Major: Bible and religion

Now: Pastor of youth and young adults and director of Christian Education at Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold, Ohio

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

I have had a steep learning curve, but I don't think ministry can be learned best in the classroom. I love my job. I think the most enjoyable aspect is watching youth grow and mature in the short period of time I've been here. I can't wait to see what a few years will bring.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

Goshen College gave me countless opportunities to explore ministry within an organized context. I was on the chapel committee my junior year as a transfer student, which helped me connect with the spiritual life of the campus, as well as the traveling worship team leader in the same year. I was then able to work with GC Campus Ministries as the special programs coordinator my senior year. Within these areas of leadership, I learned how to become a servant leader who works at growing others.

What are your vocation and life goals?

I am open to the plans God has for my life. I will be somewhere in the church, and I’m excited to see where.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

I definitely became aware of being a global citizen and to be a model servant leader. It has inspired me to live and to teach a life of simplicity, justice and peace, all within the context of living my life for and in the person of Jesus Christ.

Major: Hispanic Education in Theology and Leadership, and minor in Political Science

Now: Service program coordinator and administrative coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee Alberta and provincial human resource representative; She is currently coordinating her conference’s summer camp for six Hispanic congregations in the Concilio Regional de Alberta.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

Working in an agency of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches makes a big difference. My co-workers are familiar with the way I look at life, being service oriented, committed to making peace.

Some challenging aspects are just adapting to life outside of college. For me, being a fully functioning member of society— like paying taxes and buying property— is a big step. I still am in shock that I've been out of school for two years and that I'm not living in Miller Hall!

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

I think that my life has followed a plan, and a line of cause and effect. Going to Goshen wasn't a “for sure” thing in my life. It just all fell in place. I think God had a better idea of what he wanted my life to be like, and I found myself at Goshen.

What are your vocation and life goals?

I might seek a master's degree related to business, because I've always wanted to own a business. Some other life goals are to get married at some point and have a few kids. I know I will always be involved in the church, which is why I came to Goshen College. I enjoy the different aspects of my life: church, work and family.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

On my bulletin board at work right now, I have the little blue card that we signed at graduation that says, "I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work. Goshen College Class of 2003." I think Goshen's motto really did impact me and shape me into the kind of person I want to be. The motto "Culture for Service" seems to encapsulate many things that go along with my upbringing.

Major: Bible, religion and philosophy

Now: Youth pastor and community center coordinator at Salem Mennonite Church, Salem, Oregon.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

Challenges in my youth ministry work include scheduling conflicts and learning how to resolve differences between personality styles; at the community center, I work with a really diverse population. Learning how to be culturally sensitive, as well as model good behavior for kids who come from very troubled backgrounds is at times a struggle.

Helping youth think more seriously about their faith, and exploring different aspects of spirituality is a highlight of my youth ministry. I really enjoy the spiritual mentoring – listening to what they are going through and being someone in their life who cares for and about them is very rewarding. Working with a diverse population of youth at the community center is a dual learning experience. Even through they are so troubled, they are a joy to be with.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

The academics at Goshen College were great. Of course, SST was very helpful; the international focus helped prepare me to be more sensitive when working with people of various backgrounds. The openness at Goshen College – the community of people willing to dive into difficult issues and tackle big questions – helped prepare me to be able to do that with other people.

What are your vocation and life goals?

One life goal is to be a spiritual director and to continue to help individuals and groups of people foster their spiritual growth. Another goal is to work for peace and social justice in the world through various avenues.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

My entire mindset for my life, before I came to Goshen, was to be a person who lives a life of service. This was ultimately why I chose to come to Goshen College – I knew service would be modeled there. The global citizen perspective was a pull as well. I want to be a citizen of the world, aware of what’s going on beyond North America.

Business name: Furniture Outfitters of Indianapolis, founded in 2002.

Business description: From two retail locations, Furniture Outfitters sells a full line of Sauder ready-to-assemble furniture, as well as provides assembly and delivery services. Yoder employs several GC graduates.

On the spirit of entrepreneurship: "You have to be persevering. It's easy to get discouraged from time to time; things won't always go your way. But to go in everyday, and give it your best effort - that's what being an entrepreneur is all about. In the beginning, being an entrepreneur means working very long days; the rewards for an entrepreneur arrive later, when success has started to come.

