Last week, the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN) started a series on the blog sharing what ESN does and what we’re planning in the coming year. Today we continue by giving a snapshot of who is involved in ESN. Click here for the introductory post describing ESN’s mission and activities, here for a preview of the blog lineup this fall, and here for a preview of how ESN hopes to use the faith/science grant it just received to strengthen collaborations.
Who is ESN? A national network supporting emerging Christian scholars can sound exciting but vague. We thought we’d take a little time at the beginning of this academic year to share who participates in ESN.
ESN Is Individual Emerging Scholars
Connecting with ESN has really enriched my experience at Urbana because it expanded my mind to see that God called me into the engineering field for a reason. Missions and academic/vocational pursuit are not two separate ideas, but rather beautifully intertwined to fulfill a piece of God’s bigger story for my generation. —Galina, ESN Urbana liveblogger
ESN is individual emerging scholars like Galina, who connected with ESN at the Urbana Student Missions Conference and found herself excited about how missions and her academic callings fit together, and is now taking that perspective with her as she begins graduate school. Or like Josh, a history graduate student who says:
The Emerging Scholars Network has been the main point of intersection between my faith and my scholarly pursuits. . . As a graduate student, I don’t feel so alone anymore as I know that the ESN and Intervarsity are behind me.
ESN Is a Group of Generous Volunteers
The Emerging Scholars Network also includes many generous volunteers, including speakers like our excellent Urbana 15 panelists, advisors like the panel who reviewed our STEAM grant materials, a wonderful group of writers like the thoughtful authors in our Fall 2016 blog lineup and many others we deeply appreciate, and the amazing teams who help to set up and organize at events and conferences.
There really is no way we could do it without these volunteers and others. We thank God for them!
ESN is Two InterVarsity Staff Members 
We’re especially grateful for our generous volunteers because the national network of ESN, the blog, and our conference presence is organized by just two InterVarsity staff members, one full time and one part time.
Tom Grosh IV is ESN’s Associate Director and only full time staff member. He’s passionate about the theme of vocation, particularly how believers can love God and neighbor through their academic work.Tom is excited about the growth of ESN, and he loves to brainstorm and implement new ideas. He’s currently a graduate student himself, working on a doctorate in ministry to emerging generations at Gordon-Conwell. You can read more about Tom’s life and ministry here.
Hannah Eagleson is ESN’s Writer/Editor, and she also helps to organize events, reach out to members of the network, and generate new ideas for ESN. Hannah connected with ESN while in graduate school herself, and she’s passionate about helping to provide materials and networking/community building opportunities for emerging scholars. You can read more about her here.
ESN is You
Finally, ESN is our membership and readership. We’re so grateful for the chance to support emerging scholars and learn from them. We invite you to join today or update us on your life and work if you’re already a member. We thank God for everyone who participates, and we’re so grateful for you.
The Emerging Scholars Network is always seeking opportunities to identify, encourage, and equip the next generation of Christian scholars to be a redeeming influence in the academy, church, and the world. As you have an announcement, a “call for papers”, an event, a prayer request (e.g., campus, field, higher ed), a resource suggestion, a review, etc., which is in concord with our Kingdom of God endeavor, please send materials (marketing/sales material not accepted) for consideration to post via email or the ESN Writer Survey. Thank-you. To God be the glory!