Education
Saint Louis University
Bachelor of Arts, May 2017
Major: Communication with a Public Relations Concentration
Minors: Theology and Women's and Gender Studies
Experience
Ligonier Camp and Conference Center
From the summer of 2008 this place has had a hold on my heart. After three summers as a camper, three summers as a Counselor in Training (CIT) on high school age staff, two summers as a counselor, and two summers as CIT Director, I am currently one of five interns. About an hour outside Pittsburgh, PA in the Laurel Highlands, the work that is done on that hill every summer continues to blow my mind. Going into its 103rd summer of ministry, experiential education, adventure programing, skill development, camp fire songs and moving talks, the camp that the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh started in 1914 is doing something right.
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It could be that kids just love camp. I was one of them, and I do believe in the power of summer camp. However, I do not think that it is a love of summer camp that calls people back for 9th, 10th, even 12th summers. It is the relationships that can be built when identity is cherished because of who we all are as individuals, but more importantly the identity we share in Christ. Coming back to a place after being away and still being known is powerful. Good relationships and passionate ministry are going to do far more than a good press release.
Spending my first year out of school at LCCC has been an enriching continuation of my education. While interning, I have had the chance develop a skill set including but not limiting to adventure education facilitating, social media, hiring processes, nonprofit fundraising and communication, event services, promotional public speaking and relationship building. I learn more everyday about what I'm passionate about and for now, I couldn't ask for more.
The Gathering: BarChurch
In 2014 The Gathering, a United Methodist Church just 10 years old, in St. Louis, opened a site near SLU's campus in hopes of expanding their college age ministry. When searching for space Humphrey’s, a restaurant/bar across from campus, offered theirs. The price of free was too good to turn down and from that opportunity BarChurch was born. During the 2015-2016 school year I had the opportunity to start working on leadership team at BarChurch. I have learned about transforming spaces, connections, invitation and the unimportance of conventionality. Church happens in a bar every Sunday night because God can transform hearts just as well on plastic patio chairs or bar stools as he can in pews. I have learned that space is what you make it and invitation is public relations. To be in a role of connecting, inviting, and engaging with others and watching this ministry grow has taught me further about the importance of relationships, of investing in other people, that that is when thriving happens: when people are known and invested in.
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I was a college intern with BarChurch during my senior year of college. In this year, not one but two of the bars we used for worship were shut down. The rebranding and creation of new spaces made the year unexpected, but given me skills and experiences I could not imagine getting elsewhere.
Delta Gamma
Director of Alumnae Relations
If you asked me about Greek Life before college, my response would have been radically different. When I decided to go through recruitment my freshman year at SLU, I saw something in the women of Delta Gamma that I wanted to be more like. Adding the opportunity to be the point person for the Alumni and collegiate chapters of this organization as Director of Alumni Relations has further taught me about maintaining relationships professionally. Coordinating panels, celebrations, brunches and other events with groups ranging from 50 to 500 has taught me a lot about the power and importance of good communication and good relationships.
Study Abroad
In the spring of 2015 I had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain. Studying abroad is growing in popularity not only because of the amazing opportunity it is but also because of what it offers.
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To have the opportunities to travel to, stay in and enjoy the culture of 17 cities in 10 different countries, many of which had a native language that I did not speak, gave me the opportunities to learn to adapt, to problem solve, and to take once in a life time chances to experience a wide variety of people and places. I went in knowing about 10 Spanish words, but taught an English as a Second language to a group of adults and was hosted by an incredible family who spoke no English. Spending four months abroad allowed me to fall deeper in love with learning and exploring. It was four months of learning to be brave and of pushing away comfort zones in ways that have forever changed how I problem solve and view the world. I also blogged about my experience and my trips; writing about my experiences helped me to process them fully and to share my stories with anyone who wanted to listen.
