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Fellowship Recipients  2007-2008: Milse Furtado
Milse Furtado, 22, is a 2007 mass communications graduate of Rust College, Holly Springs, Miss. She is the 10th recipient of the Judith L. Weidman Racial Ethnic Minority Fellowship and will work in the North Texas Conference under the leadership of Dr. Joan LaBarr. A native of Brazil, she is the daughter of a United Methodist pastor. She began her journey in communications by compiling her churchs weekly bulletin. Her interest in communications grew, but her local church and others in the country lacked a strong communications program. In her application, she said she came to the United States because "I believe that God deserves more from us in the communications area." Communications "is one of the best fields to reach out and conquer getting more and more people to his kingdom while reassuring the faith of the believers," she said. She affirmed communication as a "powerful tool for our church today" and said she wants to acquire the necessary knowledge to help the church in Brazil grow in communications ministries. "I also want to be a part of witnessing the revolution in our societys media as a response to the boldness of our religious influence in peoples lives," she said.  2006-2007: Alvin Russell Goodwin II
Alvin Russell Goodwin II, 22, a telecommunications graduate from the University of Kentucky, is the ninth recipient of the Judith L. Weidman Racial Ethnic Minority Fellowship. He will work in the Minnesota Annual Conference, where Victoria Rebeck, director of communications for the MN Conference will serve as his mentor/supervisor. Goodwin, a lifelong United Methodist, said the most important part of being a Christian is working outside the walls of the church. He cited that as a primary reason for wanting to gain more understanding of religious communication. As a college student, he studied abroad in Ghana, on the coast of West Africa - an experience that influenced his perspective on the church's global role. "Moreover, I am eager to witness to the development and advancement of the Christian church voice, reaching not only across states but ultimately across nations." This outreach includes listening to the concerns of today's youth and young adults and countering negative messages received through mass media with the voice of the church. He said he wants to "increase the efficiency and effectiveness of religious communications, which will more importantly strengthen the bond between Christian churches and our global communities."  2005-2006: Byron S. MinerByron S. Minor, a mass communications graduate of Southern University A&M, Baton Rogue, La., has been chosen as the eighth recipient of the Judith Weidman Racial Ethnic Minority Fellowship. He worked in the California-Pacific Conference. He completed his assignment on June 30, 2006. Minor, who graduated from the Louisiana school with a master's degree in 2004, said in his letter of application that "being a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church has truly drawn my interest in religion communication," especially in the area of community involvement.  2004-2005: Jacquelyn Dorice Hall
Jacquelyn Dorice Hall is the seventh recipient of the REM Fellowship. She works in the North Alabama Annual Conference for one year under the mentorship and supervision of Danette Clifton, the director of communications after graduating from Alabama State University with a journalism degree. Before graduation, Hall served as an intern in Alabama State University's Office of University Relations for three years, where she wrote press releases and public service announcements, prepared a biweekly newsletter and covered events. Jacquelyn is a member of Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.  2003-2004: Royaa L. James
Royya L. James, a recent graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and former United Methodist Communications intern was the 2003-2004 Judith L. Weidman Racial Ethnic Minority Fellow. Royya is the sixth recipient of the fellowship, and worked in the Wyoming Annual Conference in Endicott, New York. Don Perry, Director of Communications, was Royya's mentor during the fellowship year. Royya is employed at UMCom as a Logistics Specialist.  2002-2003: David O. Malloy II
David O. Malloy II, the fifth recipient of the Judith L. Weidman Racial Ethnic Minority Fellow concluded his work with the West Ohio Annual Conference where The Reverend R. Thomas Slack, director of communications, served as his mentor. David is presently the direction of communications for the Greater New Jersey Conference. A North Carolina resident, Malloy graduated from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke with a bachelor's degree in communications with a public relations concentration. David is a life long United Methodist and a member of the Jerusalem United Methodist Church, Laurinburg, N.C.  2001-2002: Ciona D. Rouse
Ciona spent a year working in the Communications Office of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference with Rev. Dean Snyder the director of communications as her mentor. After completion of her REM Fellowship, Ciona accepted employment with the United Methodist Church General Board of Discipleship as Project Coordinator. In this position she used her communication skills and employed much of what she learned during her fellowship experience in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. She is presently serving as a freelance employee to UMCom. Ciona is a South Carolina native and graduated from Columbia (SC) College with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in communications.  2000-2001: Nicole R. Benson
Nicole Benson accepted the Director of Communications position with the Texas Conference in Houston after completing the REM Fellowship in the Southwest Texas Conference in San Antonio. Douglas Cannon, Director of Communications, was her mentor. The fellowship offered Nicole the opportunity to shape her communications talents, interests and education into work for God and the Church. "I know that God is calling me to work among God's people," she wrote in her letter of interest. Nichole now serves as a local pastor in the Oklahoma Conference. A graduate of Langston (Oklahoma) University where she took every opportunity to work in the communications field through internships. Nicole is a native Californian.  1999-2000: Eunice Dharmaratnam
Eunice Dharmaratnam, the second REM Fellow, spent her fellowship year with the Indiana Area Office of Communications (North and South Indiana conferences), where she was mentored by Lynne B. DeMichele, Director of Communication for the Indiana Area. Eunice is a citizen of Singapore and brought a global perspective to the fellowship. The fellowship allowed Eunice the opportunity to share her talents and to learn the broad scope of annual conference and religion communications. "This experience has been invaluable and I intend to apply and ponder over lessons learned about the church and communications," she says. Eunice is a graduate of the master's degree program in print journalism at Oklahoma City University. Following her fellowship, she returned to school at the University of Texas - Dallas, to work on a doctorate degree.  1998-1999: Larry Hygh, Jr.
Larry Hygh was the first REM Fellowship recipient. He served his fellowship year in the New England Annual Conference in Lawrence, Mass., mentored by Michael Hickcox, conference Director of Communication. Upon completion of the REM Fellowship, Larry was employed as the Associate Director of Communications with the Baltimore-Washington Conference in Columbia, Md. Presently he is the Director of Communications for the California-Pacific Conference in Los Angeles, CA. Larry received his undergraduate and master's degree in Communication from Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, Texas. He is presently completeing work on his doctorate degree.
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