CENTER for STUDENT MISSIONS

Celisa Alford

Celisa is from the small town of Eureka, KS. She attends Oklahoma Baptist University and is a Biology major, minoring in Psychology. She has been a leader for Disciple Now and taught Vacation Bible school at her church. She enjoys sports – both playing and watching and is a huge Kansas basketball fan. “I am super excited to see what God has planned for me this summer in Chicago.”

Julia Damon

Julia just finshed her final year at Judson College in Elgin, Illinois earning a degree in youth ministry and adolescent studies, with a concentration in multicultural settings. She loves running, coffee, music, and her family. Julia grew up in Dayton, Ohio and is very excited to be living in Chicago this summer. “I can’t wait to see the work that God is going to be doing in the city through CSM and the students that will be coming through for the summer. I hope to continue to learn about the issues of social justice, racism, and to educate others about it as well.” Although not sure what comes next after the summer, Julia hopes to continue to work with youth in some way and missions in some form, whether it be overseas or continuing to work in an urban setting.

Anna Kate Gibbs

Anna Kate is from Chattanooga, TN, and will be a junior at Carson Newman College. Her majors are Applied Psychology and Cross-Cultural Sociology. While in high school Anna Kate participated in construction, elderly, and choir ministries. Last year in Huntsville, AL, she worked with an inner-city backyard bible club. This year she travelled to Mississippi to help out with disaster relief. At college, Anna Kate reached out to international students by having a bible study and other activities throughout the year. Anna Kate enjoys reading, playing games and just getting to know new people. “I am glad to have the opportunity to work with students and help them realize that social ministry is truly important. I hope to learn more about serving others this summer at CSM.”

Kate Heglund

Kate was raised in the south suburbs of Chicago and currently attends North Park University where she is a double major in Youth Ministry and Communications with a certificate in Non-Profit Leadership and Management. Although Kate has never been on a mission trip with CSM, she has been on mission trips to Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and Thailand. She worked as a camp counselor at Covenant Point Bible Camp and was a youth intern for the past two summers. She is excited to work with youth again through CSM. Kate loves various styles of dance and anything outdoors especially biking and rock climbing. Being a die hard Chicagoan, Kate is interested in the issues and problems facing many people within the city everyday. “I am passionate about teenagers and social justice, so CSM is the perfect opportunity to see those two passions collide.”

Kenn Knisely

Kenn was born in Washington Court House, Ohio. Since he has moved 17 times, it is hard to call one place home, but his parents now live in Stockbridge, MI. He is a History and Spanish major in his third year at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. Throughout college and high school, he has worked with lots of teens and young people leading both small and large group activities. He worked with CSM in Los Angeles during the summer of 2005 and loved the experience so much that he decided to apply for Chicago the summer of 2006. “I really want God to put the passion in students’ lives, like He has mine!”

Rich Monaghan

Richard is from Rochester Hills, MI. He just finished his first two years at Rochester College and will be attending Cornerstone University studying Youth Ministry. He has been on several mission trips including Peru and Mississippi. His church, Kensington Community Church, served with CSM in Chicago. Richard has been a small group leader with both high school and middle school students. He was also an intern working full-time with student ministries his church. Richard’s hobbies include playing any type of sport, especially football, basketball, and ultimate frisbee. He likes listening to all kinds of music, working out, running and just hanging out with friends. One of Richard’s goals for the summer is to see how other ministries function and work. Since he wants to be a youth minister, seeing a youth ministry at work will be very beneficial. For Richard, one of the best parts of being an intern at church was getting to know all of the people on staff and to establish relationships. “My main goal for the summer is to serve God along side of the students.”

Michael Anthony Orona

Anthony was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He graduated from the University of Houston, majoring in Communications. He hosted in Houston the summer of 2005 and loved it so much he decided to work again with CSM in Chicago. He hosted during the spring of 2006 in Chicago and is continuing through the summer. Jokingly (though he’s usually only half joking) Anthony says the five greatest gifts God gave us are 1) His Son, 2) sports, 3) food, 4) music and 5) The Great State of TEXAS. He also enjoys watching superman aka football player Vince Young and iron-on t-shirts.

Kevin Sas

Kevin is from Hull, a small town in northwest Iowa. He attends Northwestern College in Orange City, IA, majoring in Christian Education/Youth Ministry. Kevin has experience working with junior and senior high students at a church camp, at an inner city ministry, and at a local church. For the past two years Kevin has co-lead a retreat for 250-300 middle school students. He has also volunteered with the FCA program for junior and senior high students at a nearby boys ranch. Kevin is a big sports fan. He particularly loves playing basketball, watching Minnesota Twins baseball, and watching Iowa Hawkeyes football. His other hobbies are reading, playing cards, and playing board games. This summer, while working for CSM, Kevin hopes “to be a servant of God, share the love of Christ, and learn and grow as I am led by the Holy Spirit.”

Brittany Scheiner

Brittany is from Lafayette, IN, but goes to school in Winona Lake, IN at Grace College. She will be starting her sophomore year in the fall of 2006 as an Elementary Education major. She has been on missions trips to Florida, Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador (twice). She has worked in VBS and has chaperoned youth trips with her youth group. She goes to Chicago once a month throughout the school year with a ministry team. Brittany loves shopping, music, movies, traveling and random adventures with friends. This summer she is so excited to work with CSM because it combines her two favorite things…working with youth and missions. “My goal is to help students realize how they can serve and show Christ’s love right in their own country.”

Jordan Sipperley

Jordan is from Grand Rapids, MI. He grew up in and around Western Michigan, except for his junior year of high school, which he spent in La Ceiba, Honduras. He’s interested in history, the city of Chicago and back home, he works at a coffee house, which has given Jordan an opportunity to study his other love: coffee. Jordan also enjoys volleyball and chili from Steak ’N Shake. “I would love to see you in Chicago this summer!”

Tara Trammell

Tara is a senior at Judson College in Elgin, IL majoring in Youth Ministry and Adolescent Studies. Home is just 45 minutes south of Chicago in Plainfield, IL. She likes to play softball, having played since age ten. She has quite a bit of experience working with youth, both at her home church as well as in a practicum at Willow Creek. She has worked with Kids Across America (Kanakuk) in the summer of 2004 as a counselor to inner city kids. She worked with CSM in Los Angeles during summer of 2005 and loved the experience so much that she decided to continue in Chicago the summer of 2006. Tara also loves art and music. “I hope this summer allows me to become a better servant of Christ and others.”