What happens when theories of religion, geography, modern life and nature are combined? �㽶��Ƶ students Emma Morelli and Claire Fuqua went to a five-week Summer Youth Internship (SYI) at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS) this past summer to find out.

Fuqua, a sophomore wildlife biology and philosophy & religion major from Woodland Park, Colorado; and Morelli, a senior history major from Thornton, Colorado, were two of 12 students from across the country who were selected for SYI.

SYI is an internship that focuses on finding hope through spiritual practice and theological reflection in times of crisis. The participants did some community organizing and learned about how religion impacts geography and the history of Pittsburgh.

Both students were very excited about being selected and the program itself.

“It was such a wonderful opportunity,” Morelli said. “I wanted to see how different people’s experiences contrasted with mine.”

Fuqua said that her peers were by far the best part.

“It was cool to be surrounded by people who were interested in religion and science and how they worked together,” Fuqua said.

During a typical week, Monday and Tuesday mornings were dedicated to workshops, and the afternoons would be for small group discussions. Wednesdays were reserved for Tazié and exploring Pittsburgh and the rich outdoor opportunities in western Pennsylvania. Thursdays were for experimental learning at the Garfield community farms.

Each student received a notebook to write down what they had learned over the five weeks. Their goals were to talk about ecotheology, theological geography and vocation.

Fuqua and Morelli received $3,000 for full participation in the program, and their room, board and travel were covered by a stipend. They will also be eligible to apply for additional funding through the Fellowship for Contextual Ministry and Community Research program.

PTS was founded in the 1790s and is a graduate theological school of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), offering master’s and doctor of ministry degrees as well as certificate programs. SYI is offered for undergraduate students interested in religion and how it shapes our world.

The two students found out about the program from �㽶��Ƶ religion professor Dr. Dorothy Dean.

“Dr. Dean went out of her way to send me the application,” Fuqua said. “It doesn’t matter that I get accepted, it matters that they thought of me.”

By Victoria Harris, a communication studies and English double major from Houston, Texas.

That’s what Eboni Nash ‘19 entered into her browser in March 2020. Like other students, her spring break trip home to see family was…extended. A Harvard Divinity School student at the time, she was feeling “helpless…almost useless” in Eads, Colorado.

Yet what the search produced changed Nash’s life—and saved the life of a young girl.

This story originally appeared in .

Search Results: Be the Match

According to its website, Be the Match is a nonprofit organization connecting leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancer patients with peripheral blood stem cells and bone marrow transplants. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue in some bones that produces blood cells.

When Be the Match appeared in Nash’s search results, she had much to learn.

“In fact, I thought we had to be deceased to be able to do that,” she said. “Although it wasn’t immediately impactful, I was eased by the idea that there was a chance I could save a life.”

As a woman who is Black and Native American (Muscogee Creek), she possesses a unique human leukocyte antigens (HLA) Type among others on the donor registry.

HLA Type comprises protein markers that “tell your body which cells belong in your body and which do not” according to the Be the Match website. The closer the HLA Type match, the more likely the transplant is to be successful.

Timing Isn’t on Her Side

In 2022, Nash’s phone blew up with messages from unfamiliar numbers.

She and a teenage girl battling cancer were a perfect match. But was the timing?

“I just started my professional career, was in between permanent housing, and had no idea what I was meant to do with my life, personally or professionally,” Nash said. “How could I ask my new employer for a day off when it was among my first weeks on the job?”

She asked.

Her boss at Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado, said yes. Twenty days later, Nash and her mom flew to Washington, D.C., for a bone marrow extraction. Be the Match covered their expenses.

Nash’s workplace, where she’s the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program recruitment manager, didn’t question whether she had the leave.

After her experience, Nash began advocating on behalf of bone marrow donors. While still in her hospital bed, she made a Tik Tok about her experience. It went viral.

“The power of story-sharing is real. Individuals are moved by others’ experiences. It raises awareness, it educates the majority and provides guidance for others thinking about following your steps,” she said.

