Life as an Interyear Fellow
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman
What we offer
This is the invitation. We offer you a chance to be an integral part of a community focused on growth. Are you drawn to contemplative spirituality and also have a desire to be actively engaged in transforming the world around us? Do you have an idea of what kind of person God is calling you to be, but not sure how best to get there? Come spend a year or a summer with others on the same journey and we’ll close the gap together.
2025 SUMMER FELLOWS
Each Fellow is placed in a local ministry or non-profit. Read below to learn more about who they are and where they are currently serving. You can also follow the link for each Fellow to help support their fundraising efforts. If you’d like to become a Fellow, too, you can apply here.
Katherine Barrier
I was born and raised in Durham, NC (go tarheels). I am a very creative and outdoorsy person, I enjoy reading, thrifting, music, and spending time with friends. I went to an art school for middle and high school which really developed my love and passion for art. I wanted to find a career that would help inspire people to also express themselves creatively. I attended Appalachian State University to get a degree in fine arts with a minor in psychology, hoping to go into art therapy, but later realized I felt more called to opening a business to achieve my goal. I moved to Kingsport a year ago to pursue a job where I’d gain business experience similar to what I’d like to do. I worked as a barista at the Crumbum where I gained valuable knowledge of coffee, selling art, and running a business. I am excited to serve at Family Promise’s Thrift Store this summer and grow in and through the Lord during my time as a Summer Fellow.
Nathan McKissick
Hello my name is Nathan McKissick. I’m 20 years old and am from Gulfport, Mississippi. I currently attend Milligan University and am going into my senior year, studying graphic design and business administration with a concentration in secondary education.
This year has had many ups and downs, making me lose sight of my sense of self. Although I know what vocation I’m being led to, I don’t feel like I know much else about myself anymore. My hope and prayer is that spending more intentional time in the presence of Abba and others seeking him, I will come to understand myself better and who I am being called to become.
I will be serving with SORBA Tri-Cities mountain biking organization to help with communication, marketing, maintaining trails, and getting youth engaged in mountain biking. Follow me and the other fellows for updates as we embark on this exciting journey!
Samantha Maldanado
Hello! My name is Samantha (Sami) Maldonado, and I am originally from Ecuador, South America. I was born and raised there until the age of 16, when I moved to Northern Michigan to complete my final two years of high school while living with a supportive host family. In 2020, I began my undergraduate studies at Lindsey Wilson College in south-central Kentucky and later transferred to Milligan University in northeast Tennessee. I graduated in May 2025 with honors and a double major in Business Administration and Political Science, with a concentration in International Studies.
During my time at Milligan, I conducted research on food insecurity among college students in the Appalachian region and co-founded a campus food pantry. I am deeply passionate about food systems, public policy, and the intersection of business and community well-being. I also enjoy hiking, gardening, and capturing moments through photography. I applied for the Summer Fellows program at Interyear to participate in a season of reflection, service, and intentional community living. This summer, I will serve with the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council, supporting communications, program logistics, and local food initiatives like the backyard gardening and farmer field school programs.
Marnie Tallon
Hi! My name is Marnie Tallon, and I am a rising senior studying Graphic Design at Milligan University. I’m from Houston, TX, and in my free time I enjoy making art, reading, and hiking.This summer, I am interning with Appalachian RC&D, whose mission is to conserve natural resources and improve rural economics through community leadership and educational opportunities. I’ll be doing marketing and graphic design work for them, as well as helping out with events like the annual Farm Tour! This is a new adventure for me, and I’m very excited to learn lots and to help this cause, as well as expand my marketing and design skillset.
Our program has three options:
COMPASS FELLOWS - a nine month gap year and discipleship program designed for young adults ages 18-20.
WAYPOINT FELLOWS - a nine month gap year and discipleship program designed for young adults ages 21-30.
SUMMER FELLOWS - a ten week summer discipleship program designed for young adults ages 19-24 currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education.
Fellow Benefits
A PLACE TO BECOME
While our program is structured around things that you will do, our hope is that Interyear Fellowship provides a safe place for you to become. We provide the support and tools you need to discover and embrace who you are and what God has called you to do. This will be a year filled with exposure to new concepts and ideas. We believe that developing a firm foundation of contemplative spiritual practices will help provide you with the tools needed to explore questions about your faith, issues of justice and equality, calling, and purpose.
COMMUNITY
Discovering the right place to live can be a big factor as you settle into a new job and community. All of the Fellows will live under the same roof and contribute to the daily life of the household. Interyear will provide funds for groceries, utilities, internet, and other services. With a built-in community of like-minded individuals who are going through the same experience, you will become a source of strength and encouragement for each other.
WORK AND FUNDS
One of the biggest struggles in life can be finding a place to work that gives you purpose. This is your point of entry for Interyear Fellowship. You will participate in the decision about which partner organization you will work with during the year, gaining valuable hands-on experience.
Each Fellow will also receive a monthly stipend of $250 for personal expenses. $100 will also be added to a shared fund for each Fellow to get groceries.
Fellow Investment
COMMUNITY
Our Fellows are invited into an intentional Christian community here at Interyear Fellowship. We ask for you to be flexible and gracious as everyone strives to fall into a rhythm of living together at The House.
RHYTHMS
In addition to having a full-time job, you will walk through challenging curriculum, engage in other service activities in the community, and be expected to take time to develop spiritual disciplines. The Fellows work together and with the staff to develop rhythms of rest and renewal in the midst of busy seasons.
COST
We ask all of our Compass and Waypoint Fellows to raise $3,000 and our Summer Fellows to raise $1,000. Those funds contribute to the overall cost of living and program expenses for the program. However, we do not want the cost to be a barrier for you to experience Interyear Fellowship. We recognize that not everyone who wants to participate will have access to a network that could raise that amount of money, but we will help support each Fellow to help them reach their goal.
Daily Life
THE HOUSE
Our Fellows all live together at The House. They share groceries and all contribute to the upkeep of the House.
RHYTHMS
Each day we start our day with morning prayer and end our day with evening prayer. During the day, our Fellows serve in a local non profit or ministry in the Johnson City, TN community. Every Friday, the Fellows refrain from going to their service placement and will participate in a Day of Discernment filled with study, reflection, and conversation with staff and Fellows. We also have evening events twice a month.
SPIRITUALITY
Together, we will build a structure of practicing spiritual disciplines such as journaling, fasting, prayer, and silence, to help create a solid foundation of personal and spiritual growth. Our Fellows also participate in retreats together. To help engage with the broader community in Christ, you will walk together in order to understand yourself, the world around you, and provide some clarity for your vocation.
SUMMER FELLOWS
If you’re a college aged student looking for a meaningful summer opportunity, take a look at Summer Fellows! Our summer fellowship is a shortened, distilled version of our full, nine-month fellowship. It lasts ten weeks, will require you to raise $1,000 to participate, and is filled will all the same goodness you’ll find in each of our strands:
service (internship at a local church or ministry)
intentional community (shared meals, hospitality)
spiritual formation (daily prayer, retreats, spiritual disciplines)
vocational discernment (exploring christian ethics, social justice issues, and calling/purpose).
It will be a full summer, but as the weeks progress, you will begin to feel a pattern of work and rest, study and fellowship, tuning your heart and life to a different rhythm that will prepare you for your next semester of college or season in your life.
