Back Row: Jonathon Redding, Tim Sensenig, Jonathon Hershey, Chad Frey, Jordyn Smith, Lauren Pelaia
Front Row: Kaitlin Gill, Molly Scott, Amanda Beck, Brittany Redding, Olivia la Bianca
Front Row: Kaitlin Gill, Molly Scott, Amanda Beck, Brittany Redding, Olivia la Bianca
Team Bios
KAITLIN GILL (Student Leader)
Hometown: Shamokin Dam, Pennsylvania
Major: Nutrition Science, Senior
Leadership Position: Senior Resident Assistant in Hess Hall
Interests: Playing piano and anything music related, watching movies, making pies, spending time with my siblings and cousins, going to Northern Ireland!
Thoughts About the Trip: Last year, I went on this trip as a member of an amazing team! It was great to see the impact we could have on the students in a short time. Within a week, we saw students opening up to us and were able to see firsthand how similar we Americans are to our Northern Irish peers. This year, I am excited to be Co-leading the trip! We'll meet lots of new people, see familiar faces, and play fun games with deeper meanings. I am confident we will see a change in both the students we interact with and ourselves and how we view the world around us. Change happens one shift in perspective at a time. Northern Ireland will provide us this new perspective.
Hometown: Shamokin Dam, Pennsylvania
Major: Nutrition Science, Senior
Leadership Position: Senior Resident Assistant in Hess Hall
Interests: Playing piano and anything music related, watching movies, making pies, spending time with my siblings and cousins, going to Northern Ireland!
Thoughts About the Trip: Last year, I went on this trip as a member of an amazing team! It was great to see the impact we could have on the students in a short time. Within a week, we saw students opening up to us and were able to see firsthand how similar we Americans are to our Northern Irish peers. This year, I am excited to be Co-leading the trip! We'll meet lots of new people, see familiar faces, and play fun games with deeper meanings. I am confident we will see a change in both the students we interact with and ourselves and how we view the world around us. Change happens one shift in perspective at a time. Northern Ireland will provide us this new perspective.
JOHNATHAN REDDING (Student Leader)
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Major: Business Administration Major with a Finance & Entrepreneurship Concentration, Senior
Interests: Skiing, playing soccer, enjoying the outdoors
Thoughts About the Trip: I am blessed to say this will be my second time going on this trip to Northern Ireland. I am extremely excited to go back and have a positive impact on the students at Lurgan Jr. High. It was such a fantastic experience last year and I am looking forward to being able to be apart of it again. Being able to continue relationships and be apart of God's love in another setting are two things I am looking forward to.
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Major: Business Administration Major with a Finance & Entrepreneurship Concentration, Senior
Interests: Skiing, playing soccer, enjoying the outdoors
Thoughts About the Trip: I am blessed to say this will be my second time going on this trip to Northern Ireland. I am extremely excited to go back and have a positive impact on the students at Lurgan Jr. High. It was such a fantastic experience last year and I am looking forward to being able to be apart of it again. Being able to continue relationships and be apart of God's love in another setting are two things I am looking forward to.
JOHNATHAN HERSHEY
Hometown: Mifflintown, PA
Majors: Economics; Politics with a concentration in International Relations, Senior
Leadership Positions: Collaboratory Site Team Leader; Student Government Association Diplomatic Corps
Interests: Traveling, politics and public policy, anything outdoors, Philadelphia sports, reading
Thoughts About the Trip: I received my first opportunity to go to Northern Ireland for a class in May 2013, and it was a life-changing experience. Seeing the difficulty faced by residents of Lurgan as they seek to reconcile differences was a new outlook that I hadn’t previously experienced. This difficulty affects the community in profound ways even today, years after formal conflict. This time, I look forward to serving students in Lurgan while expanding upon relationships already built.
Hometown: Mifflintown, PA
Majors: Economics; Politics with a concentration in International Relations, Senior
Leadership Positions: Collaboratory Site Team Leader; Student Government Association Diplomatic Corps
Interests: Traveling, politics and public policy, anything outdoors, Philadelphia sports, reading
Thoughts About the Trip: I received my first opportunity to go to Northern Ireland for a class in May 2013, and it was a life-changing experience. Seeing the difficulty faced by residents of Lurgan as they seek to reconcile differences was a new outlook that I hadn’t previously experienced. This difficulty affects the community in profound ways even today, years after formal conflict. This time, I look forward to serving students in Lurgan while expanding upon relationships already built.