Soon, her advocacy expanded to in-person lobbying, including a trip back to Washington, to advocate for donor leave. That’s an allowance for employees to take up to 40 hours of nonconsecutive, unpaid leave to become a donor. Nash describes the policy as similar to jury duty.

“Many individuals have trouble requesting the day off to ensure they can travel to the donation site and have appropriate time to recover, all while ensuring they are able to still pay their bills and have a job to come back to,” she said.

Nash, who is once again on Be the Match’s donor registry, has been named co-advisor for the Midwest Region of the Be The Match Advocacy Ambassador Team.

Meeting Her Match

As HC Today went to press, Nash was expected to meet the recipient of her donation. They had already exchanged texts and spoken. Nash said she thinks about her often.

“She has dreams, ambitions, desires and even fears. Her goals were at one point, day by day; but because of our match, she can now think farther into college, parenthood and beyond. Giving a small portion of my body, that replaced itself in a mere 30 days, was worth it to give a life for this precious little girl,” Nash said. “When we have the opportunity to love our neighbor, in whatever way that may come to you, it is up to us to answer the call.”

Donating Bone Marrow

In a Be the Match video, Dr. Rayne Rouce with Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Childrens’ Hospital describes the bone marrow extraction process.

1. The donor’s health is assessed for this outpatient procedure.
2. The donor is administered anesthesia.
3. The doctor makes a quarter-inch incision in the back of the donor’s hip bone.
4. Using a small, hollow needle, the doctor extracts the liquid bone marrow.

The process takes 30-60 minutes. Recovery pains are described as minor. Donors leave the hospital that day.

To register to be a donor with Be the Match, go to .

By Alicia O’Donnell ‘96

After graduating from �㽶��Ƶ, Nash moved to Cambridge to attend Harvard Divinity School to earn a master’s degree in Black liberation theology with a focus on mass criminalization. She’s one of several collaborators and creative designers for the publication.

The publication was a part of Nash’s Freedom School student-initiated class. Freedom Schools are historically created for minority students to gather and learn about the history and work not always included in regular classroom settings. Originating in the South, Freedom Schools worked towards social justice and equality.

The Harvard Freedom School targets prison abolition, feminist theology, womanist theology, Black liberation theology and mass criminalization. Nash and her classmates collaborated to gather pieces of literature from people they thought embodied the true vision of justice, transformation and reformation.

The literary magazine is a compilation of art, prose, poetry and love letters. The objective was to compile works from influential people to create an unspoken dialogue. Creators for the journal were not given a prompt, but after viewing all the entered pieces, the creators realized there was an underlying theme and voice to be heard.

“I think this magazine is specifically interesting considering the current pandemic we are facing, the tone of this edition is like none-other,” Nash said.

When thinking about her social network and who to reach out to for the journal, Nash knew she wanted Kennon to contribute to the project. She wanted to uplift the thoughts of the younger generation, and she said she believes Kennon embodies servant leadership.

Nash and the collaborators worked on a piece of the publication that is scattered throughout; it’s a love letter thanking their ancestors and paying tribute to the journal’s readers.

Kennon hasn’t always been a writer. She said her writing experience kicked off her first year at �㽶��Ƶ and her creative writing minor inspired her to write a lot. The communication studies graduate submitted a poem titled, Our Acerbic Extract, to the publication.

Kennon wrote her poem during her creative writing course with Dr. Eleanor Reeds, �㽶��Ƶ professor of English. The piece started as a single stanza poem, but eventually, throughout the course, it grew to a full poem. Kennon said the poem is inspired by her love of grape juice. With the ongoing editing, it became a poem filled with Christian motifs, light-heartedness and the deep, habitual rhythm of relationships.

Kennon’s writing often focuses on historical, science and romance fiction, and she often tries to combine all three into one. She said her emotions help her write because it is a way to get her feelings out onto paper.

