Concordia students and staff serve throughout the world

Multiple students and staff from Concordia University, Nebraska, are gearing up for international travels this summer.

Dr. Curt Beck, associate professor of business administration, and Dr. Shannon Leinen, master of business administration program director, will lead a group of undergraduate students to Cambodia, on a “Business as Mission” trip. The team will depart for Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 8 and return May 19, 2017. The students participating are Carly Bueltmann, Jeremy Rodriguez, Rebecca Schiffer, and Caleb Witt.

The team will study revenue generating projects, and sustainable business practices for entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations in an international context. They plan to work with members of the Garuna Foundation and one of their schools to develop ideas to generate revenue to support the school.

Julie Johnston Hermann, director of global opportunities, and Kristen Nugent, assistant professor of education will be leading a group of nine students to serve on a mission trip May 9–16 in Amatitlan, Guatemala, at the Holy Cross Lutheran Mission. The group will be teaching Bible story lessons, crafts and music to students at an elementary school. They will also be participating in a special outreach to mothers in the neighborhood since Mother’s Day is celebrated on May 10th in Guatemala.

“The entire team is excited to serve in whatever ways are presented to show God’s love and compassion to all ages,” said Julie Johnston Hermann.

Dr. Vicki Anderson, associate professor of education, and nine students will spend five weeks teaching in two English as a second language summer camps for students at Buena Vista Concordia International School in Shenzhen, China. The first camp, “Camp Imagination Station” will feature art, dance, robotics and science. The second camp, “Crazy about Science!” will feature science, robotics, sports and arts and crafts. The students traveling are David Epperson, Britnee Fear, Madalynn Fousek, Jadyn High, Jacy Johnston, Sarah Krause, Susie Moll, Zachary Moll and Andrea Wiese.

Additional Concordia undergraduate students traveling abroad include: Courtney Jurgens, junior, from Pickrell, Nebraska, to Costa Rica to study heath based Spanish and alternative health approaches. Michaela Strathman, junior, from Randolph, Nebraska, to San Jose, Costa Rica, to take a Spanish and healthcare course in physical therapy. Gabriel Poling, sophomore, from Chillicothe, Missouri, will travel to Fiji to study conservational biology and shark behavior. Finally, Melonie Kotschwar, senior, from Seward, Nebraska, to London to serve as an intern at Migrants Organise, a non-profit organization that helps refugees and immigrants get housing, clothing, food, and healthcare.