My Name is Elizabeth Hoversten but I go by Lizzy and use the pronouns she, her, hers. I am from a little rural town called Viroqua located around the lowest pinky knuckle of Wisconsin. At Augsburg, I am Majoring in Communication Studies and Minoring in Business Administration with the end goal of goodness knows what. I am very excited to be returning to AYTI for the 3rd time, second as a mentor. It is incredible getting to watch these youth gather from across the states to explore how their faith can influence their leadership. My favorite place I’ve been has been a mountain road outside of Yellowstone, my family and I drove it at dusk about four years ago and it was awe striking. Unfortunately, I do not have a favorite Bible verse but I do have a least favorite book of the Bible so I will lead with that. My least favorite book of the Bible is the book of Job, let’s talk about it some time.
Meet Your Mentor-Renee
Hi! My name is Renee Christensen (she/her/hers) and I am a first year here at Augsburg! I am double majoring in Clinical Psychology and Theology and Public Leadership. I am from Shafer, MN, which is about 45 minutes North East of Minneapolis! One of the many things I am excited about this year is seeing how participants grow in their faith and gain friends and memories that last forever! In high school, I was a participant in AYTI and it changed my life! In fact, that is the reason that I’m a student at Augsburg! My favorite place I have ever been has to be the Boundary Waters up near Ely, MN. My favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9
Meet Your Mentor-Grace P
Hi! I’m Grace Porter (she/her/hers), and I am finishing my 2nd year at Augsburg. I am majoring in Theology and Public Leadership with a concentration in youth studies and a minor in music (which is a very long-winded way to say that I want to work with kids in the church and I love music)! I am from Eden Prairie, MN, so Minneapolis wasn’t too scary, and now it has become my home! I’m excited to be a mentor again this year; I loved getting to grow in my faith and help high school students do the same. AYTI changed my life as a high schooler, and I couldn’t be more excited to help give others that experience. I’ve been to a lot of really cool places, but my favorites have been NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, Disney World, and Winnipeg. My favorite Bible verse (which I got tattooed on my arm at the beginning of this year!) is Psalm 46:5.
Learn more about this summer’s Augsburg Youth Theology Institute.
Introducing Renee – AYTI Ambassador
Hi! My name is Renee Christensen, and I am from Shafer, MN. I am a first year at Augsburg University, planning to double major in Clinical Psychology and Theology and Public Leadership. I was an AYTI participant in 2018 and fell in love with Augsburg! What I like most about Augsburg is the community that we have here on campus. The amazing and supportive staff and students have made this community feel like home. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be surrounded with each day! I am currently involved with Riverside Singers and Student Ministries. When I’m home, you’ll usually find me curled up with a good book, being outdoors, or snuggling with my cats. I am so grateful for this opportunity and excited to see where it takes me!
More About Marty
Marty Wyatt has been the Program Assistant for the Augsburg Youth Theology Institute since 2016. Prior to this, Marty worked as a coffee shop manager at the MSP airport. He completed a BA in Women’s Studies at Augsburg in 2012, and is currently in the Master of Divinity program at Luther Seminary. While a student at Augsburg, Marty was a Youth Theology Institute mentor and even attended the Institute as a high school student way back in its beginning years. Marty loves being a part of this program that encourages youth to embrace deep theological questions and explore where their passions meet the needs of the world and where God is calling them.
When he’s not at Augsburg, Marty enjoys reading, sewing quilts, and cross-stitching. He’s been a Minnesotan his whole life, and grew up on a family farm just north of the Twin Cities. He now lives in North Minneapolis with his husband and fur babies (2 cats, 1 dog). His one year old boxer mix keeps him especially busy and reminds him daily of the importance of play.
Marty feels incredibly blessed to be a part of the Augsburg University community again as a staff person and is proud of the work that Augsburg, the Christensen Center for Vocation, and the Augsburg Youth Theology Institute do for and with young people, our communities, and the wider church.
Introducing Adrienne
Adrienne joined the CCV staff in Fall 2019 as the Theology and Public Leadership Program Associate. She wears three very important hats at Augsburg: coordinating the TPL undergraduate degree, directing the summer Augsburg Youth Theology Institute, and managing the Public Church Scholars pathway degree.
The Public Church Scholars five year degree pathway allows students who are called to public church ministry an opportunity to complete a BA in Theology and Public Leadership and a Master of Divinity (MDiv) in five years. In this program students will take a deep dive into theological education, leadership formation, engage in what is means to live and work in community through experiential learning, and prepare to be public leaders in the church. This ministry leadership pathway has been generously funded by the Kern Foundation.