“The environment of where I am often plays with my emotions as well, and I think that is why I started writing in college,” she said. “There is so much beauty on the �㽶��Ƶ campus that I couldn’t help but be inspired.”

In the future, Kennon dreams of writing a collection of short stories. For now, she said she’ll continue to submit to journals and magazines because she loves combining her love for advocacy with creative writing.

“Writing fiction has allowed me to talk about more serious topics in a way I know people will listen,” she said.

Kennon’s submission is under a pen-name “Christina K.” The journal is available to view at .

By Courtney Hanson, a senior from Brookings, South Dakota, majoring in communication studies and philosophy and religion

CityYear is an education-based non-profit organization that helps inner-city schools boost student attendance, behavior, and course-work. Its goal is to decrease the national drop-out crisis in the United States through purposeful mentorship. The organization sends volunteers to work in systemically under-resourced schools.

There are 29 sites throughout the country that CityYear volunteers can go to. During the application process, volunteers have the option to pick their top three preferred locations or they can choose to be randomly placed anywhere. Heinlein and Paschal both chose to be placed anywhere. Heinlein was sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Paschal to Sacramento, California.

Heinlein, a Hutchinson, Kansas, native, wasn’t sure what to expect in Tulsa, but he said it’s been a perfect fit for him. He discovered CityYear while looking for educational service work and a friend also suggested he give it a look.

The history and theater double major starts his days by greeting students as they come into school before going to the middle school math class he helps out in. Along with helping the entire class, he works closely with 34 students and does weekly five to 10-minute check-in meetings with each of those students.

When he initially came to college, Heinlein said he wasn’t the best at school, but history professor, Dr. Robert Babcock, helped him further his skills and overcome reading barriers he had during his first year. He said he uses the skills learned at �㽶��Ƶ to help the students he works with every day.

“Education is difficult for many to achieve. Language barriers, family, and many other things can get in the way,” he said. “Watching the students grow every day because of the work the other volunteers and I have done is the biggest reward.”

Paschal got involved with CityYear when she started to look at the AmeriCorps website her senior year at �㽶��Ƶ. The Mancos, Colorado, native continued researching the organization and realized it was a perfect fit for her.

Also placed in a middle school, the sociology and religion double major, works alongside an English teacher. She starts every day with a morning circle with her CityYear colleagues to prepare for their day of service. She then helps with morning support and checks-in with students before going to the classroom she helps assist in throughout the day.

In the classroom, Paschal helps students follow along with readings and stay on task. She also works individually with nine students to cultivate academic and social-emotional skills.

Paschal also supports students outside of the classroom by helping coach the volleyball and girls basketball teams.

“Getting to see students outside the classroom has strengthened my relationship with them because it doesn’t have to be so formal,” she said. “I think coaching them has helped them trust me more.”

Paschal said she uses �㽶��Ƶ professors as a model to work with students. She said her Hastings professors genuinely cared about her as a person and worked their hardest to make sure she and every student had a fulfilling, learning experience.

“My �㽶��Ƶ professors taught me to remind my students everyday that I care for them, I want them to succeed, and I want what is best for them,” she said.

Since CityYear is only a one year program, Heinlein and Paschal have to decide what comes next. While both are considering options, continuing another year with CityYear or going into education themselves are possibilities.

“Being in the schools has really changed my life because I never thought I’d want to be a teacher before, but now, it’s something I’m seriously considering because the students are what makes it worth it,” Paschal said.

By Courtney Hanson, a junior from Brookings, South Dakota, majoring in communication studies and philosophy and religion

The North Platte, Nebraska, native was unsure about what he wanted to do after graduation, but realized an English degree can point you in many directions, as English majors don’t get a certain job, they get many jobs.

With that in mind, he chose to major in English with an emphasis in writing and literature, and then added a minor in religion.

“As you think about your future career, there are so many different options and things you can do, and you have to be okay with not knowing all the answers,” he said.