"A challenge of entrepreneurship is that nothing can truly prepare someone for the experience, short of just doing it. You can plan as much as you want, but there will always be unforeseen factors that will affect the organization. It is how an entrepreneur deals with these daily 'surprises' that can mean the difference between success and failure.

"Often times an entrepreneur has to improvise and make quick decisions daily - 'go with your gut' - without the luxury of looking at quantitative data. The education I received from Goshen College has helped that 'gut feeling' be more accurate."

Major: Communication, with minors in art and theater

Now : WYEP-FM midday music host/producer (hired September 2002 after a year-long internship)

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

WYEP is an independent public radio station, meaning that we have a lot of freedom in choosing the music we play. I get the most enjoyment out of discovering new or lesser-known music and playing it for my listeners. Sometimes not everyone likes everything I play, but it's great to get feedback from someone who's been exposed to something new or challenging and wants to discuss it. It's also a lot of fun to meet musicians, although I still need to hone my on-air interviewing skills!

About his GC experience:

My involvement with the campus radio station, WGCS, definitely gave me experience on which to expand my skills as I was able to get involved on many levels in radio. I also draw from my marketing and communication classes frequently whenever it comes to writing public service announcements and album reviews, or deciphering listener demographics.

About his vocation and life goals:

I’d love to stay involved with a National Public Radio station, maybe eventually shifting to a marketing position, although it’ll be hard to give up on-air work. I’d like to stay in the nonprofit sector.

About living with Culture for Service:

Our station is very involved in the community, whether it be through organizing blood drives, benefit concerts for social service organizations, or promoting local events or issues of importance to the diverse population of the city. It's nice to know that we provide a service that can reach so many different people – it’s humbling.

Major: Business Information Systems and Computer Science

Business name: Chai Hut, founded in 2003 with Raunak Khandelwal, GC accounting major with a business information systems minor, from Calcutta, India

Business description: Provider of premium quality gourmet tea and fashionable ethnic home decor products designed to "bring good health, pride, community and happiness."

G. Khandelwal on the spirit of entrepreneurship:
"The very first skill is the ability to believe in oneself. I had many people tell me that I should be doing things differently, anywhere from the name of the company to the colors of the logo. Now the same people love the name and the logo. "The challenges begin with time management. It can get a little tough managing a full-time job with a very demanding part time business. Optimizing and learning how to best manage time and people becomes paramount if the goals need to be met. One of the biggest challenges is getting the established stalwarts in the industry to listen and respect a young entrepreneur's ideas."

R. Khandelwal on the spirit of entrepreneurship: "Since I am a business and accounting major, I wanted to start something as a side business to use the knowledge that I am learning from class in the real world. The problem is giving time to the business. I thought it was going to be pretty easy managing it, but it is not. Once you get an order, you have to process it and do the packaging. Everything takes a long time. And of course I'm in college. There is so much going on.

"I would say the most important skill would be to have a vision of what you want to do. If you do not have goals set, it is really tough to achieve them. But if you have a goal set and you are determined to do something about it, you can eventually progress with your business."

Major: Interdisciplinary in biology, sociology and religion

Now: Student at Harvard Law School and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She will graduate in 2008 with a J.D. from Harvard and a master's degree in law and diplomacy from Tufts

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your postgraduate study?

I have been pushed to think in very different ways than I have before, which I really enjoy. I feel privileged to be able to shape my Mennonite perspective by my experiences here. I also very much enjoy discussing ethics and contemporary issues in law with persons of very different backgrounds than my own-politically, culturally and economically.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

I developed a lot of my values at Goshen College. I became more centered in who I was, which gave me confidence in areas where my beliefs seem immutable, as well as freedom to question my beliefs and thoughts in other areas. The relationships I formed with several professors at Goshen helped me to feel more comfortable approaching and relating to my professors in graduate school.

What are your vocation and life goals?

I hope to work with law and public policy, hopefully in an international context.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

Study-Service Term (SST) shaped my life a great deal. International experiences, including my own experience on SST in China, gave me a broader perspective to view world issues, as well as issues pertinent to the Mennonite community. This perspective spurred my desire to serve and assist others through law. In my domestic endeavors, I hope to use the law to assist battered women and other people made virtually powerless by the U.S. legal and political system. In work at the international level, I hope to use the law as a tool to facilitate international cooperation, while seeking to learn from and support differing cultural perspectives.

