Equipped by God to Lead: Josiah Fawcett ’28

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Josiah Fawcett ’28

Josiah Fawcett ’28 is no stranger to HoneyRock, Wheaton’s Center for Leadership Development. After attending as a camper for six years and volunteering for one more after that, working as a full-time staff member during the summer of 2025 was a natural progression for him. Fawcett was a camp counselor in HoneyRock’s Summer Leadership School, co-leading a boys cabin for Res Middle campers (students entering 7th and 8th grade).

In this role, Fawcett truly “did life” with his campers. “I slept in the same cabin as the campers, ate with them, took them to their activities, facilitated Bible study, and also helped lead them in worship since I play piano,” he said.

Fawcett’s joy in leadership is fueled by his own experience as a camper. His time at HoneyRock when he was younger was formative in drawing him closer to God, and now he gets to help facilitate that process for others. “I also chose to return to HoneyRock this year because I know what the leadership, work, and community are like, and I love it,” Fawcett said. “I wanted to experience a full staff summer for the first time.”

In contrast to the previous summer when he served as a volunteer, Fawcett chose to work with older campers this year, hoping he could engage in deeper conversations with them. His campers did not disappoint. “Kids asked questions like, ‘Why is there suffering in the world?’” Fawcett said. These conversations pushed him out of his comfort zone and into a place of sole reliance on the Lord. “Afterwards, I would look back on how I responded and recognize I’m not that wise or patient. I wasn’t speaking my own words. The Holy Spirit spoke through me.”

Fawcett also watched his campers undergo transformation. When reflecting each night on how they saw God at work during the day, campers’ answers evolved from surface-level responses to personal moments of revelation. “They’d recall a moment when they saw God in the sunrise while canoeing or saw him at work during a conversation they had,” Fawcett said. Those moments solidified what he already knew: Building relationships with campers is the most impactful part of being a summer staff employee for Fawcett. 

At summer’s end, Fawcett brought pieces of his HoneyRock staff experience back to campus. These pieces included new habits like daily Bible reading, journaling, and seeking prayer from others when he needed it. Fawcett also carried a new mindset into the school year. “HoneyRock taught me that when something that feels uncomfortable enters my life, it doesn’t have to upset the whole groove of my life,” he said. “It’s just a new challenge I can press into.” 

The community that blossomed in the Northwoods also carried over to the new semester, expanding Fawcett’s circle of friends. “Many of my fellow counselors were Wheaton students I had never met before.” Now, Fawcett recognizes a few more friendly faces when walking around campus and has developed friendships with peers across class years, which may not have formed outside their shared SLS work. 

In an effort to continue cultivating these relationships and serving others, Fawcett joined the inaugural HoneyRock student recruitment team. Through events, the team generates awareness about opportunities to work at HoneyRock among students. The recruitment team also helps sustain community on campus among those who are already connected to HoneyRock, including full-time staff, former student workers, and Vanguard alumni. 

Although there are many ways students can spend their summers, Fawcett believes spending them at HoneyRock is one of the best ways. “It’s some of the hardest work you’ll do, but it’s by far some of the most rewarding,” he said. “Everyone is unified by our shared purpose: to lay down our lives and sacrifice for these campers and for the Lord. In addition to the strong community that results from this shared purpose, the structure at HoneyRock creates space for you to hear God’s voice more clearly. And, it’s also just a great time.”