2015-16
Jordan
Hey guys, my name is Jordan Castillo and I am beyond excited to be part of the EUI program! I love running, hiking, and Harry Potter, and I live for those deep, late-night conversations. I grew up in Minnesota fully enjoying the quaint suburban life, but for my college years I decided I wanted it to be a totally different kind of adventure. So I flew across the country and spent the past four years at Pomona College, where I allowed myself to be formed and deeply moved by my experiences there. Being at Pomona helped me become more aware of how social injustice impacts my world, and my experiences throughout my college years made me realize that Jesus’ ministry with the poor and marginalized is not just another example of divine compassion, but rather it serves as an urgent call to do likewise.
For me, this year is about walking hand-in-hand with my Heavenly Father as He reveals to me more of His heart for His precious children that are experiencing social injustices every day. This year is about growing in faith and purpose, and I’m so glad that I have an entire family of interns that will grow alongside me as we learn how to be an intentional community that challenges each other to serve and love wholeheartedly wherever we go. I can’t wait for all the opportunities for deep, transformative relationships and experiences that this year holds!
Caroline
Hi friends! My name is Caroline Klasey! I’m from a smallish city an hour south of Chicago called Kankakee, IL. I am an alumna of Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO where I graduated with degrees in Business Administration and French. I broke in that French degree when I studied abroad in Poitiers, France–I love adventures!
My time at SLU really shaped me and inspired me to be a “woman for others”. I am beyond thrilled to be starting my journey with EUIP in LA to continue serving others and building community.
In my free time I like to write and blog, visit cute coffee shops, go on hikes, and swim! I can’t wait to explore Los Angeles and all it has to offer!
Nina
Nina Grace Shelby is a recent graduate of Wiley College ( Marshall, TX) where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations and Marketing. She resides in Chicago, IL and is 24 years old. Nina was involved with many activities and leadership roles on campus such as the Wiley College A Capella Choir, Vice President of Gamma ELITE Community Service Sisterhood Inc., and she also served on the Executive Board as Secretary for the Student Government Association. Over the past few years Nina has participated in many prestigious internships including working for iHeartMedia, The Black Caucus Foundation, United Negro College Fund and the Walt Disney World Corporation. During her year of service, Nina will be working at Chrysalis in Downtown LA as an employment specialist. Her hobbies include singing, traveling, and participating in community service. Her future endeavors include attending graduate school and starting a career with the Walt Disney Corporation in the field of Public Relations and Marketing.
Casey
Whatup y’all! My name is Casey Couch and I’m from Houston, Tx. I graduated from Texas State University with a BS in Geography and have been moving around ever since, looking for where I want to be and, more so, where I need to be. From an analyst in a cubicle to a land surveyor out in the wild, I’ve experienced extremes in the workplace, and let me tell you, the cubicle is not for me, haha.
I love reading, singing, laughing, hiking, and just about anything that includes the outdoors, friends, and building up people around me. Film is also huge for me, along with music. Both bring me much joy and I like all kinds of both. I play all kinds of sports, but soccer and tennis are my jam, along with ping pong. Being active is important in my life, and learning new activities is a wonderful way to know more about yourself and others, and I look forward to do that here in the fantastic Los Angeles. I can’t wait to build relationships and love on people! Let’s do this!
Kirsten
Hello! My name is Kirsten Wallace and I hail from the great state of Pennsylvania. I’m from a small town that you’ve probably never heard of (Stroudsburg) but it’s close to Scranton (are there any Office fans out there?!?). I graduated from Indiana university of Pennsylvania with two degrees in international relations and religion. Like most graduates, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life post college, so with the help of a friend I ended up joining americorps. I served a year with americorps NCCC FEMA corps traveling the US doing a bunch of disaster related work. It was quite the experience, I can say that I lived in an abandon SAMs club for two months where the lights never shut off!! But I also lived with a team of 10, we did everything together 24/7 and by the end we became a family.
Once the program ended I initially wanted to apply to peace corps, but that didn’t work out. Lucky for me, I found the EUIP program through a job search and thought it was the perfect way to continue my love of service, combined with living in a new place and growing in my spirituality. I am beyond excited to live and serve a year on the west coast!! I like to consider myself to be very open minded to all aspects of life and I’m very interested to learn about the episcopal faith. Within the last few months I have been in the very early stages of my study of Buddhism and look forward to growing and learning more about it!
In my free time I love to travel (my true passion), attend concerts, try new cuisine, and hang out with friends and family. I’m excited to see what the year brings me!!
Dominic
My name is Dominic Lathos. I am 22 years old and have recently graduated from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. Although a native Californian, I have certainly left my heart in Maryland. Studying Anthropology with a research focus on the role of religion in society, I found a renewed interest in my path to faith through my academic pursuits and though interactions with some of the most inspirational people in my life.
The two people that have not only helped guide me through my path to faith but also my journey to Los Angeles to become an EUIP member are Paul Daniels and the Reverend Dan Gross. Without my journey of faith with Paul during my semester abroad in South Africa and without the warmth and kindness of Reverend Gross during my visits to the Emmanuel Episcopal Church I surely would not be where I am today, ready to embark on a year of service and an amazing year of spiritual growth.
