CENTER for STUDENT MISSIONS

Laura Zimmerman

Laura is a Senior Education major who will graduate in December from Judson College (Elgin, IL). She’s been the youth ministry intern at Bethany Baptist Church in Peoria, Illinois for the past three summers and has been on over 20 missions trips, and to 7 different countries. Laura loves to read, hang out with friends and family, and her favorite thing to do is laugh. This summer, she’s looking forward to meeting some awesome youth, who want to experience what God can teach then in inner city Chicago! She’s praying for each student that will be coming, every person that will be ministered to and that God will be GREATLY glorified through CSM this summer.

Christian Watson

Christian is from Beloit, Wisconsin, and is one of four summer staff from Judson College in nearby Elgin, Illinois. He’s a youth ministry major with a minor in intercultural studies. His mission experience includes a month long trip to Venezuela.

Alissa Walter

Alissa comes from the Chicago area. Last year was her first out of high school, and she spent it at the Ecuador campus of Covenant Bible College. Next fall she’ll study at Seattle Pacific University, majoring in Sociology. Her experience in urban ministry in Quito, Ecuador has only increased her passion for reaching out to the poor, homeless, and disenfranchised, so she’s excited to spend this summer ministering to both the youth group students and those they’ll be serving at the ministry sites. Urban ministry seems to be a calling, so she’s looking forward to spending this summer learning about what it means to really have a heart and passion to serve the poor.

Rick Roll

Rick is a sophomore at the University of Evansville, Indiana where he is studying Secondary Education. He has participated in two mission trips, one to California and one to Chicago. Rick enjoys hanging out with friends, chocolate ice cream and rock climbing. Rick is excited about meeting people new people and seeing God work in the city.

Nathan Musselman

Nathan is from Xenia, Ohio and is a graduate of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a degree in accounting. He loves to travel, loves the ocean and is looking forward to meeting new people and growing in his relationship with Christ.

Lena Meiss

Lena is from Eureka, Illinois and has a year and half left at Illinios State University in Normal, IL. She’s working towards a degree in elementary education, because she hopes to teach after she graduates. She enjoys basketball and volleyball, travelling and her favorite place is St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. She is looking forward to serving God and learning more about Chicago and urban ministry.

Chrisopher Lyons

Chris is from Johnson City, Tennessee. He’s in his junior year at Judson College in Elgin, Illinois and is majoring in youth ministry with a concentration in multi-cultural ministry settings. In high school he participated in Worldchangers, going to several places in the states and has also been on a trip to Paraguay in South America. He likes the outdoors and hiking. He hopes to minister to kids either overseas or in an urban center. Chris is looking forward to experiencing more after having hosted groups in Chicago last fall and spring.

David Lumsden

David was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He enjoys anything having to do with the outdoors, including backpacking and climbing. After serving with CSM during the summer of 2002, he transferred to North Park University and graduated with a degree in Psychology. Last summer he served in Greece and this summer he’ll be assisting with the Chicago site operations this summer.

Kristy Koontz

Kristy was born in Murfreesboro, TN (outside of Nashville) and now lives in Marion, Indiana. She’s senior at Indiana Wesleyan University with a double major in social work and intercultural studies with an emphasis in urban ministries. She enjoys big cities and last spring went to the island of Buka in Papua New Guinea to work with children. Her favorite food is homemade chicken and dumplings. Having spent most of her life in small towns, Kristy is looking forward to getting to know people by ministering in the city.

Daniel Koons

From Lansing, Michigan, Daniel is the biggest (unofficial) Michigan State fan in the world. He’s a junior at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI where he’s studying Pastoral Ministries. He enjoys food, especially steaks and pizza. Daniel is a movie fan and likes the book "Wild at Heart" as well as theology books. He is looking forward to the groups uniting together to love people in Chicago.

Leah Knox

Leah is from Dayton, Tennessee and attends Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, TN. She’s in her junior year studying philosophy and religion. She’s participated in a variety of mission trips during high school, involving construction as well as working with inner-city children. She loves music (playing, singing, and listening). She’s a University of Tennessee and Titans football fan. Leah is looking forward to working with her brother (Associate City Director Jarrett Knox) and hopes to be a part of God’s plan in Chicago.

Jenna Grime

Jenna is from tiny town of Archbold, Ohio but attends school at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. She’s a junior, majoring in secondary English education. Her missions experience includes trips to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and she spent a semester studying abroad in England. She loves traveling, ice cream and mashed potatoes. This summer she is looking forward to spending time in the city with other students who have hearts to serve the Lord.

Erica Corlito

Erica is a Junior Theology and Public Relations major at Valparaiso University. Having grown up on Long Island, New York, she loves ocean beaches, real Italian food and sings and dances to a wide array of music in her free time. Erica was active in her church youth group for many years and has served with CSM in both Washington, DC and Philadelphia. She absolutely loves big cities, especially the unique cultural dynamics that they present. She’s looking forward to sharing God’s love and precious Gospel Truth with people from many diverse walks of life and learning about them and their experiences.

Erica Cargile

Erica is from Sulphur, Louisiana (near the Texas-Louisiana Border) and is a junior French major at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. Her missions experience includes a trip to Georgia in high school and then Houston, Texas in college. She enjoys racquetball, volleyball, playing cards and fishing. She’s looking forward to a completely new and different experience this summer in Chicago and is ready for God to teach her through everyone she meets!