“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Those words from Micah 6:8 ground Samford University's Micah Fellows honors program. Throughout their four years in the program, participants devote their minds and talents to serving the Birmingham community and communities around the world, answering the calls to justice, mercy and humility found in Scripture.
An integral part of the experience is the high-impact service internships at local nonprofits. Amy Green, associate director of Micah Fellows, said these internships are the heart of the program and help students grow in their ability to listen to and learn from the communities they serve and to recognize how their academic and professional goals can connect to a life of service.
These students show one of the many ways Samford fulfills its mission by serving Birmingham, taking Christ’s call to love and serve their neighbors and putting it into action.
Katie Creel
Interning at Lifeline Children’s Services, Katie Creel has learned that “acts of service do not need to be visibly life-changing; rather, doing the small things to help someone else's day easier matters.” The senior business management major chose Lifeline because of its mission to connect vulnerable children with Christ-centered families through adoption and other services. Her role includes helping with logistics and operations, from filing papers to making presentations.
“This experience has taught me to find purpose in the small, behind-the-scenes tasks that often go unnoticed. I have learned that every role contributes to a greater mission,” Creel said.
Creel’s story is a testament to how God uses the commitment to humility to do more than we can see. Skip Stallings, executive assistant to the president at Lifeline, praised Creel for her integral role in building state-specific profiles for the states they serve, helping new state directors feel oriented and equipped as they begin their work. As a result, Creel’s work as a Micah Fellow has extended from Birmingham to across the country.
She always finds ways to pitch in wherever she is most needed. She has been such a helpful part of the team, and we're excited to have her with us one more year,” Stallings said.
Eli Covil
Eli Covil is a junior psychology major who interns at Manufacture Good, an organization that empowers and equips young men in Birmingham. Covil works in the shop alongside apprentices of their programs, learning trade skills and building tables, cutting boards and coasters. Covil is amazed by how Manufacture Good has produced mature, Christ-like men and sent them into the workforce, powerfully impacting the community by giving them a second chance.
“I share my faith with them and get to establish and build relationships along the way,” Covil said. “Working at Manufacture Good has shown me what it means to really need God and what it means to love the marginalized just as Christ did during His time on earth.”
Sarah Crook, director of operations at Manufacture Good, said that Covil has made a great impact on the organization since he joined. From ideas like coordinating opportunities for staff and apprentices to spend time playing basketball alongside individuals with disabilities to showing initiative and dependability in the shop, Crook is thankful for the partnership with Micah Fellows.
“We've watched Eli naturally take several of our apprentices under his wing, encouraging and mentoring them in meaningful ways,” Crook said. “We have truly enjoyed having Eli as part of Manufacture Good, and we are grateful for the investment he has made in our ministry.”
Eady Davenport
Eady Davenport is a junior history major interning at Unless U, an organization that fosters the growth of adults with disabilities. In her role, she assists teachers in their programming during school hours and builds relationships with the students in the program during after-school hours through games, crafts and reading.
“We have learned a lot about what it looks like to serve others by simply doing life with them —showing up to the events that are important to them and being there for the little moments of their day. This is what Christ did for people!” Davenport said.
Through her internship, Davenport has witnessed how Unless U has created a stable community for people with disabilities. She shared a quote by Kurt Vonnegut to describe the work she has been a part of: “The most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” She believes she is getting the opportunity to do just that in Micah Fellows.
“My friends with disabilities at Unless U teach me about genuine joy, faithfulness in friendship and the importance of being all-in in everything that we do,” Davenport said.
Paula Heath, director of community engagement at Unless U, said that Davenport has been a gift to the staff and students and thanked her for her willingness to jump in and give her all in any activity.
“She brings such a unique blend of compassion, empathy, excitement and friendship to our school. Our world at Unless U is a brighter place when Eady is with us,” Heath said.
Caroline Hardy
Combining a love for service instilled by her parents and preparation for her future career as a nurse, Caroline Hardy chose the Lakeshore Foundation as her Micah Fellows internship. Lakeshore is a recreational facility, research center, and Paralympic training site that serves people with disabilities. Hardy’s role is highly social, whether working with the youngest participants in the gym or pool or participating in adult swim classes and helping organize their competitive sports programs. She said she learns something about service from every person she meets.
“From the staff, I’ve learned patience and empathy; from the participants, I’ve learned perseverance, hope, and unbridled joy,” Hardy said. “As I walk into my senior year and look toward my nursing career, I hope that I can carry some of these qualities with me and bring light to patients.”
Hardy is thankful for the opportunity Micah Fellows has given her to be a part of the positive impact Lakeshore is having on people with disabilities in Birmingham and beyond.
Helping young men learn trades. Building friendships with people with disabilities. Developing resources for adoption services across the nation. These are just a few ways Mich Fellows students are impacting the community. As Samford continues its commitment to the betterment of Homewood, the Birmingham area and beyond, Micah Fellows is an integral piece providing care and support to organizations committed to service.