During his time at �㽶��Ƶ, Jewell participated in the band, theater and the Collegian, and even hosted a radio show called “The Moon Dog Jazz Show.” He said he enjoyed how much he could do at �㽶��Ƶ and still focus on studying English.

After Hastings, Jewell went on to earn an MA at the University of Missouri-Columbia and his PhD at UNL. He’s had several items published, including “‘Counted Out at Last’: Text Analysis on the Willa Cather Archive” in The American Literature Scholar in the Digital Age. He is also a co-editor of “The Complete Letters of Willa Cather,” a digital archive that will include all of Cather’s more than 3,000 known letters by 2021.

He said �㽶��Ƶ professors Dr. Dwight Marsh and Dr. Rich Lloyd helped him find a sense of identity and confidence.

“I learned a lot from the English faculty at �㽶��Ƶ, but the greatest gifts they gave me were respect and encouragement,” he said.

By Claire Nelson, a sophomore from Bagley, Minnesota, majoring in communication studies, and Courtney Hanson, a junior from Brookings, South Dakota, majoring in communication studies and philosophy and religion

The on-campus non-profit Food4Thought helped inspire these students to be more active citizens in their campus communities. Nash said her experience with the organization largely influenced her call to service. She served as its director and helped coordinate events on campus and in the community.

“It was humbling to take others stress away by providing families with food so they didn’t have to worry about where their next meal would come from,” she said.

Nash is attending Harvard Divinity School with an emphasis in mass incarceration and black liberation, and her end goal is not to become a minister but rather to use her education in a field related to incarceration. The Bronco Award winner initially majored in psychology, but graduated as psychology, sociology and religion triple major.

Former religion professor, Dr. Dan Deffenbaugh, also influenced all four students by pushing them to try new things outside of their comfort zones.

Nash said Deffenbaugh inspired her to apply to Harvard Divinity Exploration program, which allowed her to visit Cambridge, Massachusetts, to see what getting a masters there would look like.

“It feels like seminary school is where God is calling me to go, and He’s opened the doors toward that path,” Nash said.

After a nudge from the same professor, Soncksen completed a year of service at Casa Marianella. She worked as a case manager, operations coordinator and donations coordinator at the homeless shelter for immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Austin, Texas.

“Deffenbaugh suggested I do a year of service and beforehand I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to seminary,” Soncksen said. “My year of service solidified my call to ministry.”

Deffenbaugh was not her only influence, as she was also a director for Food4Thought. She said it further developed her interest in service. Both ultimately led Soncksen to attend the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary to earn a masters in divinity.

Hawthorne is also attending school in Texas, at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She became interested in attending seminary school after working for Micah Corps last year.

Micah Corps is a program through the Great Plains United Methodist Church and is based on the Bible verse Micah 6:8: “Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.”

In her second year with Micah Corps, she has helped expand the program’s social justice focus by working more closely with a church community in Topeka, Kansas.

Hawthorne said seminary school originally felt out of character for her. She entered college aspiring to be a veterinarian but quickly realized that wasn’t the right career for her. She then jumped into sociology with an emphasis in peace, justice and social change.

“A big part of my faith is to care for others whenever and however I can. The whole community of Hastings, the College and the town made me feel welcome, and that I could make a difference,” she said.

Hawthorne was also a co-director for Food4Thought at �㽶��Ƶ, and she said it helped her use her faith to make a difference in the community—something she will continue to incorporate in her life.

Rohweder is attending Kenrick Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri. He said �㽶��Ƶ helped the decision to go to seminary school become a reality for him. It had always been in the back of his mind, he said, but �㽶��Ƶ solidified it.

When he began to apply to seminary schools, he was originally a mathematics major, but wanted to take philosophy and religion classes to prepare for his next step. To adjust to his need, he worked with faculty to design a personalized major called applied reason and logic, which mostly consisted of mathematics, philosophy, religion and some psychology.

