Transformation in the Northwoods: Celebrating 10 Years of the Vanguard Program

Known as “The Christian Gap Year of Wheaton College,” the Vanguard program was established in fall 2015. Earlier that year, Dr. Rob Ribbe ’87, M.A. ’90, former Director of HoneyRock and current Associate Professor in Wheaton’s Litfin Divinity School, and his staff identified a growing problem. 

“The original vision was to provide a unique, transformational program at a critical life stage that helps participants clarify their calling, deepen their relationship with the Lord, and be prepared for college or vocation,” Ribbe said. “We wanted to capitalize on the incredible setting, rich community, and experiential process that HoneyRock offers. As the program has deepened and expanded over the last ten years, everyone involved has contributed to making it one of the leading gap year programs in the United States.” 

Based at HoneyRock, Wheaton’s Center for Leadership Development, Vanguard uses an outdoor environment to develop young adults into “rooted, courageous, and humble leaders.” According to HoneyRock Executive Director Matt Erickson ’95, the gap year program is one crucial way HoneyRock fulfills its mission “to foster the development of whole and effective people for Christ.”

To carry out these goals, the program is built on three pillars: communal living and work, mentorship, and vocational and spiritual exploration and growth. And despite what some may assume, it’s not a year-long vacation.

Vanguard occurs from September through April, and participants can extend their learning through classes held in late May and early June (Wheaton in the Northwoods). “Vanguards” pursue personal and spiritual development through intensives with Wheaton professors, local serving opportunities, off-site trips, and work assignments. They choose from three vocational tracks: Journeys, Adventure Programming, or Equestrian. On the Journeys track, Vanguards learn practical skills through onsite jobs like construction, grounds work, and meal preparation. Adventure Programming helps Vanguards gain retail, hospitality, and activity facilitation experience. On the Equestrian track, Vanguards develop skills to ride and care for horses.

“There was so much laughter and joy as those of us working in the barn learned alongside and from each other,” said Hannah Bridges ’28 (Vanguard ’24). “There was a big learning curve to work with the horses, but seeing myself grow in confidence around them was rewarding.”

More recent changes in the program allow Vanguards to earn up to eight college credits and explore vocation in new ways. Otherwise, not much has changed in the last ten years. “I am thankful that a lot of what you see today is from the original vision for the program,” said Charlie Goeke, HoneyRock’s School Year Program Director. The program’s consistency reflects the work HoneyRock staff have done to maintain the program’s original purpose throughout the last decade.

Although the practice of taking a gap year has grown in popularity in the United States in recent years, according to Gap Year Solutions, only an average of 2–3% of high school students take a gap year. The yearlong hiatus from formal studies often occurs following a student’s high school graduation but can also be taken during or after college.

“At the end of high school, I didn’t have direction, and anxiety and apathy were the two feelings that ruled for me,” said Will Cody M.A. ’22 (Vanguard ’16). “That’s when I started looking into gap year plans.” 

Many gap year programs focus solely on work experience, outdoor adventure/adventure leadership, or cultural immersion. Vanguard combines all of these components, aiming to form high school graduates into well-rounded young adults as they enter their next season of life. As the only Christian liberal arts gap year program, Vanguard also uniquely helps students grow spiritually and academically. “The beauty of Vanguard is that it gives them time to focus on personal growth, their relationship with Jesus, and learning how to live in community, as well as gain a better sense of purpose or direction in life,” Goeke said. “Learning this before starting college or a career is invaluable.”

“If there was one word I would use to describe Vanguard, it’s intentional,” said Ru Sheng Hiestand ’26 (Vanguard ’23). “From the broad aspects of it to the nitty gritty parts like praying together three times a day, Vanguard is built on intentionality.” 

Vanguards spend nearly every moment together, including prayer gatherings and family-style meals. Conflict is inevitable. Yet the interpersonal communication and problem-solving this invites create valuable ground for growth as Vanguards prepare to interact with many different types of people beyond high school. Vanguards are encouraged to grow friendships that may not come as easily to them, through both life’s joys and sorrows. “My Vanguard year taught me to open up my heart and put me in a posture where I became more curious about others,” said Joseph Sawyer, who graduated with the first Vanguard cohort in 2016. “The only way you can do that is if you feel you’re in a safe place.”

