The Institute

A Nine-Month Journey

The institute begins with a four-day opening retreat in the Smoky Mountains, followed by a week-long immersion week in downtown Knoxville. During this time, students examine the city through a biblical lens, while interacting with community leaders, entrepreneurs, and educators.  After the week-long immersion week, students form project teams around critical needs and are partnered with a mentor and project advisor. Each team is then responsible for designing and delivering a community-based vision project that meets a critical need in the community. 

The program will end with a banquet where project teams will present their finished projects to an assembly of peers, pastors, educators, and community leaders. Once students successfully complete the program, each student will receive a $2000 scholarship to a college or university of their choice. If students decide to attend Johnson University, they will receive an additional $1000 per year for four years.