CENTER for STUDENT MISSIONS

Troy Brouillette

Troy was born and raised north of New Orleans in Slidell, LA, and just finished his second year at LSU in Baton Rouge, LA. He has been actively involved in LSU’s Wesleyan Foundation for the last two years and served on its leadership team as Communications Leader. He has taken mission trips to Iowa, West Virginia, Mexico, Florida, Chicago (CSM), and participated in disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina. Troy enjoys the sound of rain, tea, running, and a good book. “This summer I hope to teach and serve the students to give them a better understanding of service in urban areas and help advance the ministries here at CSM New York City.”

Lauren Cantrell

Lauren is frmo Anderson, IN and attends Anderson University where she will be a junior Social Work major (Family Science minor) in the fall. This past year, she was an RA on campus to a group of freshman women and has loved being involved in this ministry. Lauren was very involved with the youth at her church in junior and senior high through student leadership roles. In college, she has continued her involvement as a volunteer leader, helping with regular programming as well as retreats and conventions. Lauren has traveled to Ensenada (Mexico), Titusville(FL), and Costa Rica on mission trips. She also had the opportunity to serve on her church’s Mission Team this past year discussing local, national, and global missions and service efforts. She has loved traveling and learning about other cultures and spreading God’s love and the story of Christ’s sacrifice. “It is crucial for us to be aware of issues in the world and how those issues reflect the common struggles we all go through. I am excited to see what God has in store for all those coming to serve with CSM in NYC this summer! I hope all who come will begin to have a different perspective on life, God, and God’s people and thus be empowered to take home all that they have experienced and learned.”

Ashley Chang

Ashley is from Sugar Land, TX, a suburb of Houston. She just finished my sophomore year at The University of Texas at Austin. She hopes to use her business major to help non-profit or small businesses in developing nations. Ashley has been on mission trips to Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, and a few U.S. cities. On mission trips and at her church, she has helped with VBS and led small discussion groups. Three things to know about Ashley are: she loves God, she loves food, and she loves sports. She also has a huge sweet tooth and loves playing all kinds of sports. “God has placed NYC on my heart not because of its glamor and excitement, but because of the brokenness I see there. NYC is home to some of the richest and most powerful people in the world, yet right at their doorsteps live some of the world’s poorest. I want to experience God working in this city and help CSM teams experience it too.”

Gabriela del Castillo

Gabi is from Lodi, CA and a graduate of Biola University where she studied Communications. She went on a CSM mission trip to San Francisco during high school and always wanted to be on staff since that amazing experience. During her time at Biola, Gabi was heavily involved in Orientation Staff and she was also involved in childrens ministry and the young adults ministry at her church. After Biola, sje worked in the corporate world but have always desired to work in the ministry. Gabi loves CSM and feels that this is a great ministry opportunity. In her free time, she loves to read books and blogs, write for her own blog and listen to music. Investing in her community of family and friends is something that is very important to Gabi also. “My goal in working with CSM is to grow in my relationship with the Lord by serving my groups, my staff and the people of New York. I am excited for this challenge and to be exposed to the needs of a city I have long admired.”

Cameron Lane

More info coming soon!

Grace Lee

Grace is from Queens, NY. This fall, she will be entering her senior year as a Religion major at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Grace just got back this winter from spending a semester studying in South India. A few summers ago, she staffed a youth missions training program in Los Angeles, helping prepare them for their outreach ministries in Tijuana, Mexico and inner-city LA. She is a support volunteer with the youth at her home church and also at her church at school, being an encouraging, positive presence as best she can. In the Vassar InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, she leads a small group and plays bass guitar on the worship team. Grace has previously served as outreach coordinator on the leadership team as well. She enjoys cooking (or learning how to), Bollywood, writing, deep conversation, and inter-cultural communication. Wandering about the city and hearing people»s stories are also things she loves to do. Often they happen together, which is why she is so psyched about this summer with CSM! “I love to show people my city and people that God so loves. I want to see God’s message of hope and restoration brought to people of New York, and for people who are returning to their hometowns to be encouraged by all the awesome things that God is doing already!”

Minji Lee

Minji is from Cerritos, CA. She is proud to be a member of Pitzer College’s class of 2014, in which she plans to major in English and Psychology with a minor in Spanish. Though she has never been on a mission trip before, her involvement in her high school’s Key Club and their trips to Tijuana, food banks, relays to support cancer victims, and more have helped prepare her for all that CSM has to offer. Furthermore, she is an active member in her church, having served on the youth praise team and the “doulos” leadership program for the duration of her high school years; she also helps coordinate and teach at youth retreats for the summer and winter by preparing food, games, bible studies, and fun! Through these experiences, she has cultivated a heart for both junior high and high school students in learning to interact with them personally and spiritually. Minji loves to read, write, and make all sorts of arts and crafts as outlets of relaxation. She also enjoys finding hidden treasures at local thrift and vintage stores. Minji is so excited for what God has prepared for her in NYC this summer and can’t wait to connect with everybody involved in CSM, especially the students who come with an eager and open heart to see what God wants to reveal to them in this special time. She hopes she can be considered a teacher, mentor, and servant to impact students’ lives, but only with the fuel of God to ignite her path.

Elisabeth Smith

Elisabeth is a recent 2011 graduate from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)! Her major was Sociology and she plans to take a year or two off before she goes to graduate school. She served in the children and youth ministries at her church. Last summer, she interned at Door of Hope, which is a transitional housing program for homeless families in Los Angeles County. At Door of Hope Elisabeth worked with ages 1-15 at the afterschool program and vacation Bible school. She loved interning there and it gave her a desire to do urban ministry. She has also been involved in several college campus ministries at CSULB. She served as one of the student leaders and helped to plant one of the ministries on her campus. Elisabeth loves to sing and put in a dvd and relax during her free time. “My goal in working with CSM this summer is to grow closer to Christ. I expect God to teach me how to love and serve. I picked NYC because I have lived in Cali all my life and need to get out of my comfort zone to experience what God is doing in other places.”

Jeff Sodestrom

Jeff hails from the village of Moraga, CA and is going to be a senior at Whitworth University up in Spokane, Washington. He is studying Education with a focus on History with the intent to, you guessed it, teach history (probably High school level). Jeff worked for the past two summers as a camp counselor at Ghormley Meadow Christian Camp. Jeff enjoys a good number of things including, but not limited to: books, movies, backpacking, working with youth, bacon, and video games. “This summer I hope to reexamine the foundations of my faith and to attempt to better understand what it means to be a Christian, all the while giving student’s a chance to experience this awesome city and learn about something larger than themselves.”