Some of his most impactful experiences at �㽶��Ƶ involve talking with professors and coaches to gain a more in-depth insight into life as we know it, faith and the correlation between the two. He said Dr. Ali Beheler, Dr. Dan Deffenbaugh, Rev. Damen Heitmann, Dr. Travis Feezell, Dr. Doyle Daiss, Dr. Bruce Batterson, Dr. Robert Babcock, Dr. John Schneider, Dr. Mark Hall, Dr. Bobbi Buchholz and coaches Comron Yazdgerdi, Travis Bronson, Mark Gueswell, Matthew Buttermore, Brett Wells and Bill Gavers were vital in helping him to arrive at the position he’s in.

He said they helped him find answers to the questions he had on Christianity, develop a deeper appreciation for his faith and find many communities on campus.

“The sense of community on campus and the respect for different lifestyles, opinions and viewpoints were transformative for me,” Rohweder said.

By Courtney Hanson, a junior from Brookings, South Dakota, majoring in communication studies and philosophy and religion.

It’s rich Celtic history earned the county its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s rising to become one of the world’s most iconic tourist destinations.

Today, this paradise is home to 2017 �㽶��Ƶ graduate Laura Gregory. After earning a degree in English with a minor in music, Gregory journeyed across the sea to accept an internship with the Penlee Cluster, a conglomerate of Anglican churches in southern Cornwall. There, she is charged with researching New Monasticism, in which communities live like monks for an agreed-upon, temporary period of time.

“The head vicar of the Penlee Cluster is interested in starting a monastic community in Penzance; my job is to help lay the groundwork for that community,” Gregory said.

Gregory’s studies focus on mystics and religious thinkers, like Saint Benedict, Saint Francis and the ancient Desert Fathers, whose work and lifestyles inspired traditional Catholic monasteries and nunneries. She also learns about modern ecumenical communities by visiting New Monastic communities in the United Kingdom.

“I hope to gain a better understanding of what attracts 21st century people to the monastic lifestyle, what they hope to learn from it and how different monastic communities operate on a daily basis,” she said. “I’m presenting my findings to the Cluster churches as they start to consider what they want a monastic community sponsored by the Penlee Cluster to look like.”

Gregory’s also “gets paid to be a preacher’s kid” because she helps lead worship services, writing prayers, reflections and scripture analyses, cook and set up for community meals and work with children through the St. John’s Church Playzone.

She spends any extra time exploring the breathtaking countryside, and learning more about the Cornish Celtic tradition.

English, music and Christian ministry intersect

By taking a broad variety of classes at �㽶��Ƶ, Gregory built a diverse academic arsenal that enables her to see the connections between otherwise separate topics. For her, the progression from studies in English and music, to an internship in Christian ministry makes sense.

“I ended up with an English degree, and I’m one paper short of a music degree, so it might seem I went in yet another direction when I applied for a job in Christian ministry, but I don’t feel like that’s quite the case,” Gregory said.

Gregory developed a deep interest in Anglo Saxon texts, British medievalism and folklore while at �㽶��Ƶ. These topics springboarded her toward the study of Celtic Christianity and culture, ultimately leading to her decision to apply for the Penlee Cluster internship.

As for music, her coursework applies more directly. One of her responsibilities includes singing at church services. Cornwall is home to a vibrant music scene — particularly choral music — and both the Church of St. Mary in Penzance and the Church of St Pol de Leon host many concerts throughout the year.

She’s also identified a more subtle connection between her musical background and her internship.

“I struggled with solo performance, and at the end of college, I realized I preferred ensemble work because it is not about me. It’s about working with other people to create something bigger than yourself,” she said. “My music classes showed me that working to benefit a larger community means to the most to me, and that’s what I’m doing with the Penlee Cluster.”

Gregory’s ability to identify the interconnectedness of distinct fields of study provide her with flexibility on the job. By thinking critically about how one topic relates to the next, she’s transformed her English degree into a powerful tool to investigate modern religious movements.

