If you ever walk into the Hut on a slow day, all you will see is a semi-circle of chairs and couches, surrounded by book shelves and a few posters. But on a busy day, that small room will get more congested than the vice-president’s circulatory system. For the Hut is the headquarters for Guilford’s QLSP organization.Originally designed to teach Quaker students ways to strengthen their religious faiths here on campus, QLSP (Quaker Leadership Scholars Program) has grown consistently in its ten years. In that time it has benefited the Guilford community and its’ own students.

QLSP becomes a family for new students that come each year. This new family is made up of all the different styles of Quakerism. New students become acquainted with styles such as evangelical and open worship oriented practices.

Max Carter and Deborah Shaw, the director and assistant director of the program, both agree that this is beneficial to the program. “Understanding others’ experiences,” Shaw says, “is one thing that helps adjust first-year students to the program and help them feel more at ease.”

“QLSP is not just a four- day Avanti experience,” said Max Carter, “It’s a four-year experience.” So over a time of Quaker learning and participation, a student can strengthen their faith, as well as help teach others in the program.

QLSP is not only beneficial to just the Quaker students but also to the rest of Guilford and its outside communities. The speakers, such as Jean Zaru the clerk of a Quaker Friends meeting in Palestine that spoke last week, who are invited to speak to the program, also attract outside communities. Those outsiders attending may in turn find a bit of Quakerism while visiting here. They may just leave with a deeper respect for others, and a new positive idea of what goes on here at Guilford.

CO-clerk of QLSP monthly meeting, Molly Sword, says it best: when all the social interactions and styles of Quakerism that happen in QLSP mesh together, “It creates a better community for all.” So hopefully this year’s progress will lead to a stronger Guilford College, and not just those in the program.