Polaris announces its newest cohort of Fellows, featuring 23 incredible young leaders from across the U.S., whose work spans everything from public service and healthcare to education, entrepreneurship, ministry, and the arts. Through retreats, monthly gatherings, mentorship, and a vibrant national network, Fellows get practical tools and deep spiritual support to sustain their callings and each other.
The Polaris Fellowship nurtures belonging and cultivates leadership marked by courage and imagination. In a cultural moment often defined by stories of religious decline amidst a larger epidemic of loneliness, Polaris offers both a community and a counter-narrative: many young adults are not leaving — they are leading.
Fellows are equipped with the practices and relationships that sustain lasting impact. Retreats, monthly gatherings, and mentoring provide practical tools alongside enduring friendships. Together, these form a foundation for young leaders to flourish personally and to serve church and society with resilience and creativity.
“Young adults today are reshaping the church in real time,” said Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean. “For a generation often described in terms of what they’ve lost, Polaris Fellows are showing us what they are building: communities of faith that are relational, imaginative, and deeply committed to God’s call in the world.”
“Polaris gets to celebrate what God is already doing through young adult leaders,” said Shari Oosting, Director. “These Fellows are called by and committed to God and their neighbors, and they have remarkable vision, courage, and creativity. Along with tangible resources, what they gain in Polaris is the experience of being deeply seen, encouraged, and challenged by others who walk alongside them. This kind of belonging changes how they lead and creates ripple effects in the places and spaces where they have influence.”
We’re excited for another year of fellowship with these 23 outstanding young leaders! Read the full press release here.
The 2025 Polaris Fellows cohort includes (click here to read full bios)
- Henri Shemar Abrams (Austin, TX)
- Abby Butler-Cefalo (Baltimore, MD)
- Israel David Carranza (Chicago, IL)
- Owen Copps (Austin, TX)
- Joseph Cruz Menchaca (Tucson, AZ)
- Caleb Encinas Cortés (Federal Way, WA)
- Antionna Fuller (Columbia, SC)
- Anna G. Guerrero (Decatur, GA)
- Julianne Hall Ross (Denver, CO)
- Marina Elizabeth Hanna (Warren, NJ)
- Jewel Koshy (Lakeland, FL)
- Jordan Lopez (Charlotte, NC)
- Christoph’ McFadden (New Haven, CT)
- Sabina Pappu (Dallas, TX)
- Jerica Robinson (St. Louis, MO)
- Lindsay “Lulu” Sapigao (Hayward, CA)
- Viveka Starr Hall-Holt (Seattle, WA)
- Taylor Negrete (Incline Village, NV)
- Ihsan Walker (Cincinnati, OH)
- Mary Joy Wytsma (Washington, DC)
- Taylor Negrete (Incline Village, NV)
- Ihsan Walker (Cincinnati, OH)
- Mary Joy Wytsma (Washington, DC)
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