CENTER for STUDENT MISSIONS

Megan Beck

Megan graduated from Biola University in 2008 with a degree in Anthropology. In the spring 2007 semester, she did a semester abroad through Semester at Sea and visited 10 different third world countries. Megan has always had a passion for social justice issues and definitely saw a lot of injustice throughout her trip. As a sophomore, she went on a mission trip to Jamaica with a group of friends from school. Her senior year of college, she moved to Long Beach, CA and started attending a small church plant. After graduation, Megan was brought onto staff at that church to help start a children’s ministry, and worked as an Assistant Site Director for the YMCA of Downtown Long Beach. Through her experience working with the YMCA at one of the inner city elementary schools, she realized how much she loves working with inner city youth. Megan found out about CSM through one of the women she had worked with at Biola University. She had gone on a trip with her church as a middle school chaperon and thought it would be a good fit for her. Megan applied to CSM for the summer program, feeling like she just wanted a change and as though God was really calling her out of Long Beach for a time. “I hope that this summer God will teach me more specifically about what Urban Ministries my talents can best be used. I hope to be stretched in compassion and empathy, and have an amazing summer getting to know and love on beautiful people throughout the city.”

Mallory Cutrer

Mallory graduated from Mississippi State University in May 2008. Following graduation she went to the jungle of the Philippines to minister to the most remote villages of Eastern Samar. She also had the opportunity the summer of 2009 to do women’s ministry in West Africa. In junior high and high school Mallory did mission trips in New Orleans, Louisiana, Arlington, Texas, New York City, New York, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Since her freshman year in college, Mallory has stayed involved with her home church youth group by chaperoning local mission trips and a trip to Matamoras, Mexico. She helped lead discipleship groups, as well as helped with several Disciple Now’s in Mississippi and Alabama. After Mallory graduated college, she felt a strong pull from the Lord asking her to work with the youth again, so she started teaching a girls discipleship group at her home church. Mallory has been teaching them for the past two years.

Mallory’s favorite things to do are singing and listening to good music, hence my obsession with American Idol and Glee. Her life goal is to start an organization that helps students cope with the pre-stress and post-stress of short-term overseas missions. Mallory served as a City Host this past spring in Chicago and is excited to join the Nashville team for the summer! “Through working with CSM I hope to learn to orient and de-brief students’ emotions about what they experienced and how to use that experience to further God’s kingdom at home.”

Nolan Dirks

Nolan is from Hillsboro, KS. He has finished his first year of school at Tabor College in Hillsboro. He is pursuing a major in Christian Ministries with a concentration in Missions and a minor in Social Welfare. Nolan has been on several missions trips including New Orleans in 2005, two CSM trips to Los Angeles in the spring and summer of 2006, and La Grulla, TX. He has been involved with serving with a homeless ministry church in downtown Wichita as well. He loves spending time exploring outdoors, playing frisbee, road biking, or swimming in bodies of water other than swimming pools. Nolan is excited to see how God will work in his life this summer and show him what future he might have in inner city ministry.

Gavin O'Neill

More info coming soon!

Amber Teske

Amber is from Sabetha, KS and will be entering her junior year this fall at Friends University in Wichita, KS. She is a math education major and hopes to teach middle school math when she graduates. She has done mission work in several places including Los Angeles, the Philippines, and two trips with CSM to Houston. During the summer of 2009, Amber worked at an orphanage and taught elementary math in Manila, Philippines for two and a half months. Throughout high school she was a small group and worship leader for middle school youth group. She is now a leader for the youth group at Restored Community Church in Wichita. Amber is actively involved in choir and Acts of Faith, a drama ministry group. She has also been a freshman resident assistant for three semesters. She loves coffee, laughter, and walking barefoot through the grass. “I’m so excited to learn about the stories of people and needs of Nashville through working with CSM. I am following the leading of Jesus in my life and I’m looking forward to seeing through His eyes, serving with others, and meeting Him in a brand new way this summer.”

Lara Wheeler

Lara is from the very small town of Lawrenceburg, KY. She now lives in Lexington, KY attending the University of Kentucky with a major in Social Work. Lara went on several mission trips during high school to Florida, Mississippi, Illinois, Kentucky, and California. After her first year of college she took a mission trip to Malava, Kenya, serving at an orphanage for two weeks. These experiences developed a passion to serve the poor, not only financially, but in spirit. During high school she served on the state leadership team for her denomination, planning weekend events for both high school and middle school. Lara served as the youth group president and on various committees in her church. During the past two years of college, she has served on the leadership team for the campus ministry she is involved in (Christian Student Fellowship), serving in women’s ministry and growth group (Bible study) ministry. She also co-led a middle school small group for a local church in Lexington. Lara has small obsessions with coffee and ice cream, loves good books, anything outside, singing and has a secret desire to one day sing harmony in a bluegrass band. “My goal in working this summer with CSM is to allow my heart to be broken even further for the poor and injustice around the world, and to learn what it truly means to ‘do unto the least of these.’ I also hope to help the youth and sponsors allow their hearts to be broken as well, pushing them to make a difference in their own back yard, not only on a week–long mission trip.”