Major: English

Now: Director of development for Laurelville Mennonite Church Center;
She “takes care of people who take care of Laurelville,” by maintaining good relationships with more than 300 associate members and donors.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

Understanding how to best relate to donors and building relationships that develop an on going partnership is both challenging and rewarding. It is also a challenge at times to be confident in sharing accomplishments or good stories about Laurelville. Asking people for both money and trust is yet another challenge.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

English majors aren’t really qualified for anything, but are somehow qualified for everything! Being able to edit text well and communicate effectively are huge helps in any job environment. Through Goshen, I have also learned that I enjoy working for a mission rather than working for a dollar.

What are your vocation and life goals?

My dream is to run a spiritual and environmental retreat center. I hope to help people inside and outside of the church do a better job of linking creation and faith. It will be very helpful to have worked in development at Laurelville when it comes time to live out my dream.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

One of the most valuable parts of my international experience at Goshen was simply, conversation and listening to others stories. Those experiences have helped me to learn to value listening more in my current situation.

Major: Art, with focus in ceramics and sculpture

Now: One of the founders and current Associate Director of Union Project, an Urban Pittsburgh, Pa., organization created to restore a historic neighborhood church, provide gathering and working space for artists, community builders and people of faith. The Union Project is creating a coffee shop to be run by area high school culinary students, holds a weekly summer farmer’s market with children’s activities and holds courses to restore stained glass windows.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

I enjoy my work because it is challenging. My job combines my passions of community development, art and faith. Every day is different, and I like the possibilities that come from this. It is very challenging to learn how to communicate ideas that are so personal to me with people who have different backgrounds, values or beliefs. Yet, these challenges can often lead to new friendships or learning something new.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

The relationships that I made and witnessed at Goshen have inspired me to really value my neighbors and learn from them.

What are your vocation and life goals?

I am working long term towards a vocation as a studio artist.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

"Culture for Service" has had a large impact on what I do. Volunteering and service learning are not only a huge part of my work, but are also a major way for me to learn about what is happening in my community. As an artist, I often feel that by working for arts organization, I’m actually receiving more than I’m giving. The skills I’ve picked up, connections I’ve made and activities I’ve been able to participate in as a "volunteer" have benefited me professionally.

Goshen College’s SST and other cross-cultural experiences have been beneficial to me as I come into contact with people of different backgrounds.

Major: Psychology

Now: Coordinator of Youth Ministries, Amigo Centre (for nearly two years)

About his job:

The most enjoyable part of my job is the creative process – particularly the choosing of theme and curriculum for various programs. I read the headlines, pay attention to conversations in our churches, devour books and try to discern what issues folks are dealing with.

About his GC experience:

Learning critical thinking skills and communication skills – writing and speaking clearly and thoughtfully – is invaluable.

Goshen College provided me with a safe, caring community where I could wrestle with and shape my faith. I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of following Jesus Christ in every part of my life. I also learned about the foundation of Anabaptist-Mennonite-Christian theology – this golden thread ran through all my classes and activities at Goshen College and helped me come to see how faith and life can intertwine.

I came away from my undergraduate years with scores of friendships that I will cherish my entire life. Most unique, perhaps, is that I maintain friendships with Goshen faculty and staff.

About his vocation and life goals:

I feel called to a career in ministry. Currently that takes the form of youth programs in the camp setting. Camp ministry, at Amigo Centre in particular, appeals to me because my job brings together Biblical scholarship, environmental stewardship and recreation. I would like to model ways of sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship informed by my faith for the broader community. I would also like to become disciplined enough to become a writer.

About living with Culture for Service:

The concrete way that I put this concept into practice is in the work that I do with conference youth through Amigo programs. Philosophically, I have come to the realization that the relationship between "culture" and "service" is dynamic; they inform each other. When I serve, I am served, so that I may serve others.

Major: Biology and German

Now: Working in pharmaceutical drug development in Tokyo.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

Bridging cultures is both the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of my job.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

Goshen College played a key part in awakening my interest to discover the world. My year abroad in Germany, the friendships with the international students at Goshen, as well as the globally-focused curriculum are what helped prepare me for the world abroad.