Adrienne has served in many ministry and youth leadership capacities since graduating from Augsburg in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in Youth and Family Ministry and a minor in Sociology. Before coming to this position, she served as youth ministry program staff for an urban ministry collaborative in St. Paul, booking agent for a local hip hop artist, assistant camp director for an island camp and retreat center, and served two local charter high schools in administrative leadership and advising capacities primarily supporting students in college and career exploration. In December 2018, she received her MA in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in ethics and leadership from St. Catherine University. In Fall 2019, she also began the exciting journey of teaching undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota in the Leadership Minor program.
Adrienne’s call has always been tied to connecting people and strengthening relationships. As a leader for young people, her work focuses on listening, guiding, and supporting youth in discerning their purpose during transition times in their lives. She has worked with high school students in developing leadership skills, searching for college and career options that fit their purpose, and making connections for putting their purpose into action. She is excited to join CCV and work with undergraduate students as they discern their call to ministry, by growing and developing as strong leaders for the future of the church in our communities.
When she isn’t working, Adrienne loves walking or hiking in parks and woods around the Twin Cities with her family and energetic dog Calvin. Her husband is a middle school music teacher and her kiddo is thoughtful and creative and always has his nose in a book. As a family they enjoy camping, following the latest Star Wars or Avengers stories and media, and making and sharing homemade meals.
Introducing our 2019-20 AYTI Ambassador, Grace P
Hi! My name is Grace Porter (pronouns She/Her/Hers), and I am a second year studying Theology and Public Leadership with a concentration in Youth Studies and a Minor in Music here at Augsburg University. It sounds like a lot but it really just means that I love working with kids, my faith, and music! Speaking of my faith, I am currently a student deacon working with Student Ministries on campus and using my love of music in choir and in the campus a cappella group, Convocadence! You might recognize me as mentor Gracie from AYTI 2019; fun fact, I was also a participant in AYTI 2017! If you can’t tell, I love this program, and Augsburg University. I also love musical theater and exploring new places, and I am the annoyingly positive person who can get up with the sun 🙂
Meet Grace P- 2019 AYTI Mentor
Hi! My name is Grace Porter and I am from Eden Prairie, MN and a first year here at Augsburg University. I am majoring in Theology and Public Leadership with a concentration in Youth Studies and a minor in Music. My favorite thing about Augsburg is the people-I have created so many new relationships I know I will value for a long time! When I graduate, I want to work with kids in the church, and hopefully direct a youth choir as well. I attended AYTI a few years ago and it was one of the best weeks of my life! I grew so much in faith and friendships and had so many wonderful experiences that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Attending the program is also one of the big reasons I chose to attend Augsburg, and I love it here just as much as I thought I would!
Learn more about this summer’s Augsburg Youth Theology Institute at https://www.augsburg.edu/ayti/
Meet Grace- 2019 AYTI Mentor
My name is Grace Koch Muchahary. I’m from India. I am a first year student at Augsburg University majoring in Sociology. I am really glad to be called an Auggie, and I love the surroundings over here. My favorite thing is the people who are really very good and help each other with every need. My future goals are to become a greater youth leader and a social worker as a missionary. I am really excited for the AYTI program, to meet new people, and get to learn many new things.
Learn more about this summer’s Augsburg Youth Theology Institute at https://www.augsburg.edu/ayti/
AYTI Mentor Reflection – Destyn Land
The Day I Learned to Walk the Two-Way Street
by Destyn Land, 2018 Augsburg Youth Theology Institute Mentor
As a small group leader, I always saw it as my obligation to set the tone with transparency for all of our discussions and time together. Before I entered the small group space, I attempted to make a mental script and plan every single thing that would happen from the beginning until the end. To make a long story short, my script absolutely never worked (and I mean never). But even in those moments I thought to myself that maybe this was God’s way of showing me that flexibility is truly a virtue.

After our very first small group meeting I left feeling content with how things went, however, in the back of my mind I still desired our group to become more open with each other. To debrief and process my thoughts I began to journal about what I wanted to do differently and things that I thought went well. After writing for just a few minutes, I came to this conclusion: It is completely arbitrary and irrational to expect my small group to open up to me, if I could not open up to them. During the the time of the theology institute I was facing some challenges in my life that were worth sharing, but the tempting desire within me to be perfect made me silence myself. Continue reading “AYTI Mentor Reflection – Destyn Land”