“By the end of my time at �㽶��Ƶ, I didn’t feel prepared for one particular job; I didn’t even know what kind of work I would be doing when I graduated,” she said. “Instead, Hastings taught me how to learn for the sake of learning, then to combine all of my coursework and interdisciplinary skills to accomplish any task at hand. That’s been most helpful to me.”

As her internship with the Penlee Cluster comes to its close in January 2019, Gregory is considering her next move. She plans to continue studying ancient religious practices and the Celtic heritage with the hope of applying to graduate school to study medievalism.

With the the academic flexibility warranted to her through her diverse studies and her experience applying an interdisciplinary perspective to research, Gregory is confident she’s prepared for the next picturesque stop on her academic adventure.

Mallory Gruben ’18

Perched on a rocky landscape overlooking a seemingly endless horizon of water, Jenna Jaeger, sophomore biology and Spanish double major, sat quietly meditating after a five-day trek through Northern Spain. The quiet moment gave her a chance to reflect on the 72-mile hike she’d just completed during January Term (J-Term) 2017.

While many students use J-Term as an opportunity to travel abroad, Jaeger and six other �㽶��Ƶ students set out on a J-Term trip that led them to the end of the earth — and into a new culture.

Accompanied by Dr. Pedro Vizoso, associate professor of Spanish, and Dr. David McCarthy, professor of religion, the group explored the French route of the Camino de Santiago.

“The Camino de Santiago is a very old tradition in Europe, and pilgrims from everywhere used its routes to journey to Santiago de Compostela, the location of Saint James’ tomb,” Vizoso said. “The French route is the most common because, in some ways, all the pilgrims going to Santiago de Compostela from the European Countries east of Germany were funneled there through Paris.”

The Camino de Santiago played a large role in the development of Spain’s religious identity in the eighth century. For nearly 800 years, Spain was under the control of the Islamic Moors. Spain embraced Catholicism as a way to create a distinct identity and recover from Moorish rule, with Christianity spreading throughout the country via the Camino.

The goal of the J-Term course was to study the culture, religions and history of Europe by experiencing the Camino de Santiago first-hand during a three-week trip through the cities on the French Route.

Exploring France as Spanish speakers

The adventure began in Paris, France, where the class traveled by car to the French stops on the Camino. The students presented mini-lectures in Spanish about the importance of each French city along the way, and they explored the major cathedrals related to the Camino’s rich history.

France helped the students — who were each studying Spanish as either a major or minor — to step out of their comfort zone and into a new culture and language. The students could rely on Vizoso and McCarthy for most translations; however, when they set out by themselves during their free time, they were challenged to adapt.

“We had to learn about French culture in order to not be obnoxious tourists. I learned a little bit of the French language, too” Jaeger said. “I value my Spanish education much more after my experience of not being able to sufficiently communicate in France.”

McCarthy, who holds a Master of Arts in French and a Doctorate in religion, shared valuable insights and history lessons to help students navigate a culture distinct from their Spanish studies.

“Although I speak French, I didn’t know the French steps of the Camino,” Vizoso said. “Dr. McCarthy explained the significance of every step we visited in France, so I relied totally on him to do the French portion of the trip. For me, Dr. McCarthy was an amazing help.”

As the class wrapped up their lessons in France, they prepared to cross the border into Spain. Although their route on the Camino was continuous, the culture and language would change as they journeyed south.

“Just imagine if the United States was divided into 27 countries, and every country had its own language. Going from France to Spain would be like crossing the border to Kansas and suddenly having to speak another language,” Vizoso said, noting that it was good for the students to experience Europe’s cultural diversity by exploring the continent’s history.

“It was such a stark difference. France seemed a little more proper, posh and affluent, whereas Spain was more laid back, happy and accepting,” said Joseph Quinn, a junior Spanish and education double major. “There was even a difference with how churches were built in France and Spain, which was really interesting to see.”

