Austin College will welcome 300 Presbyterian youth and their leaders to campus Friday through Sunday, January 31 through February 1, for the annual Senior High Youth Connection (SHYC) of Grace Presbytery.
Grace Presbytery is made up of more than 140 congregations in 53 counties of northeast and central Texas. The high school conference has been held at Austin College each winter since 1980.
Gary Holloman, Grace Presbytery’s director of youth and young adult programs, said the event is a “high energy weekend of challenging theme presentations, thought-provoking and encouraging small groups, interest groups, music, worship, service, and of course, energizers.”
SHYC is planned by a team of youth and adults from across the presbytery in partnership with the Austin College ACtivators mobile ministry team.
Austin College Chaplain Dr. John Williams ’84 oversees the ACtivators ministry and is involved in SHYC activities each year.
A service and mission project during the weekend will support Grand Central Station in Sherman, and benefit the children of Grayson County through its Children’s Express weekend food program.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with 46 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and more than 100 expert faculty members allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Austin College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.