When a student leaves for college, how can pastors, relatives, mentors and other United Methodists back home help them receive a warm welcome in their new surroundings?

Local churches now have a new tool to help students making the transition to college life: an online referral form that instantly forwards the student’s information to the appropriate campus ministry at a dozen colleges and universities around Arkansas.

Those making referrals will be asked to provide the student’s name, contact information, high school and the college where the student is enrolled in 2016, as well as their own email address and relationship to the student.