Graycie
Hey y’all! My name is Graycie Wingo. I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama but have lived in Nashville, Tennessee for the past 6 years. I graduated a few years ago from Belmont University in Nashville with a degree in Exercise Science. My “plan” in college was to continue on to grad school in a related field. However, I decided to hold off on grad school to do some exploring of life. I’m so glad I ditched my plan because so far I have had some amazing experiences, including running a summer camp on the Cumberland Plateau in southeast Tennessee for the past 2 summers and spending a month and a half backpacking along the southwest coast of England.
Since graduating from college, I have been searching for my “call” in life. I am looking forward to continuing my search during this year of service. I know this year will be one filled with big challenges and great victories. I am most excited about living in intentional community, growing in my faith, and serving the Los Angeles community. I have lived my whole life in the south and never been to California, so I can’t wait to explore Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Let the adventure begin!
Bianca
Hey y’all!! My name is Bianca Jackson, I am 24 years old, and I was born and bred in Akron, Ohio! From freshman to first semester sophomore year in college, I went to the University of Akron. But during my sophomore year, I made a bold decision of transferring to Central State University in Wilberforce, OH. I love my HBCU (Historically Black College and Universities) and while attending CSU, my life transformed dramatically. With the prayers and guidance from my then roommate (and now best friend), I committed my life to Jesus Christ, and about 6 months later, I got baptized!!!!
When I got saved, my life instantly changed (for the better of course). I had this desire in serving others, and maintaining a relationship with God. During college, I did several community service projects such as Habitat for Humanity, food pantries, and mission trips. I did a Christian internship (very similar to EUIP) in the summer of 2012, and I then discovered one of callings, which is to serve. I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work in 2013! It was such a huge accomplishment because I was the first person in my family to graduate college. Graduation was one of the best days of my life, and that’s the happiest I ever saw my mommy! So after graduation, I did a year commitment in AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps as a Team Leader. I also had the pleasure of being apart of the 2014-2015 Jubilee/EUIP corps. I worked at a small charter high school in northeast LA called PUC CALS Early College High School. During the last year of EUIP, God has strengthen my desire to serve, specifically the city of Los Angeles. I am excited to see how God uses me to serve this wonderful city, and what spiritual journey I will encounter.
Claire
Hi! My name is Claire Brown, and I grew up in the Washington, DC area with my parents and twin brother. I recently graduated from Pomona College (located in Claremont, about an hour east of LA) with a BA in Psychology. Some of my favorite topics I studied were contemporary prejudice, psychology of close relationships, and sociology of violence. I’ve always enjoyed learning more about social justice issues and the ways to solve these problems from an academic perspective, so I’m really looking forward to putting the theory into practice. Ultimately, I’m very interested in pursuing a helping profession, so this year of service should be a great way to discern my next step in life.
I grew up attending an Episcopal church, and learned important lessons about grace and compassion from an early age. I’m so glad to be part of the St. Stephen’s and EUIP community to continue to grow spiritually. In my free time, I like to swim, practice yoga, spend time with friends, and work on crossword puzzles.
I’m looking forward to taking in all that LA has to offer, and plan on trying every fish taco I can get my hands on. I’m so excited to spend this year getting to know my fellow interns, colleagues, St. Stephen’s parishioners, and all the others who I’m certain will make this a wonderful experience.
Alex
Hola!
My name is Alex Pagan-Mejia. I was born and raised in Boston, MA. I recently graduated from College of the Holy Cross, where I majored in Religious studies and Sociology. I love cooking, running, swimming and going on adventures with friends and family. And did I mention, I LOVE food!
I have committed myself to EUIP because I am committed to serving other people. I though this experience will require me to be vulnerable. I’m up for the challenge because I know it will be a year of growth, a year of transformation, and a year of opportunity.
Lindsay
Hi! My name is Lindsay Stewart. I was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, the state with the largest production of sweet potatoes (my favorite) in the US! Despite being from the South, I have never identified much with southern culture. My mom and dad are both transplants to the area from Miami, Florida and Chicago, Illinois, respectively, having moved for their careers as professional classical musicians (dad plays the trumpet, mom the flute). As you can imagine, my two older brothers and I grew up in a very musical home! Singing, humming, and being surrounded by music of a diversity of genres color my days. I also enjoy movement through dance, like hip-hop, salsa, and bhangra.
During my college years at UNC-Chapel Hill, I tried out a wide variety of classes and found myself interested in many things, but unsure of what to focus on. I continue to have patience in coming to know where my God-given talents, intellectual curiosities, and heart cares intersect. I have sought out many opportunities for travel, from spending my junior year in Montevideo, Uruguay, to working as a nanny in the Catalonia region of Spain. Being in an unfamiliar place ignites me. I like the challenge of trying to master the Spanish language: my degree is in Hispanic Linguistics.
I feel very excited to meet Los Angeles and California, and even more so to find the support, guidance, growth, fellowship, and friendship that EUIP offers. ¡Vamos arriba!
