CCV Staff Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation

Meet Our Newest Team Members!

Posted on May 30, 2021October 13, 2021

Meet Danielle!

She is the new Program Coordinator for Augsburg Youth Theology Institute (AYTI). She was born in Minneapolis and has spent most of her life here.
In 2014, she graduated from Augsburg University with a degree in Educational Studies. She also holds an Associate of Liberal Arts from Minneapolis Community & Technical College.

“I love Jesus and engaging with youth and young adults for his purposes on this side of heaven. I am an active member of my home church, New Salem Missionary Baptist Church where I serve as a Youth Bible Study teacher and for Lead our Youth/Young Adult Mentorship Initiative. I believe we were created to live relationally and hold sacred the relationships I have been blessed to experience in my youth servant leader role both in the church and in my community as well as where they intersect. When I am not with my family or serving Gods’ people, I enjoy crafting, curating, creating for my business “Created to Create” and listening to audiobooks.”

Meet Lara!

She was hired in January as the Communications Coordinator for the Hub. Her primary responsibilities include running social media, developing storytelling platforms, and updating the blogs and websites as we begin accompanying the next wave of congregations.

Lara graduated with her B.A from Concordia College in 2019 with a double major in theatre art and communication studies. In June, she will be graduating with her M.A from Luther Seminary in Children, Youth and Family Studies. In her free time, she is an editor for Working Preacher podcasts, a director/choreographer for children’s theatre, and a very involved dog mom to her best boy, Winston.

“Since joining the team, I’ve seen passion, patience and a push toward the public church framework. This Hub is doing incredible work to accompany congregations as they learn to thrive beyond the walls of their buildings. I look forward to sharing their stories in unique ways that showcase their transformations since we started our walk together.”

Reflections on White Supremacy Culture Characteristics

Posted on May 20, 2021October 29, 2021

This reflection has been written by Amanda Vetsch who works as the Congregational Coordinator of the Riverside Innovation Hub and has recently completed her Master’s theses which focused on dismantling white supremacy, the church, and Lutheran theology.

The staff of the Riverside Innovation Hub have recently spent time reflecting on the list of “White Supremacy Culture Characteristics” written by Tema Okun to better understand how the characteristics of White Supremacy show up in ourselves, our initiatives, communities, and institutions. Some of the staff attended a webinar co-hosted by Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) and Tema Okun to mark the 20th anniversary of this list and to begin the launch of new website and updates to the list of characteristics of white supremacy.

Continue reading “Reflections on White Supremacy Culture Characteristics” →

Introducing Danielle

Posted on April 1, 2021October 12, 2021

Danielle Tucker joined the CCV staff in late March 2021 as the Program Coordinator for Augsburg Youth Theology Institute (AYTI). She was born in Minneapolis and has spent most of her life here. In 2014, she graduated from Augsburg University with a degree in Educational Studies. She also holds an Associate of Liberal Arts from Minneapolis Community & Technical College. “I love Jesus and engaging with youth and young adults for his purposes on this side of heaven. I am an active member of my home church, New Salem Missionary Baptist Church where I serve as a Youth Bible Study teacher and for Lead our Youth/Young Adult Mentorship Initiative. I believe we were created to live relationally and hold sacred the relationships I have been blessed to experience in my youth servant leader role both in the church and in my community as well as where they intersect. When I am not with my family or serving Gods’ people, I enjoy crafting, curating, creating for my business “Created to Create” and listening to audio books.”

Introducing the CCV and AYTI Student Workers

Posted on March 5, 2021March 8, 2021

Renee Christensen

She/Her/Her’s

Hi! My name is Renee Christensen, and I am from Shafer, MN. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a second year double majoring in Clinical Psychology and Theology and Public Leadership. I was an AYTI participant in 2018 and fell in love with Augsburg! Outside of my work with AYTI, I work closely with the Campus Ministry staff and serve as the Augsburg University Student Ministries Secretary. When I’m home, you’ll usually find me curled up with a good book, being outdoors, or snuggling with my cats.

Grace Porter

She/Her/Her’s

I am Grace Porter, she/her/hers, from Eden Prairie. I will be graduating in Fall 2021 with a Theology and Public Leadership major, concentration in youth studies, and Music minor. As someone who wants to work in the church, and change what that looks like (especially for youth), Augsburg was the no-brainer school to go to. I knew I could get an education that emphasized God’s love for everyone and God’s wish for God’s people to work for justice in the world! And now, as I am entering my fourth year, I know that is exactly what I have gotten. Through Christensen Scholars, the Augsburg Youth Theology Institute, Campus Ministries, and so much more, Augsburg has been a wonderful home and learning community for me.

