Healthy Leaders ~ Healthy Organizations ~ Healthy Communities The DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative (DVULI) is an intensive 15-month faith-based leadership development program for urban youth workers. Each year since 1997, approximately 60 urban youth workers from five select U.S. cities are accepted. DVULI exists to come alongside these leaders and support them with professional-level leadership training. It’s a practical, hands-on experience they need to make a difference. Go to DVULI.org to LEARN MORE.

Faithfully serving youth in the urban context nationwide, DVULI alumni are steadfast in their mission to make an impact in their communities. This is a compilation of the work featured in the news in 2024. Please note that most of our alumni investment in youth happens behind the scenes.

This year all across the nation, DVULI alumni worked hard on behalf of the youth they serve. Most of their inspiring work goes unheralded, but some of these youth leaders were highlighted in the news. This is a brief video montage of that coverage.  The individual links to the full version of each story are on our website at this link: https://www.dvuli.org/news/dvuli-alumni-in-the-news-year-in-review-2023/

Today is an exciting day — the brand that youth workers have known, respected, and loved for 23-years has a new logo addition. One with a new look and feel...and sound! You see DVULI but say, “Deh-VOO-lee.” Many of you already refer to us as “Deh-VOO-lee.” We recognized that pronouncing this way is easier to remember and to say (even in Spanish) so we made it official by: 1) adding the DVULI acronym to the brand family and 2) actively encouraging the shift from pronouncing it as “D-V-U-L-I” to “Deh-VOO-lee.” Inspiration You’ll notice that our new logo addition includes the familiar city skyline design element added to the brand family in 2007. We wanted it to be distinct and memorable while nodding to the urban communities in which we serve. Our new wordmark symbolizes God’s light shining upon urban cities where our youth leaders, in turn, reflect His light back into the communities and youth they serve. Some of the additional versions of the new DVULI acronym logo were added to the brand family. Jump In You will also see the new DVULI acronym logo being phased into several places; our website, social media, signage, follow-up training, and some of our partner websites. When you see our new logo, it’s yours to own and say! NOTE: Please make sure to NOT write out /Deh-VOO-lee/, as this is the sound-spelling version to help with pronunciation. Always write out the acronym, DVULI, when referring to our program. Let’s work together in a collaborative effort to use the new /Deh-VOO-lee/ pronunciation in conversations. Next time you are talking about your DVULI experience with a friend, a pastor, alumni, pronounce it “DehVOOlee” and see what they say! Our Mission Twenty-three years and 1,200 alumni later, the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative (DVULI) mission remains the same -- to make a positive impact on the lives of youth by investing in their leaders. # # #

DVULI is excited to announce a new collaborative model for DVULI leadership that includes Ron Carter (Director of Training & Equipping), Shannon Pothoven (Director of Operations), and Gerald Bell (Director of Alumni Support & Communications). As a team, they, along with the entire DVULI team, are committed to DVULI’s future growth and impact.

Nationwide, Christian leaders aim to positively impact underserved urban youth. Many, however, have limited access to resources and skills to sustain their calling. DVULI is a faith-based leadership development program with collaborative and career-long resources for Christian leaders who serve urban youth. Selected leaders from five cities join an 18-month program to develop practical leadership skills, participants form close-knit cohorts, fostering a collaborative support system. DVULI equips youth leaders to have a sustainable impact on their personal, organizational, and community lives. To learn more, go to DVULI.org.

A nivel nacional, líderes cristianos tienen como objetivo impactar positivamente a los jóvenes que viven en comunidades urbanas de bajos recursos. Muchos, sin embargo, tienen acceso limitado a recursos y habilidades para sostener su llamado. DVULI es un programa de desarrollo de liderazgo cristiano con recursos para líderes que sirven a los jóvenes urbanos. Líderes seleccionados de cinco ciudades se unen a un programa de 18 meses para desarrollar habilidades prácticas de liderazgo, formar grupos muy unidos, y crear un sistema de apoyo colaborativo. DVULI equipa a líderes de jóvenes para que tengan un impacto sostenible en sus vidas personales, ministeriales y comunitarias. Para obtener más información, visite DVULI.org/espanol.