CENTER for STUDENT MISSIONS

Brooke Bolton

Brooke grew up in Hanford, California in very small, rural town in central California. She is a recent graduate of Fresno State University with a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders. She attended Biola University for two years before transferring to Fresno State. During those two years, Brooke served with a few ministries on campus including Brown Bag, which is a ministry devoted to taking sack lunches to a park in Long Beach, California, feeding, and simply hanging out with the homeless in that area. This experience gave her a heart for urban culture and social justice. Brooke also has worked as a tutor for elementary and middle school children and has also served as a camp counselor for many years. Working with youth has been a passion for many years and she is so excited for the opportunity to serve God in a new way this summer. Brooke enjoys pretty much anything that involves coffee, music, exploring, and relaxing outdoors. “I am so excited for the opportunity to share my heart for God’s people and be apart of youth’s transformation into God’s servants.”

Amanda Crowley

Amanda is from the small town of Carpinteria, CA. In 2008 she graduated from Westmont College with a degree in psychology. While in college she went on two mission trips to San Francisco and began building relationships with the homeless in her community. She continues serving with Westmont’s homeless outreach ministry and has found that in doing so, she has sharpened her Frisbee skills (as it is a popular hobby among her friends without homes). Other mission trips destinations, include Mexico and Haiti. Amanda enjoys spending time outdoors and taking naps. Amanda served with CSM San Francisco this past spring as a City Host and we are excited to have her stay on board! “I am extremely excited for the opportunity to work for CSM San Francisco Bay Area because it fulfills my desire to work with youth and to conceptualize the blessings and challenges of being an urban Christian.”

Rebecca Horner

Rebecca is a graduate of Gordon College in MA with a degree in English. She has done mission work in Guatemala, Mexico, Russia, and Chicago. Rebecca taught ESL for two semesters while at Gordon, almost declared an Art minor, but decided instead to study abroad in Russia. Her four months in Russia were revolutionary! When she returned, Rebecca couldn’t see herself outside of an urban setting (after living in a city of 1.3 million). She took part in Gordon’s Boston Urban Semester, studying Urban Development and Race Relations. Over the past three years she has co-lead Gordon’s homeless outreach. Rebecca comes from a huge family, loves people and close community, she is an artist at heart, gardens, paints, cooks, and also loves to explore. In Boston, she spent days walking the city. “I hope to learn about sustainable student mission work and good leadership in San Francisco this summer. I am so excited to be part of a community focusing on God’s heart for the city!”

Briana Iacovetta

Briana grew up in Erie, PA. She will be a senior next year at Gordon College and is studying Social Work and Sociology. Briana loves to write, bike, and try new foods. She has traveled to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Poland for short-term mission trips. She has also led college ministry and worked with inner-city kids in after-school programs. This past semester, Briana had the opportunity to live and work in San Francisco. She fell in love with city life—the neighborhoods, the parks, public transportation (most of the time), and the people. “I am excited to join and support others as they experience city life. I am also eager to get back to San Francisco and get to know Oakland!”

Melissa Johnson

Melissa is from Moorpark, CA. She is currently a sophomore at Whitworth University in Spokane, WA and is majoring in Peace Studies with a minor in Community Engagement and Transformation. She has been on a CSM trip to Los Angeles and have also served in Mexico, Uganda, and Costa Rica. Melissa worked with junior high youth for a couple of years and now volunteers with various ministry sites in Spokane, where she has had the chance to learn from the refugee, homeless, and at-risk youth populations. She loves hiking, traveling, scuba diving, doing yoga, and spending time with friends. “I’m spending my summer with CSM because I desire to serve and love others, and hope to inspire youth to humble themselves and open their hearts to God’s people.”

Elizabeth Niehoff

Elizabeth is a rising senior at Smith College in Northampton, MA. She is a religion and Jewish studies double major, with a concentration in Biblical texts. While she has been involved in her home church for most of her life, Elizabeth has only been on one mission trip; as a leader with her church on a trip for high school students to Yakama, Washington. She has been working with middle and high school students in both religious and secular contexts for many years. She has been a ski instructor at Stratton Mountain in Vermont since senior year in high school, and has been an intern/volunteer at her church since sophomore year in college. While doing that, Elizabeth was able to help Confirmands write sermons and prayers, work with mission projects, and help organize book groups and Bible studies. Her ministry involvement at school includes going to a college church at a neighboring university and working with the Intervarsity–sponsored Christian fellowship. “I could not be more grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve God and the people of San Francisco this summer. My ultimate goal is to find out exactly how God is working in the city, and how best I can work and pray for its citizens.”

Eleni Sexton

Eleni Sexton has traipsed the world her whole life and thus her hometown is uncertain. She has just graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno. In high school she went on a mission trip to San Francisco with CSM. Since then she has served primarily in Ensenada, Mexico both as a high school student and a leader. She has served as a leader for Junior High and High School groups in Coronado, California and Sparks, Nevada. She had the pleasure of being a Junior High Camp counselor and co-leading a high school girls' small group. In her free time she enjoys playing guitar, reading, writing poetry and short fiction, running with her dog Leona and anything with a board (surfing, skating, and snowboarding). She loves the humor and enthusiasm of teen-agers, and desires nothing more than to follow the example of the Servant and walk in His dust.

Maggie Sturdevant

Maggie is from Geneva, IL (a suburb of Chicago). She will be a sophomore at High Point University majoring in International Relations with a minor in Sociology. She has been on two house building mission trips in Juarez, Mexico, Tennessee, Philadelphia (with CSM) and Honduras on a medical mission trip. Maggie has been very lucky to be able to work with youth at her home church. She was very involved with the middle school ministry throughout high school and worked for the church to keep the middle school program up and running while the church looked for a new youth minister. Maggie loves to do anything that involves being outside such as rock climbing, hiking, camping. She is also into photography and running. “This summer I hope to share my enthusiasm for serving God’s people and God working through the youth in life changing ways.”

Grace West

Grace is from Sacramento, CA. She loves ministry and serving youth has been one of her greatest joys. She has been on mission trips to Mexico, New York, and ever her own city of Sacramento. She thoroughly enjoys Urban Ministry. Grace began her journey into ministry becoming the Jr. High Coordinator at her own church. Planning Trips, Camps and Bible studies made her feel filled and watching the joy her students experienced always brought her joy. Grace is an exuberant person and loves the arts: Music, Drama, Painting. She plays guitar and piano and loves to sing. She also enjoys long-boarding and makes her own skim and balance boards. She loves to create things. Grace is so excited to be part of the CSM San Francisco team. “Love is a movement and it is our job to make it move. I’ll go where and when He sends me. I’m so excited to meet new people and share my heart beat with them.”