What are your vocation and life goals?

One of my goals is to obtain and keep a focus on the "big picture" issues and to make sure my role contributes to advancing the major issues in healthcare today that I consider important. In many ways we are entering a golden age of medicine with advances coming faster and faster and the challenge is to maintain an overview of what's happening and be involved in it.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

From time to time I step back and reflect on whether or not I have maintained the ideals of peace and justice that Goshen offered, and evaluate how to best implement those ideals. One way is to seek employment in a company with ideals that one respects, and then working within its power structures to support ethically sound business practices.

Major: Elementary Education

Business name: The Electric Brew, Goshen, Ind.; established in 1996.

Business description: As a GC student, Kauffman missed mountains and coffeehouses of her native Oregon. After graduating and "realizing that the mountains wouldn't be moving," she and husband Tony Kauffman built Goshen's original coffeehouse and gathering place. The Brew is also a live music venue.

On the spirit of entrepreneurship: "There is always the dichotomy of rewards and challenges in owning your own business; rewards and challenges can be closely related. For example, you can 'choose your own hours' but, on the flip-side, we mostly just work all the time!

"Time management is challenging. You must also have patience to train employees, to try new things and give them time to work. You need to be able to motivate and encourage staff in a work environment that needs to be fun and productive.

"We've been very intentional about the Brew being an environment that can be inviting to all who enter. We have not wanted to create an agenda; however, we want this to be a place that nurtures the spirit and feeds the soul."

Major: Fine Arts

Now: Stay-at-home mom with two children. She currently volunteers as the meal coordinator at church and is also the Secretary of the Board and Marketing Chairperson for Unique World Gifts, which is affiliated with Ten Thousand Villages. After graduating from Goshen she worked as a floral designer, perused interior design with Ethan Allen Interiors and worked as a graphic designer for a family business.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

Parenting is the most challenging job I have ever had. It is 24-7 and one never gets enough sleep, but I am so blessed to be able to stay home with my kids. I hope to instill self-confidence, appreciation of other cultures and Christian faith, among other values in my children's lives.

It is a joy to share my experiences at Goshen and (in my SST host country) Cote D'Ivoire with my three year old. I hope she and (my son) Mason will some day have the experience of living in another culture so that they may develop an appreciation for life outside their comfort zone and the Hickory, N.C., community.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

In several of my interior design jobs through Ethan Allen I was able to relate my knowledge of African fabrics and color palate to the homes of African-American families to connect them to their African heritage.

I feel I acquired self-confidence, self-reliance and appreciation for other cultures while at Goshen and have used these to communicate and enhance people's lives in my work experiences after graduation.

What are your vocation and life goals?

My life goal has been to have a family. At the same time, I am fortunate to be able to use my creative skills and art degree from Goshen through volunteering.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

The goal of Unique World Gifts and Ten Thousand Villages is to promote and practice fair-trade and to support artisan handicrafts from around the world. In promoting Unique World Gifts through my marketing campaign, I am serving women, men and children all over the world and am supporting their livelihoods.

Major: Business Administration

Now: Studying for her Masters degree in Public Non-Profit Management at, Boston University School of Management

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your postgraduate study?

Simply being back in school after a ten absence has been a bit tough, especially with my classmates so much younger, and seemingly, sharper than me. Managing my time and getting used to the loss of a steady income have been big adjustments for me also.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

Goshen taught me how to have respect for different worldviews, and encouraged me to go into a life of service to others. I served for three years as a Peace Corps volunteer and went on to work in international development before embarking on business school.

What are your vocation and life goals?

My life's goal is to be part of the solution in the fight against poverty and reducing the scourge of modern times called AIDS, especially on poor women and children in the developing world. My goal is to use business as a tool for sustainable development and change.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

As someone who grew up in the developing world (Nigeria), Goshen encouraged me to think about the reasons for poverty and helped me see that I needed to be part of the solution. Hence, my whole professional life thus far has been and will be marked by service to others.

