The Van Lunen Center for Executive Management in Christian Schools at Calvin College has announced its 2008-2009 fellows.

The 23 new fellows (see right) represent a variety of schools from a variety of locales across North America and beyond (one hails from Japan). 
The Fellows program is designed for Christian school heads from the United States or Canada with fewer than 10 years experience in their position. The majority of participant expenses are covered by Van Lunen, including cost of instruction, travel, lodging, meals, coaching and access to topic experts.
The Van Lunen Center was established at Calvin in January 2007 courtesy of a $2 million gift to the college from the Richard D. Van Lunen Foundation. Its purpose is to provide world-class executive management education for senior leaders of schools based on the historic Christian faith (of which there are some 20,000 across the continent).
The Fellows program is a key part of that vision for Christian education. It is a selective one-year fellowship that, said Van Lunen Center director Shirley Roels, assists heads of Christian schools in refining the executive skills necessary for school management in the current competitive climate. 
"Through case studies, reading, writing, interactive exercises, small group discussions, a school based project, and coaching," she said, "participants will deepen their own leadership, develop skills essential to the tasks of headship, and create deep relationships with peers and leaders."
The program begins with five residential days in July 2008, continues again in January for three days, and ends with three days in July 2009. Between sessions, coaching and support is available via phone and on-line tools.
This summer the new fellows will travel to Grand Rapids for intensive training in such areas as: Christian visions for education from various theological traditions, linking vision to strategic plan, facilities management, marketing and change management, financing Christian education, mission-driven fund-raising, personal development, and much more.
The Fellows program is led by a team of experienced and respected faculty: successful heads of Christian schools from different networks. 
Said Roels: "These wise leaders weave together themes and paradoxes, mentor Fellows through their school-based project, and offer instruction in their own areas of deep expertise. Their commitment throughout the program year ensures that each fellow learns executive skills through relationships, through real application, by building networks, and by continuing to be grounded in their faith."
The keynote speaker this summer will be Patrick F. Bassett, president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), a voluntary membership organization for more than 1,200 independent (private) schools and associations of schools in the U.S. and abroad. 
Other members of the Van Lunen Fellows Faculty will be: Mona Faulkner, head of St. Elizabeth Seton School; David Hahn, Head of School, Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School; Bryle Kynerd, Chancellor, Briarwood Christian School; James C. Marsh, Jr., Head of School, Westminster Christian Academy; and Roels.
The Van Lunen Center was established to serve faith-based schools large and small across the U.S. and Canada with a big-tent philosophy, reaching out to schools from a wide-range of faith traditions, including Catholic, evangelical Protestant, Episcopal, independent Christian, Lutheran and Reformed Christian day schools.