The Department of Religion at William Jewell College has announced that Taylor Poslosky, a junior religion major from Overland Park, has been named the first student of the Jewish faith to participate in the College’s Hester Scholars program.
Named in memory of H.I. Hester, longtime head (1926-1961) of the Department of Religion at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., the Hester Scholars program was established more than 25 years ago for students demonstrating a commitment to academic excellence in the study of religion who are also pursuing a career in religious service as a primary vocation.
“We are very pleased to have Taylor as a Hester Scholar,” said Dr. Milton Horne, acting chair of the Department of Religion. “I have had the opportunity to observe her rigorous level of scholarship and to share her fellowship in class. We are very excited about her commitment to study for the rabbinate and about her plans to begin that study with us. She represents a new day for our department’s conception of the breadth of the Hester Scholars program and reinforces the broader scope of the College’s understanding of the liberal arts and its extension into our community.”
Poslosky said that her studies at William Jewell represent the continuation of a lifelong commitment to her faith. “All my life, Judaism has been my center,” Poslosky observed.
“From lighting Shabbat candles to watching my campers lead Saturday morning worship, I have enjoyed every aspect. I feel a sense of purpose knowing that it will one day be my responsibility to lead a community. As I study religion at William Jewell, I realize that the reality of my dream to become a rabbi is beginning.”
To qualify as a Hester Scholar, students must be in the top 25 percent of their high school graduating class; demonstrate leadership and involvement in school, community and church; major in the study of religion; and state their commitment to service through ministry, teaching or missions.
William Jewell College is committed to bringing together talented students and gifted faculty mentors within a vibrant community sparked by a rigorous and intentional liberal arts curriculum. A full range of personal and professional development experiences are presented by the selective national liberal arts college’s location within the Kansas City metroplex of more than two million.