LAUREN PELAIA
Hometown: Spring Grove, PA
Major: Social Work, Senior
Leadership Positions: Coordinator of the Mentorship Program for the Social Work Department
Interests: Traveling, music and food
Thoughts About the Trip: The first time I traveled internationally was my junior year in high school and I have been infected with the travel bug ever since. I love experiencing new cultures and seeing how other people do life. I am excited to witness the beautiful country that is Northern Ireland form relationships with the students and see how God moves in our team throughout our time in Northern Ireland.
Hometown: Spring Grove, PA
Major: Social Work, Senior
Leadership Positions: Coordinator of the Mentorship Program for the Social Work Department
Interests: Traveling, music and food
Thoughts About the Trip: The first time I traveled internationally was my junior year in high school and I have been infected with the travel bug ever since. I love experiencing new cultures and seeing how other people do life. I am excited to witness the beautiful country that is Northern Ireland form relationships with the students and see how God moves in our team throughout our time in Northern Ireland.
BRITTANY REDDING
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Major: Early Childhood Education major, Sophomore
Interests: Sports, outdoor activities, eating chocolate, baking and cooking, spending time with family and friends, and drinking tea
Thoughts About the Trip: I cannot wait to further pursue God’s calling for us, as Christians, to love each other and show His love through our actions. I am excited to build new relationships with the kids and also the adults over in Northern Ireland. I can’t wait to experience this new culture and am looking forward to seeing how God will use me as we serve.
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Major: Early Childhood Education major, Sophomore
Interests: Sports, outdoor activities, eating chocolate, baking and cooking, spending time with family and friends, and drinking tea
Thoughts About the Trip: I cannot wait to further pursue God’s calling for us, as Christians, to love each other and show His love through our actions. I am excited to build new relationships with the kids and also the adults over in Northern Ireland. I can’t wait to experience this new culture and am looking forward to seeing how God will use me as we serve.
AMANDA BECK
Hometown: Honey Brook, PA
Major: Social Work, Senior
Leadership Positions: LOFT team
Interests: The outdoors (hiking, canoeing, camping, etc.), reading, laughing loudly, coffee, dancing (badly), Chipotle, and watching way too many YouTube videos of baby animals.
Thoughts About the Trip: I’m stoked for this trip as it’s a great opportunity that involves a few of my passions – international service, youth mentoring, reconciliation work, and Jesus! It’s important for young adults to experience the world outside of the United States and form relationships that expand their world view, and I’m blessed to have the chance to create ties with people from a different country and culture. That’s probably what I’m looking forward to the most. Plus, I’m excited to get to know the different members of the team better. And of course, Northern Ireland is beautiful, so that’s definitely an added bonus.
Hometown: Honey Brook, PA
Major: Social Work, Senior
Leadership Positions: LOFT team
Interests: The outdoors (hiking, canoeing, camping, etc.), reading, laughing loudly, coffee, dancing (badly), Chipotle, and watching way too many YouTube videos of baby animals.
Thoughts About the Trip: I’m stoked for this trip as it’s a great opportunity that involves a few of my passions – international service, youth mentoring, reconciliation work, and Jesus! It’s important for young adults to experience the world outside of the United States and form relationships that expand their world view, and I’m blessed to have the chance to create ties with people from a different country and culture. That’s probably what I’m looking forward to the most. Plus, I’m excited to get to know the different members of the team better. And of course, Northern Ireland is beautiful, so that’s definitely an added bonus.
JORDYN SMITH
Major: PreK-4 and Special education dual major, Senior
Interests: Traveling, the outdoors, swimming, teaching, and spending time with family and friends
Thoughts About the Trip: I want to live a life that is glorifying and pleasing to the lord. This trip will provide another opportunity to strengthen my faith and trust in God. I desire to follow Gods calling wherever he leads. God has placed a passion for teaching children in my heart and I am excited to see how God uses that during our time in Northern Ireland. I am so excited to be a part of this team. I am looking forward to see God move and shape me in new ways. I am also looking forward to see how our group grows as a team.
Major: PreK-4 and Special education dual major, Senior
Interests: Traveling, the outdoors, swimming, teaching, and spending time with family and friends
Thoughts About the Trip: I want to live a life that is glorifying and pleasing to the lord. This trip will provide another opportunity to strengthen my faith and trust in God. I desire to follow Gods calling wherever he leads. God has placed a passion for teaching children in my heart and I am excited to see how God uses that during our time in Northern Ireland. I am so excited to be a part of this team. I am looking forward to see God move and shape me in new ways. I am also looking forward to see how our group grows as a team.