Major: United States history, with a minor in sociology

Now: Visiting assistant professor of communication, culture and technology program, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.; Starting in the fall, he will teach full-time in Georgetown's interdisciplinary master’s program.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

I enjoy working with teachers who take student learning seriously and who see their work as having a larger social purpose. Working with students who are willing to experiment and take risks is also a highlight. I am especially pleased to be currently – although not permanently – installed in a multidisciplinary department where I have the freedom to explore broad topics from multiple disciplinary and theoretical perspectives.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

I definitely enjoy a position in the liberal/reform wing of the academy, among a group of people who care about social justice and believe in education as a tool for working towards a better world. This is in direct line with the examples and motivations of many of my Goshen faculty.

What are your vocation and life goals?

I hope to continue to work in higher education reform and innovation. I also would like to pursue research into my teaching, as well as continue more conventional research in my field, which is turn-of-the-century U.S. history.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

I feel as though the things I've clustered around in my work are in line with the ideals of Goshen College.

Major: Business management and marketing

Now: Co-coordinator for orphan school project in Kabwe, Zambia, until June 2005 when he and his wife, Andrea moved to Germany; he co-coordinated the administration and finances for eight schools, catering to 4,100 pupils (mostly orphans) and 150 faculty and staff.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

All circumstances of running a project in Africa are highly challenging and motivating. New difficulties and unforeseen events happen all the time, which require interesting and creative solutions. There is no daily routine. I enjoy the work, especially administrative issues and logistical aspects, due to the variety involved.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

Through my business major, Goshen College gave me a good foundation for management and administration.

What are your vocation and life goals?

I am a manager by vocation. I excel at administration and organizational activities, regardless of the professional aspects of the job at hand. I strive for excellence in all of my tasks, and as a follower of Jesus Christ, my goal is to serve him in all that I do-in my personal lifestyle, my relationships and my profession.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

I am not a Mennonite…however, as a committed Christian I share Goshen’s values and have been able to serve orphans and vulnerable people in Zambia. I agree with the motto, even if it wasn't Goshen College that instilled it into me.

I have resigned from my position as project co-ordinator and will be leaving Zambia end of June 2005 together with my wife Andrea. We are not yet sure what we will be doing, but we are going to return to Germany and take up work there.

Major: Biology

Further education: Master of Science degree in biology and conservation biology from Central Michigan University; doctorate in forestry and natural resources from Purdue University.

Now: Associate professor of biology at Hillsdale College and director of the G.H. Gordon Biological Station. His research focuses on aquatic ecology and palaeoecology, and he has published approximately 20 manuscripts in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is currently writing and illustrating a book on the palaeoecology of wetlands in the southern Great Lakes Region.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

The most challenging aspect of my job is balancing the tasks of teaching, research, publication and service. Another significant challenge of my job is serving as a witness for Christ while at the same time fulfilling my role as a scientist and educator. Many people have the misguided view that a Biblically based faith is incompatible with scientific facts and theories, including an old, evolving earth. I greet this challenge enthusiastically, because I feel that we all need to consider faith and creation in far more sophisticated ways.

I most enjoy the independence, the life-long learning and experiencing the wonders of nature all over again through the eyes and reactions of my students. I feel a great sense of personal satisfaction in being an instrument of their discoveries and their ultimate successes.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

Goshen College has had a significant impact on what I am doing now. Dr. Jonathan N. Roth (professor emeritus of biology), on a High School Marine Biology trip at Goshen's Marine Biology Lab in the Florida Keys, had such a positive impact on me. The role model that he provided as a good scientist, a person of faith and a person of good character was significant to my success.

My experiences at Goshen's Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center also allowed me to develop skills in effective teaching and experiential learning. I am not Mennonite, and my social and political philosophy is more conservative, but I valued the exposure to opposing viewpoints.

What are your vocation and life goals?

Now that I have achieved my life-long goal of becoming a professor, my intent is to refine that goal. I hope to learn more, but I also hope to become a better leader, role model, friend and mentor for my students in much the same way that Dr. Roth was a friend and very important mentor to me.

There is one chapel that I recall particularly from my Goshen College experience. The title of the presentation by June Alliman Yoder (’67) was, "This is my son, with whom I am well pleased." Her message was how we can apply this biblical verse to our lives. Is this something we might expect to hear when we meet our Creator? Although I know that it is not an easy task, I want to strive to make my contributions to creation and society something with which "[God] is well pleased."

