Engaging first years in campus ministries is always a challenge. In many instances first years are intimidated by discussions with upper class students, extremely busy with orientation requirements or unaware of campus ministry programs. To combat this trend Transy started Disciples Orientation Into Transy (DOIT). This week long program, which takes place the week before orientation, offers incoming Disciples many opportunities. Students participate in service projects every day to introduce them to the larger Lexington community. For meals, the local Disciples congregations host the group and provide the food. Students are introduced to all of the church buildings, as well as the staff, service times, young adult programs and other important information. For non-native students this can be very important in selecting a local congregation. Students also have the opportunity to get to know other first year Disciples and form a cohesive group and friendships before other students arrive and the busy schedules begin. Plenty of time is given to students to get to know each other, discuss their faith and just have fun. This program is organized by the campus minister and two to three upperclassmen who serve as peer leaders throughout the program.

Fostering the next generation of ministers and lay leaders is an important task for the church. SERVE works to foster leadership ability, critical thinking, and theological understanding. This weekly discussion group brings students together to share in the discernment process. While the primary focus of this organization is students exploring ordained ministry, there is a large variance of vocational goals (including professorships in higher education, Peace Corps and congregational lay ministry) as well as academic programs (including Drama, Psychology, German, Music Technology, and Physics majors). It takes many different formats throughout the year. Sometimes the discussion is centered around an article in Disciples World; sometimes a guest from a local congregation, a divinity school or seminary comes; while other times students bring in topics that they have faced while working with their congregations. A wide variety of topics have been addressed including the ordination of homosexual individuals, the distinction between ordained ministry and lay ministry, justifiable war (in connection with the war in Iraq), the types of theological arguments, and how to develop prayers for services. These topics help students in their growth and development of personal faith, understand the topics which may arise when they leading a congregation and relate to others who are going through the same discernment process.