Feb 24, 2014 6 min read

WAYNESBURG – A total of 93 Waynesburg University students and 10 faculty and staff members will spend spring break from March 8-16 serving at various organizations. Four mission trips will provide students the opportunity to serve outside of the Waynesburg community, both domestically and abroad.

The trips include Center for Student Missions in Nashville, Tenn.; Meeting God in Missions in Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic; Habitat for Humanity Work Camp in Concord, N.C.; and The Pittsburgh Project in Pittsburgh.

A team of 31 Waynesburg University students will serve for the Center for Student Missions in Nashville, with trip leaders Pat Bristor, associate dean of students; Frank Pazzynski, associate professor of education; and Carolyn Poteet, director of faith and mission.

The large number of students attending this year enables the team to split into three groups, spreading their outreach to several different organizations in the Nashville area. Projects include assisting Feed the Children ministry and cooking and serving at soup kitchens.

“When most people think of Nashville, they think of country music, a booming industry; yet there are many people who find it difficult to make ends meet,” Bristor said. “Our hope is to gain a better understanding of the issues of hunger and homelessness. We will participate in a program called the Urban Exposure. During this event, we will be out with those on the streets, listening to their stories and lending a helping hand.”

Students participating in the Nashville mission trip include Theresa Butler, a junior from Uniontown; Sara Carpenter, a freshman from Erie; Kenny Cline, a junior from Bloomingdale, Ohio; Julie Collins, a senior from West Newton; Ryan Condello, a senior from McMurray; Joy Engle-Young, a junior from Holbrook; John Flanigan, a senior from Frostburg, Md.; Tiffany Franck, a senior from Ephrata; Kaelee Franko, a junior from Butler; Emily Hoffman, a junior from Salisbury, Md.; Mindy Hooven, a sophomore from Fayetteville; Rebecca Lane, a junior major from Ellwood City; Rachel Lovely, a junior from Windber; Derrion May, a sophomore from Belleville, Ill.; and Kristen McClure, a sophomore from Reading.

Also, Nick Merlino, a sophomore from Pittsburgh; Emily Priester, a senior from Pittsburgh; Chelsea Ritter, a senior from New Tripoli; Kim Ryan, a junior from Masontown; DeRon Scott, a sophomore from San Diego, Calif.; Karl Shaley, a senior from Pittsburgh; Gracious Shaver, a junior from Ginowan City, Japan; Katie Shultz, a junior from Venetia; Ryan Smith, a junior from Bridgeport, Ohio; Rachel Snavely, a sophomore from Manheim; Emily Wiedner, a freshman from Somerset; Tori Whitty, a sophomore from New Wilmington; Lori Williams, a sophomore from Mount Clare, W.Va.; Kristen Wilson, a freshman from Washington; Julie Wise, a junior from Fowler, Ohio; and Kaitlyn Wood, a sophomore from Honey Brook.

Twelve students and trip leaders Dave Calvario, director of the Center for Service Leadership, and Julio Quintero, assistant professor of Spanish, will partner with the Whitefields Foundation to serve in Haitian villages in Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic.

Students will participate in construction and repair work, hair ministry, Vacation Bible School, medical and dental work (with second-year medical students from Penn State), prayer walks and spending time with the children.

“Our service will be in the sugar cane fields of the Dominican Republic, or the Bateyes as they are known there,” Calvario said. “Some of the Bateyes do not have electric or running water. The Haitians who work in the sugar cane fields work long days and do not receive a livable wage.”

Students participating in the Dominican Republic mission trip include Elaine Burns, a freshman from Ocean Springs, Miss.; Northe Campbell-Escalante, a senior from Pittsburgh; Kyle Digiandomenico, a junior from Martins Ferry, Ohio; Cassy Dowler, a senior from Latrobe; Dan Garcia, a junior from South Gate, Calif.; Danielle Goreczny, a senior from Aspinwall; Mary Hoffman, a sophomore from Butler; Brandi Kukler, a sophomore from Belle Vernon; Jessica Marabello, a sophomore from Pittsburgh; Cherylynn Shird, a senior from Washington, D.C.; Mary Spencer, a junior from Allison Park; and Bonnie Strang, a sophomore from McMurray.

