As a new college school year begins across the nation, SPO missionaries settle into their new homes or return after a summer of training. This school year, 15 Missionaries & SPO staff members are serving at either Seton Hall University or Rutgers University. We also warmly welcome them into our Compass Young Adult Community. As they will be serving on these college campuses and being apart of our lives, let's meet them and get to know them a bit!
Missionaries at Rutgers University
From left to right: Giovanna Pessa (MA), Emilie Miller (WA), Thomas Murphy (FL), Juan Villasana (TX), Bro Pat Stucker (OH), Jona Hamson (MN)
"TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF, WHERE YOU'RE FROM? WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL?"
"My name is Giovanna Pessa and I am 24 year old. I come from a small suburb about 30 mins outside of Boston called Hanover. I went to school at Umass Boston and studied Biology. The catholic campus ministry at Umass was very small so by the grace of God through an invite from a friend found the Brothers and the community at Northeastern!"
"My name is Emilie Miller, I originally hail from Seattle, WA but made my way to the East Coast for college and attended Northeastern University where I studied Behavioral Neuroscience".
"My name is Thomas Murphy, 23. I’m from West Palm Beach, FL, and graduated from Florida State University in 2019."
"My name is Br. Pat Stucker and I grew up in Cincinnati, OH as the middle of five kids. I went to Ohio State for school where I encountered the love of Jesus and came in touch with SPO. During college I experienced the Lord draw me to be part of the bulwark in SOS, and that has led to serving with SPO, life in covenant community and the Brotherhood".
"I'm Jona Hamson, 28 and from the little town of Cushing, MN (population 75 ppl!) but no, not all of MN is that small. I went to college at North Dakota State University - Go Bison!"
"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SERVING WITH SPO AND WHAT IS ONE THING YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT THIS YEAR?"
"This will be my second year serving with SPO (both years here in NJ). I’m most excited to lead the Rutgers Men’s Household. We have some younger students moving into household for the first time, and I think it’s a great opportunity to build a new, stronger culture of wholehearted prayer, authentic brotherhood, and missionary impulse." - Thomas
"I'm a strange bird on many accounts. This is technically my third year working for SPO. I had served as a Missionary at Rutgers for 2 years, then took a 2 year hiatus to receive training to enter the Brotherhood, and now I'm returning to serve with SPO as a Bro.
This is a year of new frontiers for all of us, particularly the Missionaries. So much is unknown...and I love it. I've always loved the stories of frontiersmen and explorers searching out and settling new lands. I think the new frontier is the heart...the depths of which are unknown to most people of my generation! Additionally, considering our COVID situation, I believe adversity begets inventiveness. I anticipate a renewed missionary dynamism coming out of our ranks here in Jersey!
Many of you will get to meet my younger brother, Paul, who will be working for SPO at Seton Hall. He's a great brother, dear friend, and I am so grateful to be close to him in the trenches of our mission. " - Bro Pat
"I am going into my fifth year of serving with SPO as the Chapter Leader at Rutgers University. My first three years with SPO, I was at OSU and then one year at the National Headquarters in MN. Something I am looking forward to this upcoming year is serving the Lord is this pandemic; it's challenging [for sure] but I know He will provide everything we need to make a lasting impact in the hearts and minds of college students. What better time for the Lord to show up in powerful ways and I want to be a part of that work with Him!" - Jona
"WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT NEW JERSEY AND WHY?"
(RETURNING MISSIONARIES)
"I was really surprised at how pretty New Jersey is being from MA whenever I drove through. I only saw that area on 95 and I was always wondering why it was called the garden state. A year into living here I am still surprised by the beautiful green spaces, rolling hills, canopy trees, hidden hikes. God's beauty in creation is truly alive here." - Giovanna
"The fact the bagels are actually better than any other place I have been was honestly a surprise, I thought everyone was just exaggerating." - Emilie
"WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING/DOING IN NEW JERSEY?"