A pilgrim’s voyage

Once in Spain, the class embraced the true history of the Camino by finishing the final 72 miles (116 kilometers) on foot. For five days, they walked from city to city on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

“We tried to live like pilgrims as much as we could by staying in pilgrimage hostels and living with other pilgrims,” Jaeger said.

Unlike some of the pilgrimages, the trip didn’t end when they reached the site of Saint James’ tomb in Santiago de Compostela. Instead, the travelers continued on, driving to the zero kilometer or “true end” of the Camino.

“The tradition of the Camino de Santiago often ends with going to the zero kilometer of the route at Finisterre, or the end of the earth. This is where the Atlantic Ocean begins, and the land ends in a cliff with an abrupt drop into the sea,” Vizoso said.

Vizoso said his students seemed to be strongly affected by their stop in Finisterre. For Jaeger, it was a quiet space to reconnect with herself after the strenuous trip on the Camino.

“I was able to sit and meditate while listening to the ocean and absorbing the sun,” Jaeger said. “During this trip, I really connected with myself, and meditating at Finisterre gave me a sense of the strong spirituality in the place, and a sense of peace.”

Immersion in history, culture and language

The students’ return to home just a few days after their visit to Finisterre revealed improved Spanish speaking skills and an expanded understanding of Spanish culture. While abroad, the class was required to speak in Spanish as often as possible. Vizoso said limiting the student’s’ ability to use English enriched their learning experience.

“When students are constantly using Spanish in their interactions, they are in some ways able to connect with the physical reality of the culture,” he said. “Making that physical connection with the target language and culture is so important because it makes the trip more than just a tourist experience.”

Even after two full years of college Spanish courses, Jaeger said her experience on the Camino was distinct from anything she had learned in the classroom. Full immersion in the language helped her to grow her Spanish repertoire.

“Sometimes, colloquial terms would get in the way of our somewhat limited Spanish vocabularies, but it forced us to learn more and expand our Spanish knowledge,” Jaeger said. “There was no longer the easy way out of explaining it in English — we had to find a way to say what we wanted in order to communicate.”

Traveling through France and Spain pushed the students to “pop the university bubble” and immerse themselves in history, religion, culture and language, said Vizoso. For the seven scholars who completed the Camino de Santiago for J-Term, the impact of the unique experience will be long lasting.

“Leaving your own country and culture will take you out of your comfort zone, but it will open your eyes to understanding something that’s different than your normal routine,” Quinn said. “This J-Term class was an opportunity to see the world in a new way, and it was life changing.”

By Mallory Gruben, a senior from Eckley, Colorado, majoring in journalism

With sites and exhibits spanning 200 acres, the museum takes visitors back in time to the days when pioneers and Native Americans lived and struggled on the Plains. Guests discover an authentic 38-foot Pawnee Indian earth lodge with buffalo grazing nearby. A settlement of authentic log cabins. A sheep ranch. The powerful Union Pacific Engine 437. And an 1890s railroad town where costumed interpreters hammer hot iron in the blacksmith’s shop, sell old-fashioned candies and pickles at the Mercantile, and welcome you inside actor Henry Fonda’s boyhood home.

It should come as no surprise that the Nebraskan Tourism Commission named the Stuhr Museum “Outstanding Tourism Attraction” for 2016.

“We had an amazing year last year, and we thought we had a good case for the award with the growth we had,” said Black, a 1997 �㽶��Ƶ graduate. “Our internal staff wrote an application to the commission, pointing out what a great year we had, so the award came, and it came in the most competitive category. We have some great attractions in Nebraska, so to be named the best in the state was a nice award for us.”

The Stuhr Museum recently completed a 10-year, $7.4 million renovation of its Stuhr Building, an iconic, concrete structure containing a variety of historical exhibits. The Nebraska Tourism Commission, in presenting its award, lauded Stuhr as attraction that “will continue growing and be a community icon for years to come.”

