CENTER for STUDENT MISSIONS

Jessica Barron

Jessica was born and raised in Detroit, MI. She just graduated from Wayne State University with a B.A. in Fashion Design Merchandising, which explains why her hobby is shopping, but doesn’t explain why she’s serving with CSM this summer. Her heart for the city through work for two summers with Upward Bound counseling and mentoring urban youth from Detroit. She loves art, Monet in particular.

Abby Burgett

Abby is from Southern Illinois and is attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A music education major, she loves performing in (and watching) musical theatre, in fact she’s even starred as Maria in the Sound of Music! Ever since God broke her heart for the city on a CSM trip in Toronto two years ago, she’s wanted to be a CSM city host to help build bridges between urban and rural/suburban people.

Ryan Fulda

Although he was born in Chicago, Ryan grew up in Tulsa, OK. He’s a liberal arts major at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. The desire to be in the city came from serving with his college group from McFarlin United Methodist Church. Ryan loves to play, coach and watch soccer. He’s got a passion for reconciliation and has interned for Teach for America in one of Houston’s most diverse neighborhoods.

Jarrett Knox

Jarrett comes to us from Dayton, Tennessee. He’s finishing his third year at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, TN and majoring in Mass Communication and Religion. His work and volunteer experience includes assisting the activities director at Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, planning activities at a nursing home and helping at the Knox Area Rescue Ministries.

David Lumsden

David was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He enjoys anything having to do with the outdoors, including backpacking and climbing. Last summer he was a part of a ministry called Peak 3 Ministries where he was a counselor in the mountains of Colorado. David is a psychology major at Lambuth University.

Jennifer Martin

Jennifer is one of our two Louisianans (Leigh Anna Ridge is the other). She was born and raised in Ruston, LA and is a Family-Child Studies major at Louisiana Tech. Ever since a CSM trip with her youth group, she’s felt God leading her into ministry as a vocation. She likes to play piano, guitar and sing, and has planned worship services for youth when she was an intern.

Leigh Anna Ridge

Leigh Anna is a returning veteran CSM host, as well as the other Louisianan. Raised in Arcadia, LA, she also attends Louisiana Tech, but took a break and has been hosting here in Chicago throughout the spring. She loves to sleep and play guitar (not at the same time) and last summer earned the “Rock Star Award” for her talents.

Michael Tucker

A veteran umpire (youth baseball) and referee (basketball), Michael has learned a lot of patience! He spent his elementary school years living just outside St. Louis, MO and then moved to El Dorado, IL. He likes to hike, swim, play basketball, and engage in more thrilling activities like bungee jumping, cliff jumping, etc.

Danielle Vriend

Our only Canadian on staff in Chicago, Danielle is from Guelph, Ontario. She just graduated from Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa with a major in English. She’s alsojust returned from Africa.

Chris Winkler

Chris comes to us from Northern Michigan and most recently Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where he just earned his B.A. degree in social studies/elementary education. He spent his last semester in Chicago student teaching, so he’ll know the city well. A veteran of several mission trips, including one to Toronto in 2001, Chris has a passion for urban missions, developing youth and food, all of which will be a part of his experience this summer!

Nicole Woodford

Also from Michigan, Nicole is a youth ministry/urban ministry major at Reformed Bible College in Grand Rapids, MI. Nicole’s desire to serve with CSM was sparked by a high school mission trip to CSM’s Washington, DC site. Since then, she’s had a variety of mission experiences in Alaska, Guatemala and even King’s Canyon National Park in California.

Davin Youngs

Davin grew up in Otsego, Michigan and has just completed his third year at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio where he’s majoring in Vocal Perfomance/Musicology. He’s very eclectic in his music tastes, which include classical, jazz, R&B and punk although he’s training to be a classical vocalist (opera).