Northeast STP
Each summer, The Navigators® Collegiate Ministries provide multiple intensive summer growth initiatives called Summer Transformation Projects (STPs) in different regions of the country. Students live, work, have fun, and learn alongside other college students for eight weeks.
Each student works a full time job (or internship) during the day and participates in Bible studies, evangelistic outreaches, discipleship groups, ministry training, fellowship, and other activities during the week. These opportunities for fellowship, mentoring, guided experiences, and time in the Word create an ideal environment for students to grow in their relationship with Christ as well as develop ministry and leadership skills. Summer Transformation Projects are operated and overseen by experienced full-time Navigator Staff.
WHY GO?
STP’s are sponsored by The Navigators® and designed to help you focus on learning to live out God’s call to love your neighbor both in the workplace and in the community.
Join other Northeast Navigator students and staff from our region for a great summer. The Navigators® Summer Transformation Projects are proven to be “greenhouses” for spiritual and relational growth. At STP, we will dig deeply into the mysteries of who God is, who God says we are, how we can relate well with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, how we can serve others, God’s heart for the lost and His heart for all nations. Students will engage in the community relationally, by going to a local church weekly, and professionally, by working a full-time job. We will trust God to teach and develop us all as we learn to better love and authentically share our faith in the work world.
Our goal is developing and equipping participants to be life-long laborers for Jesus Christ. Laborers who seek to respond to God’s call to love others deeply and point them towards Jesus, using the gifts He has given them no matter what community or life circumstances they may find themselves in. Our hope is that students will return back to their campuses and workplaces equipped with skills to know Christ deeper and make Him known in the very places they live.
Imagine spending a whole summer with other college students who want to grow in their relationships with God. You’ll live, work, and have fun together all summer long and develop friendships that will last a lifetime.
College is a unique time in life where you are constantly surrounded by people your own age and life stage. At an STP that is even more true. The community that forms between people who are all seeking to grow, learn and follow Jesus is life-giving and deep.
Students work full-time jobs in various parts of the city making a real paycheck. Not only do students gain very unique job experiences, but they also gain invaluable relational skills as they work alongside people who are different than them. Good question asking, meaningful conversations, and relating to people with different beliefs are skills that are necessary to succeed in any workplace and STP offers the opportunity to grow in all three!
Between large group functions and your days off, you will have a blast! You won’t believe not only how much you’re learning and growing, but how much fun you’re having at the same time.
A two-month window of time dedicated to time with the Lord, rest, and relationships with like-minded people may never happen again after you graduate. Take advantage of this opportunity while you can because college summers are few and precious.
FINANCES
Program Cost:
The program costs $3,200. This covers housing and all meals except for Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch. It includes unparalleled training in Christ-likeness, evangelism and Bible study and all materials you’ll need plus weekly group bonding activities and events.
You will be able to raise support through the financial gifts of family, friends, and local churches. Nearly everyone who does this receives the full amount. Because STP is like a mission trip and Bible training school wrapped into one summer experience, those who give financially consider it an opportunity to invest in your spiritual growth. Fundraising training is provided upon acceptance into our program.
Fundraising:
This summer you have the opportunity to raise financial support from your family, friends and churches to pay for your Transformation Project fee. After applying to the project and being accepted, each student will receive a “Welcome Packet” which includes the information needed to raise support for the summer. We will provide you with sample letters, donor cards, and everything necessary to help you raise support. We view support-raising as an opportunity to ask family and friends to join with us in advancing God’s kingdom. You are not required to raise support to attend the program and can choose to pay the tuition up front, though we don’t recommend it. Having a team of financial supporters also nets you a team of prayer partners who are committed to bringing you before God on a regular basis. Plus, if your tuition is paid for by financial partners you can take home whatever money you receive from your paychecks.
There is nothing to be ashamed of as you engage in this biblical principle of inviting others to contribute to your summer’s training and ministry. You may not have another opportunity to spend eight weeks in a spiritual growth setting like this again. Many people will be delighted to support you! And even if they can’t financially, they won’t be offended that you asked! The apostle Paul often asked people for contributions of different types, including assistance to send him on his way for ministry and service.
If you would like to pay the program fee straight out instead of fundraising (or have any other funding related questions), please email the director at NESTP@navigators.org.
PARENTS
Thank you for taking time to find out more about The Navigators® and NESTP. We hope this site provides ample details about the experience and shows you who we are as an organization. Our staff considers it a privilege to spend time with your student and we treasure each one as an individual. In addition to the general content about the program, we have addressed a few parent-specific questions here.
Absolutely! Parents are always welcome to visit anytime during the Summer Transformation Project. The optimal time to come is over Parents Weekend, July 3rd to the 5th. We do, however, ask students continue to follow through on their STP commitments if you do plan to come. We hope you will understand that learning happens the most when they are present and engaged at all of their meetings, Bible studies, and activities (some of which you are welcome to participate in). Because of the busy schedule and their short employer duration, we would ask your student to keep their commitment to their workplace and refrain from taking days off of their normal work week. We thank you for understanding as we ask students to honor these commitments.
Many options are available! You are most welcome to drop your student off and see our space. They are welcome to drive themselves, especially if they’re bringing a car for the summer! We may ask them to carpool if there are other students coming from the same areas of the region. If flying is necessary, we are most glad to pick them up from the airport.
A university student typically has three summers to choose how they spend their time, make (or spend) their money, and grow as an individual. Many trips, internships, and adventures are out there, but we believe a Summer Transformation Project is unique offering in that it provides your child:
- The opportunity to move to another city and work a full-time job and craft leadership and relational skills that can apply to any occupation
- An environment led by staff and energized by other college students that will challenge him or her to grow in all areas of life and character
- Time to develop Biblical convictions that will affect his or her relationship with God and others for the rest of their lives through training in Bible study and evangelism
- The invaluable experience of meeting and working with people from all over the world
JOBS
Team Members will work full time (40 hours a week) 9-5 jobs Monday through Friday. The students are in charge of finding their own employment, but they can be aided by Navigator STP staff. All students attending the project are encouraged to actively seek out potential employers in the Hartford area. The Project Director is available to assist in this process and will verify that all jobs fall within the Project parameters. All jobs should be approved by the job coordinator prior to accepting the position. The staff are networking to find employers who are excited to hire students who are attending the project, but please be proactive in asking for help with your major-specific internship needs and desires. Remember, it is YOUR responsibility to find a job!
Program parameters include having a reasonable commute, working Monday through Friday, off by 5 pm, no weekends, and also communicating to the employer your start and end dates. These are fairly strict because of the other program pieces we will be engaging in together.
APPLY
If you’re ready to apply, here are the steps!
1. Download the application and fill it out. Once finished, email it to NESTP@navigators.org.
Northeast Summer Transformation Project Application
2. Pay your $50 deposit here.
3. Have the NavStaff to whom you are closest fill out a reference form.