To address substandard housing issues in North Carolina, 25 students will serve with the Lake Norman, N.C., Habitat for Humanity affiliate to assist in building homes for residents. Chad Sherman, assistant professor of communication, and Brandon Szuminsky, instructor of communication, will serve as trip leaders.

All participating students have previously served with Habitat for Humanity.

Students participating in the Habitat work camp mission trip include Jessica Arthur, a freshman from Jamestown, Ohio; Taylor Augustine, a senior from Waynesburg; Jennifer Brown, a sophomore from Latrobe; Eric Burnett, a sophomore from Carmichaels; Derrick Conner, a senior from Smithfield; Joshuah Dains, a junior from Clarksville; Sarah Danchik, a freshman from Washington; Sara Faiad, a junior from South Fork; Dana Della Loggia, a from Hershey; Cody Hillberry, a junior from Sycamore; Amanda Hooker, a sophomore from Bedford; and Erin Kern, a junior from Friedens.

Also, Sarah Kirk, a sophomore from Valencia; Jimmy Law, a junior from Erie; Philip Littlejohn, a junior from Union Springs, N.Y.; Kaitlyn Marteney, a junior major from Berlin; Amber Martin, a freshman from Brook Park, Ohio; Samantha Peer, a sophomore from Belle Vernon; Torre Remish, a freshman from Charleroi; Travis Sumner, a freshman from Eighty Four; Pedro Torrez, a sophomore from Chapel Hill, N.C.; Brianna Watt, a junior from Waynesburg; Abby Wernert, a junior from Finleyville; Melissa Yoder, a senior from Hollsopple; and Dylan Zeigler, a junior from Knox.

Twenty-five students will serve The Pittsburgh Project on the North Side of Pittsburgh, with trip leaders Adrienne Tharp, coordinator of the Bonner Scholars Program; Anne Schrock, a resident director; Tyler Schrock, associate director of Web services; and John Lydic, a sophomore communication major from Verona.

TPP is a nonprofit community development organization committed to meeting the needs of the Pittsburgh community and providing inner-city housing ministries. During the week, students will assist with general home repairs and work to build relationships with homeowners.

“The trip will be a great and humbling experience,” said Tharp. “Our projects during the week will be helping various homeowners that are unable to do the projects on their own.”

Students participating in The Pittsburgh Project mission trip include Kimberly Baston, a freshman from North Huntingdon; Ashley Blair, a sophomore from Masontown; Dana Della Loggia, a senior from Hershey; Andrya Durr, a sophomore from Greensboro; Alyssa Fratto, a freshman from Melcroft; Sean Giles, a freshman from Wyomissing; James Glisan, a sophomore from West Newton; Emily Hackman, a freshman from Ephrata; Josh Hennigh, a freshman from Harrisburg; Natalie Herr, a freshman from Peach Bottom; Jacob Horne, a freshman from Leckrone; Katelyn Hunsicker, a freshman from Reading; and Philip Hurd, a senior from Prattsburgh, N.Y.

Also, Anna Kelley, a freshman from Baltimore, Md.; Emily Nowakowski, a freshman from Bridgeport, Ohio; Denis O’Donoghue, a freshman from Waynesburg; Josh Ombiri, a freshman from Mount Lebanon; Zach Payne, a freshman from Irwin; Tyler Romanowicz, a freshman from Altoona; Zachary Simpson, a sophomore from Canonsburg; Amy Smith, a freshman from Fairlawn, Ohio; Lauren Stough, a senior from Cranberry Township; Joseph Vassallo, a freshman from Rochester, N.Y.; and Marissa Vizcaino, a freshman from Albuquerque, N.M.