(NEW MISSIONARIES)
"I am looking forward to the day when I can travel into NYC and see a Broadway show. I think then it will hit me that I live on the east coast!" - Jona
Missionaries at Seton Hall University
From left to right: Ali Mumbach (TX), Paul Stucker (OH), Julia Carmedelle (FL), Kevin Kubelka (TX), Hailey Allegra (FL), Emmanuel (Manny) Sanchez (WI), Jake Walters (MN)
Not pictured: Katy Robles (NY), Halie Burns (NJ)
"TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF, WHERE YOU'RE FROM? WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL?"
"My name is Ali Mumbach. I am 23 and from Houston, Texas. I went to Texas State University."
"My name is Paul Stucker, I'm 22 and I grew up in Cincinnati, also attending the University of Cincinnati."
"My name is Julia Carmedelle, I'm 23 years old, from St. Augustine, FL, and went to school at Florida State University (go noles!)"
"I'm Kevin Kubelka, I am 23 years old from Houston, Texas. I transplanted to Florida for High School and went to Florida State University."
"My name is Hailey Allegra, I'm 22 years old, I'm originally from Tampa, FL and I went to school at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and just graduated this past May."
"My name is Emmanuel (Manny) Sanchez, 24 years old and I was born in beautiful Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico. My family and I moved to the frozen tundra of Green bay, WI back in 2001 so yes, I was raised as a proud adopted Packers fan. I went to school at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities where I obtained a bachelors in Physics, and minored in Astrophysics and Geography."
"My name is Jake Walters, I am 22 years old, I grew up in a small town called Saint Michael, Minnesota and I graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul."
"My name is Katy Robles, I'm 28. I'm from Long Island and went to Franciscan University of Steubenville."
" My name is Halie Burns and I am 25 years old. I'm from Springfield, NJ and I attended SHU for both undergrad and grad school (just graduated with my Master's in Theology)" - Halie
"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SERVING WITH SPO AND WHAT IS ONE THING YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT THIS YEAR?"
"I'm going into my second year with SPO and I am looking forward to the new ways of mission that will be created as a result of COVID. God is SO creative and we get to ask Him for this gift to reach His people instead of relying on the 'old ways'." - Ali
"This is my second year serving with SPO at Seton Hall University! It's great to be back, and I'm looking forward to seeing how God powerfully works in this time of uncertainty and social distancing, stretching us to surrender ourselves to Him in hope and trust. I'm also excited for our Women's Household, which has a whopping 8 women living together this year!" - Julia
"This is my second year with SPO, and I am most looking forward to living another year of household life, particularly because we have 13 men in our house this year." - Kevin
"This will be my 2nd year serving with SPO, I will be doing so as the Chapter Leader of Seton Hall. I am looking forward to getting back to campus after a crazy summer and connecting with old and new students. I think we have more to offer than ever before as Missionaries, so Come Lord let us go on campus for the Kingdom!" - Manny
"This is my first year serving as a missionary with SPO and I am looking forward to getting outdoors with my new housemates." - Jake
"This is my second year serving with SPO and I looking forward to getting to serve more students and missionaries through my new position as Regional Admin" - Halie
"WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT NEW JERSEY AND WHY?"
(RETURNING MISSIONARIES)
"I think the thing that surprised me most about NJ was how sweet and welcoming the people have been! The Seton Hall students welcomed me in like family last year, and after hearing many stereotypes about NJ, I was very happily surprised by the warm welcome I received. Another surprise was how aggressive the driving can be. I should've expected it, but nothing like experiencing it in person!" - Julia
"Upon returning from living in Minnesota for 5 years, I'm surprised that I ever ate a bagel that was not from the Northeast." - Katy
"WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING/DOING IN NEW JERSEY?"
(NEW MISSIONARIES)
"I am interested in an authentic Jersey Diner experience, as well as seeing some beautiful nature with a fresh bagel in hand." - Paul
"So far I've been pleasantly surprised by the amount of nature and beauty in New Jersey, so I can't wait to explore even more of it. I'm also excited for winter, because I really hope there will be snow." - Hailey
Please pray for these missionaries as they begin their work here in NJ especially amidst Covid-19. To learn more about what SPO is and their work is on college campuses, click HERE