That “safe place” stems in part from the program’s commitment to mentorship, the second pillar. Ever since enrolling its first cohort, Vanguard has followed a three-tier mentorship structure for its staff and students. Fellows (college graduates) mentor the Vanguards, current Wheaton graduate-level students mentor the Fellows, and HoneyRock professional staff mentor the graduate students. This flow ensures staff at each level of program leadership receive the support they need to serve those in their oversight.

Full-time HoneyRock staff are regularly available to Vanguards, but Fellows, who share living quarters with Vanguards, are often most involved in a student’s day-to-day rhythms and relationships. In addition to stepping in when conflicts over neglected dish duty arise, Fellows build community with students through supervision during work rotations, leading Bible study, facilitating programming, and eating meals with them. 

“As someone who didn’t have a lot of mentors, especially male mentors, growing up, it was really impactful to have my male Fellows pour into me,” said Hiestand.

These mentors are crucial in guiding Vanguards as they make vocational discoveries. For example, Goeke often sat with students like Lily Newell ’28 (Vanguard ’24) during meals, getting to know each student’s interests and affirming them. Newell shared about her desire to pursue justice in the world. Now, as she looks into nonprofit work or community development for post-graduation, she credits people like Goeke for helping to shape her trajectory.

Liam Cunningham ’26 (Vanguard ’22) experienced similar guidance through his time on the Journeys track. When he started his gap year, he had no plans to work in media. The media portion of the Journeys track changed that. He practiced photography, wrote stories for the Vanguard Explore website, and joined the worship committee, allowing him to run tech for worship. This experience influenced his chosen major (communication with a media studies concentration) and post-college career goals.

Some Vanguards embrace their responsibilities more easily than others. Cody, also a member of the inaugural class, says he was one such student. “I always needed to know the purpose for everything we did,” he said. “Looking back, it’s a pivotal experience to submit oneself to something that may not always make sense or be easy. That prepares you for life walking with Jesus.”

Ten years after Cody’s cohort graduated, Vanguards still attest to the rich spiritual growth that occurs throughout the program. One reason Bridges took a gap year was to create intentional space to grow closer to God. “During the first semester, our Christian Community and Practices class encouraged us to focus on spiritual practices we called sacred rhythms,” Bridges said. “Practicing those gave me a foundation of what spiritual practices are helpful for me in my walk with God.”

Faith and vocation go hand in hand. Bridges embodying her faith by serving various communities throughout her time in Vanguard also revealed more of her calling. “God clearly showed me a part of his calling for me is to work with people,” Bridges said. “Vanguard created opportunities for me to explore who God made me to be.” 

Not every Vanguard goes on to attend Wheaton as a college student, but one-third of them do and bring with them skills and experiences that aid them as students, including exposure to Wheaton culture and the Wheaton classroom. Vanguards’ time at HoneyRock also impacts how they engage in community at Wheaton. “Vanguard has helped me be more open to surprising friendships,” Newell said. “I unexpectedly found community on campus in the Gospel Choir. I've never been a choir kid, but I wanted to try something different. Now they’re my family.”

Many Vanguards also come back later in their careers to serve as Fellows or graduate students in Wheaton’s outdoor and adventure leadership master’s program. Several years after completing Vanguard, Sawyer became a Fellow and found himself receiving a crash course on working in ministry. Now a youth pastor, Sawyer says serving as a Fellow prepared him for where he is now. “It put me in a posture of surrender to the Lord where I had to give up my agenda, and that’s a hard thing to do,” he said.

---

Joseph Sawyer Vanguard ’16 as a fellow (first row on the far left) in fall 2022.

Photo courtesy of HoneyRock staff

---

Vanguards gaze at a sunset.

Photo by Ben Gustafson