Edgar
Hi y’all, my name’s Edgar Soto and I’m a native Texan from the city of Houston. I recently graduated Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut with a BS in Chemistry and a minor in Philosophy. I enjoyed the small liberal arts college college experience and grew to be very involved with the community service and education thanks to the support of the faculty and staff. I helped start up a community service pre-orientation program that works with non-profits in the area, and would be involved in the weekends with Habitat-esque events, working with NINA (which is a housing coalition that seeks to restore an area via supporting families in getting new homes), Handson Hartford, and with tree plantings etc. In short, I love working in the non-profit sector, the work done is immediate and palpable. I’m currently applying to Medical school, and am taking a year here in LA to embrace the privilege of seeing a new community with new eyes, and to find my place among the raucous latino culture. Looking forward to my experience at Crown Prep Academy and the navigation of Los Angeles.
Whitney
Hola!! I am Whitney Harvey. I was born and raised in Ruleville, Mississippi aka “Realville”. I graduated from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi with a major in Social Work and a passion to serve. I came to EUIP to experience intentional living, diverse communities and fight for social justice
Megan
Hi there! My name is Megan Steron, I’m 22 years old and from Rochester, New York. I love coffee, musicals, and animals wearing tiny hats.
In May I graduated from Saint Mary’s College with my B.A in Communicative Sciences & Disorders and English Writing. I know it seems like an odd combination! I loved so many courses I took, it was hard to narrow it down to only two majors!
Some of my favorite classes I took (both within and outside of my majors) were Recent American History, Playwriting, and Reading the Hebrew Bible in Jewish and Christian Terms.
The last course appealed to me because while I was raised in a Jewish home and continue to practice Reform Judaism, I’ve always enjoyed learning about Christian faith traditions and seeing the similarities between those traditions and my own.
I decided that I wanted to do a year of post-grad service after I graduated college because I wanted to be involved in a community with the common goal of serving others. I’d volunteered in different agencies since middle school. Most were agencies serving adults with developmental disabilities, Because of those positive experiences, I was eager to have a full time volunteer position. I chose to apply to EUIP because I saw it as an opportunity to serve others, grow spiritually, and explore a city I was unfamiliar with.
At this point (8/4/15), I’m not sure what I want to do when this year is over. I’m excited to have the chance to grow and change and to discover “the place where [my] passions and the world’s needs meet”.
Tyler
Hi! My name is Tyler Womack and I recently graduated from Pomona College with a degree in International Relations. I grew up in the Chicago area so I am very excited to live in the warm weather. My mom, dad, and my brothers are the people that have inspired and shaped me the most. It is through my family that social justice and the Christian faith have become important parts of my identity.
I was heavily involved in my youth group at an Assemblies of God church. Recently, I have been involved in different advocacy groups for issues such as immigrant rights and black lives matter. Due to the division amongst churches on these issues, it has been difficult for me to find a space where I can connect both of my commitments to faith and social justice. I was immediately drawn into EUIP’s mission of exploring my spirituality and how it relates to justice. I look forward to integrating myself amongst a diverse and complex community that celebrates intentionality and love.
Abigail
Hi everyone! My name is Abigail McNamee and I’m turning 22 in September! I’m originally from Boston where I’ve lived my entire life but went to college in Schenectady, NY (just outside Albany) at Union College. Since I grew up and went to school on the East Coast, I’m excited to explore an entirely different part of the country. In college, I majored in Political Science with a focus on International Relations and in addition, I minored in English. Since I mostly focused on International Relations in school, I wanted to get to know our country better and understand current issues within, which is how I ended up in the Jubilee Program! I’m excited to live in my community with my peers in the program and get started working at my service site. While this year will be challenging, it will be good to get out of my comfort zone. In addition to being excited about my house and service site, I can’t wait to start exploring Los Angeles and trying new things.
Renisha
Hey, What’s up, Hello! I’m Renisha Bishop. I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. I attended The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a concentration in Sociology. In my previous years I spearheaded and was a part of many community organizing and social justice organizations on and off campus. I have a deep passion for helping others and giving back to my community. I enjoy writing, listening to new music, event planning, and being adventurous. I am excited to live in LA (especially for the winter!) and serve in different communities. I will spend my time this year getting closer to God and my purpose, which is my main purpose for joining EUIP!
Dorothy
Hi! My name is Dorothy Hart and I am from western North Carolina! I recently graduated from Stetson University in Florida with a degree in psychology and spent this summer backpacking through Europe. I was able to visit 24 cities in 7 countries and the experience was incredible! I have grown up in the Episcopal Church and feel so grateful to have been a part of such an accepting and loving denomination. I’m excited to be able to give back and to continue to be involved with the church! After this year I plan to either go to graduate school for psychology or do another service/mission based program.
At my university I had my own radio show and started an acapella group, so it should come as no surprise that music is a big part of my life. I’m looking forward to pursuing some music related activities in L.A.! I will be working at Crown Preparatory Academy, which is a charter school in South L.A. I love working with kids so I’m very excited to be helping out in their classrooms and after school! In my free time I enjoy reading long books, going on adventures, and striving to become more like Grace Kelly.