Christian Leadership Program (CLP)

The Christian Leadership Program (CLP) is a four-year scholarship program that provides theological and spiritual formation for students to help them develop their gifts and talents as leaders in the Church and in the world. CLP was founded by Rev. James J. Bacik and has been recognized by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for excellence in developing leaders for the future. For more information about this program, contact Kim Kunkle by email (kkunkle@ccup.org) or phone 419.531.4992.

The application for 2022-2023 school year is now open!

Application Procedure

Applications for the 2022-2023 academic year must be completed by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Any questions can be directed to Kim Kunkle (kkunkle@ccup.org) or 419.531.4992.

Please complete the Application online here:   CLP 2022 Application

Before you begin, please note that 3 additional items are needed for submission along with the online application form:

  1. A one-page typed essay that explains your reasons for wanting to participate in the program, while also reflecting on your past experiences of 1) leadership, 2) service, and 3) spiritual growth (parish involvement, retreats, etc.). Applicants may also note their financial situation if they wish. **This essay MUST be uploaded to the Google application form where indicated.
  2. A letter of recommendation is required from a pastor (or other pastoral leader, such as, a youth minister, high school chaplain, retreat team leader, etc.) who can attest to your commitment to the Catholic tradition, involvement in a parish community, as well as potential for leadership.
  3. A letter of recommendation is required from a teacher or academic counselor who can attest to your potential to successfully complete college-level coursework.

You may choose 1 of 4 options to submit the letters of recommendation:

  1. Download the recommendation forms here, give them to your recommenders, and then scan and upload the completed forms to the Google application form. *Note, this option requires you to have both letters completed and in your possession before you begin filling out the online Google Application form.
  2. Send separate electronic Google recommendation forms links to those who you want to recommend you, and have them fill them out and submit online:
    ***Pastoral online form
    ***Academic online form
  3. Send paper copies (download above) of the recommendation forms to those who will be recommending you and turn those forms into us yourself.
  4. Send paper copies of the recommendation forms to those who will be recommending you and have those recommending you mail them back to us directly. (Mail to: Corpus Christi University Parish \ 2955 Dorr Street \ Toledo, OH 43607)

Please Note: We will likely follow up with your recommendations to verify their authenticity and to further inquire about you as a CLP candidate.

All three items ( your essay, 1 letter of recommendation from a pastor or church leader, and 1 letter of recommendation from a teacher or academic counselor) must have been received by our parish office by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.

Selection Process

A committee composed of CLP alumni will review all the fully completed applications received by the deadline. They will make their selections on the following criteria:

  1. Commitment to the Catholic tradition and parish involvement;
  2. Leadership potential;
  3. Academic abilities;
  4. Commitment to Christian service and volunteering;
  5. Willingness to participate in CLP for four years.

 

Scholarship Details

  • Students are awarded $750 each semester their first three years and $1250 per semester for their fourth year.
  • The scholarships are awarded after the semester of work is completed and deposited into the students’ Rocket account
  • It is possible to receive the scholarship as a check if there are situations that warrant this.
    • It is possible to receive a scholarship during a co-op, study abroad, or other educational opportunity if an agreed upon set of requirements is met.
  • A student cannot remain in CLP if they graduate in less than four years, nor can scholarship money be received if they are in school after four years.

Sponsor

Corpus Christi University Parish (CCUP), the Catholic community serving the University of Toledo, sponsors the program.

Purpose

CLP exists to prepare leaders for the church and society who are theologically grounded, spiritually motivated, and religiously committed to their Catholic tradition. As dynamic young leaders they will be able to bring Christian principles to their families and jobs.

Eligibility

Any full-time freshman student attending UT, who is a practicing Catholic and is willing and able to meet the requirements, can apply to participate in CLP.

General Requirements

Each participant must be involved in a process of deepening their spirituality and achieving a more mature understanding of their Catholic faith.

Program Requirements for Freshmen

  1. Be an active member of CCUP and participate in activities of the Catholic Student Association (CSA).
  2. Maintain a GPA of 2.8.
  3. Participate in parish-sponsored retreat opportunities.
  4. Participate in one Christian service project (at least 6 hours) starting in the spring semester.
  5. Take the Catholic Theology class taught by the CLP Director, which meets once a week for 1 hour and 15 minutes beginning in late September, and concludes at the end of the spring semester. This class meets on Monday nights from 7:30 – 8:45 pm so applicants should schedule their classes around this time.

Program Requirements for Advanced Students

  1. Assume a leadership position in a local organization (usually at UT or CCUP).
  2. Participate in at least one retreat each semester or participate in spiritual mentorship.
  3. Attend the required theology lectures.
  4. Participate in one Christian service project (at least 12 hours) starting in the fall semester.