The Omnibus

Issue date: 5/13/04 Section: Feature

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Following finals at Southwest Baptist University, most students will part ways for the summer, heading to various destinations with a wide range of plans. These plans may include anything from part-time work, to internships, summer schooling, mission trips, vacations and other international traveling. Some students will head home for the summer for a time of rest before another semester of studies is upon them.

SBU students will be spotted all over the globe during the three month break.

Dr. David Whitlock's International Business Class will be spending 10 days in Europe. The trip, which includes visits to England, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, is worth three hours of credit toward each student's degree.

Senior Erin Evans says she is looking forward to the opportunity for this experience. Evans' summer plans do not stop there, though. In addition to her international travels, she will be spending time in San Diego and Mexico with an SBU mission team.

"I'm really just ready to go on both trips," Evans said. "In San Diego, we will be working at the naval base and putting on a Vacation Bible School. While we are in Mexico, we are going to be painting homes and distributing food."

As a university, this summer, SBU will sponsor several mission excursions, sending students on trips to London, East Asia, India, Nepal, Athens and a joint trip to San Diego, Calif. and Tijuana, Mexico. The teams have been preparing all semester for the ministry opportunities at their various sites.

Other SBU students are taking different avenues for ministry this summer.

Freshman Nikki Bullard is among the many Bearcats who will spend their summer as a counselor at a Bible camp. At the end of May, she will be heading to Sugar Creek Bible Camp in Wisconsin.

"I'm really excited about going up there," Bullard said. "I want to see what ways God can use me for these kids and to be a good role model."

Summer also provides SBU students an opportunity to prepare vocationally through internships and professional training jobs.

Sophomore Tim Rickman of Vandalia, Ill. will be returning home and doing both.

"I will be working at a bank," Rickman said, "and I also have an internship at Edward Jones. I'm stoked."

Parkway Baptist Church in St. Louis has hired SBU sophomore Teresa Bedo for the summer as an intern, giving her opportunities to learn from their youth minister.

"I'm very anxious, and I know I'm going to learn a lot and grow tremendously," Bedo said, "but I'm nervous, because I've never done anything like this before. I know it is God's will and totally set up by Him, so when all is said and done, I'm very excited."

A number of students will attempt to build their savings account or earn some spending cash during their months at home. Some will return to jobs from high school; others will experience something new.

Freshman Audrey Garrett will be returning to Altamont, Kan. to make some money by learning a new trade.

"I'll be working at Dayton Superior, which is a factory," Garrett said, "I got some steel-toed boots, but I haven't broken them in yet, so the first few days will be agony. It's going to be hot, and I'll have to get up really early. I hope it will last, though, because I'll get paid really good."

After making a portion of next semester's tuition, teaching children songs about Jesus in a foreign country, apprenticing under a professional in their future vocational field or spending days on a beach off an ocean SBU students will return to Bolivar in August with more experience under their belts, stories to tell and testimonies to share.

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