I have seen first-hand the work of OneLife, and it is inspiring,” said Voss. “A ‘gap year’ is basically the first year of college, but designed as a completely different learning experience. It’s self-supporting and very experiential, with travel in the region and abroad offering significant designed elements not normally included in a typical first year collegiate experience.”
“President Voss, along with Vice President of Recruitment, Chad Peters, and Provost, Tonya Strickland and their respective teams, have vocalized and shown a level of care, passion, and helpfulness that far exceeds any direct benefit for SWU,” Sullivan added.
Part of Southern Wesleyan’s plans to repurpose Stuart-Bennett Residence Hall next year includes devoting the top two stories to housing up to 20 male and 20 female students enrolled in the gap year program.
“The OneLife collaboration will allow SWU to serve these high school grads as SWU students, while still allowing OneLife to advise on the trajectory of program,” Voss said. “All courses will be SWU courses, and SWU will direct the mutually agreed upon learning outcomes.” He added that students enrolled in gap year programs have high retention and have a very high graduation rate in four years or less.
Voss hopes that many of the students enrolled in the gap year program will continue as traditional Southern Wesleyan students. Details about the gap year program can be found at www.swu.edu/onelife.
Southern Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community devoted to transforming lives by challenging students to be dedicated scholars and servant-leaders who impact the world for Christ. For details about degree programs, go online to swu.edu.
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