RBC $10,000 Scholarship

RBC through Student Awards has a scholarship competition where students have to tell judges what they are passionate about. I was intrigued by this competition because I am passionate about a few things; however, I was not sure about what I should write about. The two other aspects of the criteria was total score (which I guess means AGPA) and extracurricular activities.

For the total score, I think I have it covered. You need to have an average of 70% or higher to even sign up for the scholarship. 70% is a 2.8 AGPA. My AGPA is a 3.8, which is a 95% average. Oh yes, I think I have achieved the academic regulations for this scholarship.

The next section, extracurricular activities, I believe I have also accomplished. I am a journalist for the student news paper and I volunteer for the Wildcat Cafe. I know that that is only two activities, but I cannot do every extracurricular activity and get a 3.8AGPA at the same time. Sorry folks but it cannot be done.

Now there are two essay questions: What environmental or local/global community issue are you passionate about and How would you mobilize others to advance your cause?

Well, here is my answer to the first question:

Entering full-time Christian ministry is a difficult choice for Christian women. There are many women who have felt God’s call to full-time Christian ministry and have achieved all the educational requirements as senior pastors; however, they are constantly prevented from entering into senior pastoral positions because of their gender. My passion is to see women have active positions in the church and for Galatians 3:28 to become a reality in the church, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (NIV).

You're right, I have chosen a very complicated topic; however, this is the one topic I am very passionate about besides Jesus Christ. Since I am in Bible College, this is a global issue as Christianity is a global religion, and I think I should best tackle it. Now the description of the second question reads as follows:

Imagine yourself addressing a room of your peers. Please write a speech that you would give to inspire/ask others to mobilize for your cause and join you in being an agent of change to achieve your cause related goals.

Not only does the question give me the scope my audience, but it complicates my essay/speech. My peers at Emmanuel Bible College will either be completely for this issue or against it. I can already think of my peers and members of my own family who do not want women in leadership roles in the church or do not believe that there is a biblical basis for it. I can also think of a few that agree but they are few and far between I think. Since, this blog will be seen on facebook...Oh, I can already see the "hate" wall post responses to it.

Well, too bad! I have been hearing those arguments for years and I think it is now my turn to make my case and state my arguments. Especially in the name of all Christians for Biblical Equality (which is a real organization with a real website, btw!) who has a voice from our God and I think that the other children of God need to sit down and listen to them.

Now that I am done my "passionate" rant about women in leadership, I think that it needs to be modified a little bit. After all this is an academic speech to be peers at Emmanuel Bible College who disagree with me. My problem is how. How do I rally my fellow students to achieve the goal of biblical quality?

Seems I have my work cut out for me but if I can win that scholarship I may be in the right direction to seeing my dream become a reality. Who knows, maybe God raised my up for this purpose.