Providing a link to the past

Black began working at the Stuhr Museum as an intern immediately after graduating from �㽶��Ƶ with majors in history and religion.  He focused primarily on researching fire departments throughout Nebraska history. From there, he began successfully climbing the ranks at Stuhr. He took positions as a curator in charge of exhibits and then became Interim Director. In 2004, he was named Executive Director.

Black oversees the vast complex of the museum, which holds more than 100 historic structures and operates on a budget of $1.4 million. He also supervises a staff of 75 and more than 350 volunteers. In 2016, nearly 70,000 people from 49 states and 18 foreign countries visited Stuhr, a 26 percent increase from the year before.

Black attributes his education at �㽶��Ƶ to preparing him for a successful career as a museum administrator.

“I was a history major, so I was very lucky to get a job in the field. The importance of the lessons of history is something I use every day,” he said. “I was also a member of the forensics team, so that ability to be comfortable speaking to the public has helped a lot. So much of what we do in the nonprofit world is making a case that what we do is important.”

Connecting through the liberal arts

Black, who helped coach �㽶��Ƶ’s forensics team for eight years after graduating and is married to �㽶��Ƶ Professor of Economics Dr. Amy (Quist) Black ’90, is a true believer in the power of the liberal arts.

“Everything inside and outside the classroom feeds into each other. That’s what the liberal arts does well,” Black said. “It’s not just these things that stand alone. They work together and make things richer. I’ve been a guest speaker in some classes at �㽶��Ƶ, and there’s nothing like it.”

By Jake Konen, a senior marketing major from Hastings, Nebraska

Service while a student

Theesen’s interest in helping refugees stems from experiences she had abroad as a �㽶��Ƶ student: spending a semester in Guatemala and working in Mexico over a few summers. While in Latin America, Theesen worked primarily with immigrants and refugees, which sparked her passion for working to better their lives.

“I tried out nonprofit work while in school, and knew that I wanted to continue doing it,” said Theesen.

During her time as a Hastings student, Theesen also helped start Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, one of the most popular service events on campus. The week includes days of meal packing to help the hungry, both in Hastings and around the world; in 2015 students packed 2,500 sack lunches for local students and 75,000 meals to be sent around the globe.

Helping at home and abroad

After graduation, Theesen went to work at the ACC as a case manager. She helped newly arrived refugees resettle in the United States, enroll their children in school and navigate government procedures. She continued to work with refugees until she returned to school in 2010 to earn her master’s degree in nonprofit management.

While working on her master’s degree, Theesen concurrently completed a fellowship in East Africa with Mosaic, a nonprofit group that works to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

“Through all of my experiences abroad I’ve truly fallen in love with global work,” said Theesen.

After earning her graduate degree, Theesen went back to the ACC, working as the employment program manager. In this role, she led the ACC’s employment team, helping newly resettled refugees find employment opportunities in the United States.

“I missed working with refugees every day, and being able to watch them succeed,” said Theesen. “I ran into one of the first people I worked with while I was a case manager the other day. Some refugees struggle but he had no trouble settling in. It was great to see how well he was doing.”

From Colorado to Cambodia

But after a year with the ACC, Theesen once again found another way to help others. In 2014 she began working as the director of operations for Children’s Future International, which works to educate young people in Cambodia who will then in turn teach others in the country in an effort to stem the cycle of poverty in Cambodia.

Theesen remained with Children’s Future until 2016, leaving her position as executive director in March to return to the ACC as the organization’s managing director.

“I love it here, if didn’t I wouldn’t have come back so many times,” said Theesen. “Helping others never gets dull.”

A career of caring

In just over a half decade, Theesen has helped others all around the world. But for her, it’s just what she was meant to do.

“Helping others is a great job to have,” she said. “And at the end of the day you can always go home knowing you made a difference in someone else’s life.”

By Nick Musgrave, a junior from Parkersburg, West Virginia, majoring in history and political science