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

Goshen College's motto, "Culture for Service" has always reminded me to ask how my activities will glorify God. Asking this question has helped me integrate my God-given passion for biology with service-oriented endeavors. While not all of us will be ministers, we can utilize whatever it is that we do, whether we are custodians or scientists, to serve the Greater Good.

Major: Interdisciplinary

Business name: MˆCAM, Charlottesville, Va.; founded in 1997.

Business description: Engineers and sells products and services to verify the uniqueness, risks and commercial use of intellectual property.

On the spirit of entrepreneurship: "I lost my legs in a very serious accident. I learned a lot of skills about adapting to life's circumstances when you go from being an athlete - a runner for the Goshen College track team - to a wheelchair. It has a way of teaching you an awful lot about life.

"I think that the ability to be extremely confident in the mission that you have taken on and the ability to see the mission, in spite of all the obstacles, is really a critical success factor. And I think another is a bit of tenacity.

"MˆCAM does something that hasn't been done before, and is bringing the gold standard into an arena that never had one. When one can measure and audit that which was intangible - unmeasurable and unauditable - a sea change occurs. Given that MˆCAM has developed the ability to be the rating agency to assess the business and financial risk of assets in a knowledge economy, all traditional service providers and practioners, those who have lived up to this time without any audit, are necessarily affected. Many of them mount a concerted effort to stifle reform and change. A few embrace the changing winds. As with any evolutionary process, certain legacy constituents find their 'high priest' status no longer relevant. But this is not new. The same thing occurred when civilization realized that it was the shadow of the moon that made an eclipse, not some giant serpent taking a bite out of the sun! I'm sure, back then, it was a bad day to be an astrologer!

"We get to interact with both business and public policy makers as a normal course of business, which [is] quite enjoyable but that can also make it frustrating, because anytime that you are dealing with changing paradigms you have obviously a considerable amount of resistance to change and that is something that takes a long time and a lot of effort. That is probably the greatest enjoyment and the greatest frustration."

Major: Interdisciplinary major, combining communication, nursing, Spanish and biology

Now: Deputy Metro Editor for the San Antonio Express - News, where she manages the daily local news budgets and a staff of 55 reporters and editors.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

The challenges of trying to find intriguing news for readers while managing a diverse staff each day are equaled only by the fun at succeeding at both!

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

My time at Goshen College taught me that living in the Christian tradition didn't have to be at all traditional. I wasn't at all sure that I could find a way to turn Goshen College’s culture into real-world service in a mainstream profession.

What are your vocation and life goals?

As it turns out journalism is an excellent avenue for community service and my career has shifted from early sports writing to local news in part because of my desire to do something for the community. A functional Fourth Estate is crucial to a city, state or organization being held accountable to the people it serves.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

San Antonio is definitely a multicultural city, and not just because of its Latino population. Home to several military bases, the influx of non-Texans is large and [also] diversifies our community. The diversity of language, culture and faith that I ran into at Goshen College has prepared me to understand that community and serve our readership.

Major: History, with a minor in economics

Now: U.S. Foreign Service Officer and Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable aspects of your job?

Working and living overseas is both the most enjoyable and the most challenging aspect of my job. So far I have been posted to Belize, Germany, Washington, D.C., Italy and Haiti.

How has your Goshen College experience shaped and prepared you for what you are doing now?

The SST experience was one of the most positive aspects of my time at Goshen College. In fact, the State Department sent me to Belize as my first overseas post based on my previous SST experience there. I had a number of outstanding professors who shaped my academic experience at Goshen College and inspired and encouraged me to further my international studies.

What are your vocation and life goals?

I enjoy my work and hope to continue on my current career path with the State Department.

How has Goshen's motto, "Culture for Service," impacted the way you choose to live and pursue your vocational calling?

Although being a Foreign Service officer is perhaps not what the motto, "Culture for Service" had in mind, we are trying to make the world a better place. In my job I am working to promote economic development, poverty alleviation and mutually beneficial economic ties between foreign countries and the United States. My experiences at Goshen College – on SST and in the classroom – went a long way toward shaping who I am today and putting me on this career path. |

After Goshen College, I went to the University of Pittsburgh for a master’s degree in public and international affairs. Upon graduation I got a job in international affairs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I enjoyed the international work and traveling overseas, but I thought that I would like to live overseas for longer periods of time. So, I took and passed the foreign service exam and joined the State Department, and here I am.