Four of our 2019 Summer Program Staff are graduating this month! Since graduations will be so different this year, we wanted to celebrate this milestone with them here.
Mtipe Koggani AKA Amani graduated from Eden Theological Seminary on Friday night, May 15. It was a virtual ceremony – which was different – but it did allow friends and family from around the world to join him! Hailing from Tanzania, Mtipe graduated with a Masters of Theological Studies. Due to the current health crisis, his plans are still in the works. He was accepted at Princeton University Graduate School, but is also exploring the possibility of a one-year commitment to Deaconess Anne House in St. Louis, which is part of the Episcopal Service Corps.
Mtipe is a gifted musician who sings, plays the piano and now the ukulele. He brought his years of successful experience working with children, youth and young adults in ministry settings to DuBois Center. Mtipe’s goal for his time at camp was to immerse himself in another culture and work with young people from backgrounds very different than his own. Though nervous at first, especially about the horses and the lake – he embraced the experience. He even learned to ride and swim at DuBois Center and now enjoys both immensely! In fact, one of his favorite memories from last summer was a dock to dock swim – which he completed. He also loved playing on the water mat with campers and staff!
Mtipe worked with every age group at DuBois Center from the youngest campers and their adults in Just You & Me Camp to high schoolers in X-Plore and related well to all of them. Mtipe is one of the most positive, gentle and kind people I have ever met; many, many others echoed this sentiment as well. His camp name is Amani, which in Swahili means peace. This is especially fitting for two reasons – PeaceWorks was our theme last summer and Mtipe embodies the word.
CONGRATS Mtipe!
Dr. Jill Baker, Conference Moderator
Kristian (right) is graduating this spring with a degree in music education. He recently accepted a position at Pinckneyville Junior High School as the Director of Bands. He will also be taking the lead with the choir and musicals at the high school. The music programs at the two schools have had a collaborative design for years, and Kristian is excited to have this expanded opportunity. At camp Kristian can be seen at the teams course, in the chapels and cabins, around the barn and at the waterfront – he loves it all. This will be Kristian’s fifth summer on staff.
Bailey finishes her online classes and exams this week! She is graduating with a degree in biology and minor in psychology and plans to head to nursing school in January. She is excited to get back to DuBois Center and build on her first year as the skipper of the waterfront. In addition to being a “minnow,” Bailey is a horse lover who is a fan of candle time, vespers on the beach and just connecting with the campers. She hopes to sneak in a week of counseling sometime during the summer. This will be Bailey’s third summer on staff.
