As the pastor of Pleasant Hills UMC, I am responsible for leading worship, preaching, teaching small groups, working with our youth group, ordering the life of the church, doing administrative tasks, and striving to take care of the spiritual needs of my community. Additionally, I am very active in local justice ministries. I spend a lot of time in my local community getting to know people, sharing stories, and reminding people that God loves them no matter what.
Choosing Mount
I chose Mount Union because it felt like home. I visited 23 college campuses in my search and as soon as I stepped on Mount's campus I knew it was the place for me. It was small enough that I could work closely with my professors and form real and lasting relationships with them. Yet, it was also big enough to let me explore a broad range of interests. It's deep faith tradition and commitment to nurturing spiritual well-being sealed the deal for me.
Scholarships
I received two scholarships from Mount Union – the Trustee Scholarship and a Music Scholarship. Being the recipient of these scholarships helped me a great deal and I am very grateful for the financial support. The scholarships helped me pursue my goals and dreams here at Mount Union.
Exciting Experiences
Every experience I had at Mount prepared me for my career. Each extracurricular and internship that I participated in taught me real life skills that I could apply inside and outside the classroom. The academic rigor of Mount Union prepared me to pursue a graduate degree. The friendships I formed gave me courage and confidence. And each extracurricular taught me something about myself or the world around me that has helped me to be the person I am today.
Staying Connected
I stay connected to Mount through alumni emails and events. I am still in touch with many friends that I made. In fact, three of my bridesmaids for my October 2020 wedding are friends I met at Mount.
Future Goals
I don't necessarily know that I have a specific goal I would like to accomplish during my career, but what I do know is that I want to continue to learn and grow and be the best leader and pastor that I can be. I love that I get to work with a diverse group of people. No day is the same and it keeps me on my toes.