TIMOTHY SENSENIG
Hometown: Denver, PA
Majors: English Education and German Education, Senior
Leadership Positions: Student Body President, Admissions Ambassador
Interests: Reading, writing, traveling, photography, weight lifting, German
Thoughts About the Trip: I'm looking forward to learning about Northern Irish culture and gaining a deeper understanding of reconciliation and the global church
Hometown: Denver, PA
Majors: English Education and German Education, Senior
Leadership Positions: Student Body President, Admissions Ambassador
Interests: Reading, writing, traveling, photography, weight lifting, German
Thoughts About the Trip: I'm looking forward to learning about Northern Irish culture and gaining a deeper understanding of reconciliation and the global church
MOLLY SCOTT
Hometown: Moorestown, NJ
Major: Economic Development, Sophomore
Leadership Positions: Business Team at The Pulse media hub
Interests: Outside of class, I enjoy working and hanging out with my friends.
Thoughts About the Trip: I am really looking forward to traveling to Northern Ireland over Spring Break with our team because we have a really awesome variety of backgrounds and fields of study. Each of us brings different strengths and perspectives to the table and I am really excited to watch God work through us. I’m also really looking forward to meeting the children we will be working with and being immersed in a different culture.
Hometown: Moorestown, NJ
Major: Economic Development, Sophomore
Leadership Positions: Business Team at The Pulse media hub
Interests: Outside of class, I enjoy working and hanging out with my friends.
Thoughts About the Trip: I am really looking forward to traveling to Northern Ireland over Spring Break with our team because we have a really awesome variety of backgrounds and fields of study. Each of us brings different strengths and perspectives to the table and I am really excited to watch God work through us. I’m also really looking forward to meeting the children we will be working with and being immersed in a different culture.
OLIVIA LA BIANCA
Hometown: Gettysburg, PA
Major: Journalism, Senior
Leadership Positions: Online Editor at The Pulse media hub, President of the We Will Write creative writing club
Interests: writing, book collecting, world religions, coffee, old typewriters, hats, coffee, cooking, traveling, coffee
Thoughts About the Trip: I have loved Irish culture since I was a child. I can't wait to spend a week among the people I have admired from afar for so long. I am also discovering a passion for the theology and religions of other cultures, and hope to learn about how the people of Lurgan see God.
Hometown: Gettysburg, PA
Major: Journalism, Senior
Leadership Positions: Online Editor at The Pulse media hub, President of the We Will Write creative writing club
Interests: writing, book collecting, world religions, coffee, old typewriters, hats, coffee, cooking, traveling, coffee
Thoughts About the Trip: I have loved Irish culture since I was a child. I can't wait to spend a week among the people I have admired from afar for so long. I am also discovering a passion for the theology and religions of other cultures, and hope to learn about how the people of Lurgan see God.
GENNA D'ALEANDRO BURKE (Team Adviser)
Hometown: Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Job: Family & Consumer Science Teacher,
Red Lion Area Junior High School
Interests: Hiking, Traveling, Reading, Cooking, Music, Philadelphia sports, Quality time, Adventures with my husband
Thoughts About the Trip: I am a graduate student in the Higher Education program at Messiah College. Currently I work at Red Lion Area Junior High School as a seventh grade Nutrition and Culinary Arts teacher. My job is never boring and I learn something from my students every day! This will be my fourth adventure back to Northern Ireland. I am looking forward to the “give and take” dialogue on conflict resolution especially when it concerns racial and religious intolerance and witnessing student growth through these experiences.
Hometown: Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Job: Family & Consumer Science Teacher,
Red Lion Area Junior High School
Interests: Hiking, Traveling, Reading, Cooking, Music, Philadelphia sports, Quality time, Adventures with my husband
Thoughts About the Trip: I am a graduate student in the Higher Education program at Messiah College. Currently I work at Red Lion Area Junior High School as a seventh grade Nutrition and Culinary Arts teacher. My job is never boring and I learn something from my students every day! This will be my fourth adventure back to Northern Ireland. I am looking forward to the “give and take” dialogue on conflict resolution especially when it concerns racial and religious intolerance and witnessing student growth through these experiences.