Young people in Hillsdale will have the opportunity to intern with local churches and nonprofits this summer through the Titus Initiative, a nine-week program launching this year.

A board of community leaders is starting the program with the goal of equipping young Christians aged 18-25 to “walk in the good works God prepared for them” through an internship program focused on meeting needs in the Hillsdale community, according to the Titus Initiative website.

Director of Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center Bryce Asberg ’21 is leading the program alongside Associate Dean of Men Jeffery Rogers, Pastor of Hillsdale First Presbyterian Church Rev. Scott Cress, and alumnus Chandler Ryd ’18. 

The goal of the program is to help Christian young people discover their purpose while meeting community needs, according to Asberg.

“What thrills your heart?” Asberg said. “I’m talking about good, meaningful things that you delight in doing. What are those things? And then how does that overlap with the needs of your community?”

Asberg said applicants for the program must meet a simple criteria.

“We’re looking for Christian young adults who are serious in their faith and desire to serve the Lord and the community he has placed them in,” Asberg said.

He said the initiative could potentially partner with many different organizations, including the Celebrate Recovery addiction recovery program, Love INC., Countryside Bible Church, and Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center, but many of the details are being developed as the program launches this summer.

“This is a pilot program for us,” Asberg said. “We’re building the ship as we fly. What we’re doing is we’re taking the fellows that we have for this year and developing opportunities for them based on the people that we have.”

Asberg said the program will include weekly reading and writing assignments, weekly dinners, and 25 hours a week interning with a community organization, with a focus on developing the whole person.

“We want to provide an opportunity for Christian young adults to gain an understanding and an appreciation for the kind of person God created them to be,” Asberg said. 

The program, named after the biblical book of Titus, draws its inspiration from Scripture, he said.

“‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do,’” Asberg said, quoting Ephesians 2:10. “The idea is that the good works we have to do are already made. God has already planned them out, and he has made them for us personally. It becomes a process of discovery, not invention.”

According to Asberg, part of the vision of the program is to help Christian young people find a unity between fulfilling work and helping needs in the community.

“We shouldn’t spend our lives as Christians doing things that by themselves make us miserable,” Asberg said. “When you’re serving where God wants you to be, when you are doing the kinds of works he has prepared for you, often your heart just sings.”

Rogers said the program will offer students an opportunity to slow down and focus on grounding their identity and discovering their purpose.

“The challenge is that many young people never slow down long enough or are never guided well enough to discern what those works are,” Rogers said. “They drift or they chase what the world says will satisfy them. The Titus Initiative is important because it is intentional about helping students understand who they are in Christ first, and then from that identity, step into their God-given mission. When identity is rooted in Christ, purpose becomes clear.”

Five students are currently signed up for the program: seniors Stephen Zhu, Joy Li, and Hannah Wong, and sophomore Anna Kate Mureen and freshman Ben Krager. 

Zhu said he’s joining the program to learn how to serve a local church better.

“I’ve really benefited from all the teachers at Countryside,” Zhu said. “I’ve learned so much about God and how to serve other people. I want to get more training in doing that and would like to, in the future, be someone who could do the same for others.”

According to Asberg, the Initiative still has an open spot for its 2026 session.

“We may have room for another young man for this summer’s fellowship,” Asberg said. “If anyone is interested he can reach out by email.”

Those interested in joining or supporting the Titus Initiative can contact HillsdaleTitusInitiative@gmail.com.