Eagles Spend Summer Helping Local and Global Communities

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - From Jamaica to Lake Tahoe to Puerto Rico, Winthrop University students are spending their summers helping others, proving true one of the institution's core values: community service.

Several of the students are completing missionary work, said Rev. Jack Blankenship, leader of Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Winthrop, a fact which makes him very proud.

"There's a lot of talk about college students just kind of partying and being selfish, being the ˜me' generation," he said. "The amazing thing is as we've seen more students come to BCM, there's more of a hunger to not just be takers, but to be givers as well. For so many of them, it's an opportunity for them to live out their faith in a practical way and put it into practice."

Students include:

*Erin Satterfield is working with children at a resort in Lake Tahoe.

*Ahmaad Alston, Eric Hammett, Grace Greene and Ashley Johnson will visit Jamaica in August through a partnership ministry.

*Ben Oliver and Hunter Davis have left for Puerto Rico to do service-type work through Park Baptist Church.

Other students are spread out across the nation and world for other good works.

*Jennalea Anderson is in South Asia working with college students.

*Garrett Bowman and Jennie Montgomery are lending a hand at Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie.

*Ashley Johnson is hanging out at Look Up Lodge.

*Sarai Ramos is having a blast helping at Camp Canaan.

*Cody Porter and Aaron Paris are volunteering at various YMCA camps.

For more information, contact Nicole Chisari, communications coordinator, at 803/323-2236 or chisarin@winthrop.edu.