Mari

I joined Blackhawk's College-Age Ministry my freshman year after deciding I should try to find a church in Madison. I had always been pretty involved in a church growing up, and Blackhawk's college ministry fit my desire to get involved in a Christian community with other people my age. I liked the vibe of the Tuesday night get-togethers; everyone seemed cool and the talks were applicable to the ups and downs that college inevitably threw my way. However, I kept going for the next five years because of the people I met. Through the ministry, I gained life-long friends and amazing roommates, traveled to Honduras to build a playground, attended Passion Conferences in Atlanta and Chicago, and got involved with a great life group.

I graduated from the UW with a double major in nursing and psychology, and I honestly feel that my college experience would have been incomplete without the time I spent in college ministry. I know my current work as a nurse will be affected by my passion to serve people—a passion I discovered by volunteering with CAM. Most importantly though, I am continually reminded that the core of God's heart is loving people and loving the world—no matter how stressful life becomes or how hopeless a situation appears. I learned this lesson through my experiences with a ministry that walks with students and young adults regardless of where they are in life or where they're coming from.