Erica nondi

She/Her/Her’s

Habari! (Hello!). My name is Erica Nondi and I am in my senior year of my Business Management degree, and I have worked as the CCV student worker for 2 years. I was born and raised in Mombasa, Kenya, and I started my undergrad at a small music school in St Paul, but eventually found my passion for business studies at Augsburg University. I have gained communication and organizational skills while working on administrative tasks to help the CCV team with various projects, and it has been a wonderful experience. My hobbies include singing, cooking traditional Kenyan food, swimming and snowmobiling.

Meet Lonna

Posted on October 28, 2019February 3, 2020

Lonna Field serves as Program Associate for the Christensen Center for Vocation (CCV) at Augsburg University. Part of her role includes co-directing the Augsburg Youth Theology Institute, leading the Christensen Vocation Intern program, and supporting other programmatic and assessment development. In the 2019-20 academic year, as the CCV transitions to a new vision and structure, Lonna is specifically helping manage and steward the transition of various programming. This includes continuing to support interfaith initiatives during the launching of the Interfaith at Augsburg: An Institute to Promote Interreligious Leadership.

Lonna has worked at Augsburg University since 2009 with roles through the Lilly Grant, Campus Ministry, the Center for Faith and Learning, and now the CCV. Throughout these 10+ years, she has been deeply impacted through the opportunity to learn, share, and live out Augsburg’s mission with so many unique students, colleagues, and partners.

Lonna’s professional experience has revolved around education and youth development, previously serving as Youth Director and Education Coordinator at Redeemer Center for Life and as a Mentor Coordinator with the Boys and Girls Club at Little Earth of United Tribes. Lonna earned a Master of Arts in Leadership from Augsburg University and a BA from Wartburg College in Elementary Education and Mathematics. A native Iowan, Lonna found a love for the city—especially North Minneapolis!—through her experience in Lutheran Volunteer Corps.

Beyond Augsburg, you can often find Lonna running, baking, organizing or volunteering at community-oriented events, making music with the Capri Big Band, or playing in various volleyball, kickball, or softball leagues. Lonna enjoys spending quality time with family, friends, and church community, and she is a proud auntie and godmother to family members in Kentucky and Florida.

More About Marty

Posted on October 21, 2019October 24, 2019

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

Posted on October 14, 2019January 4, 2023

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 Program Director, Jeremy Myers

Posted on October 20, 2017November 22, 2022

Photo of Jeremy Myers, Program Director

Jeremy has been a member of the Religion department at Augsburg University since 2006 with specific responsibilities for facilitating the University’s Theology and Public Leadership degree program, the Youth Studies minor, and the Augsburg Youth Theology Institute. He is a rostered Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). You can learn more about his views on ministry with youth and young adults at his blog, or by reading his book Liberating Youth from Adolescence.

Jeremy has served in the field of ministry with youth and young adults professionally since 1997. He loves working with those in this chapter of life and equally loves helping faith communities become more engaged in their lives.

He believes young people today are not longing for anything different than previous generations. But the culture in which they experience these longings has grown increasingly complex and the gap between our young adults and congregations is greater than it has ever been. This gap has appeared as congregations have failed to move into this complex culture with their young people. Jeremy is certain congregations can learn and implement practices that move them into this complex public square where their young adults are seeking to navigate life and faith.

Meet Our ACYTI Ambassadors – Hannah

Posted on October 25, 2016February 14, 2023

Meet Hannah- One of our 2016-17 Augsburg College Youth Theology Institute (ACYTI) Year-Round Ambassadors

My name is Hannah Schmit, and I am a senior at Augsburg College. I am double majoring in Sociology and Religion with a minor in Biology. I am originally from a small town in northern Wisconsin, so I like to take full advantage of all the things that life in the cities has to offer! In my free-time I enjoy making music, hiking, exploring, reading, and crafting. I am excited to be working with ACYTI because I believe in the program, and I cannot wait to share it with others!

More about the ACYTI Ambassadors

Peace and Hannah are working to share their experience and help connect youth and congregations with ACYTI. If you are interested in learning more about the Youth Theology Institute, or having our Ambassadors visit your congregation to share their experience, please contact us at acyti@augsburg.edu

Meet Our ACYTI Ambassadors – Peace

Posted on October 7, 2016March 2, 2020

Meet Peace, one of our 2016-17 Augsburg College Youth Theology Institute (ACYTI) year-round Ambassadors.

Hello! My name is Peace Peter. I’m currently a second year here at Augsburg College. I’m a double major in communications and journalism. I am a member of the Pan-African Student Union and I work in the IT-department. I was born in Liberia and I lived in three different countries in Africa before I moved to the U.S. In my free time I love to watch 90’s sitcom especially Full House and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I’ve never eaten popcorn and my favorite American Food is Caesar salad. I am excited to work with the Augsburg College Youth Theology Institute because I am called to spread the word of God.