NEWARK ACTS, the young adult urban internship program of the Diocese of Newark, began its second year last month with the arrival of nine new interns, and the return of one. Like the class preceding them, this year’s interns bring with them diverse backgrounds and rich experiences. They’ve traveled from as far west as California, many hail from the Midwest, and for the next 11 months, they will work together for social change and personal transformation within our diocese. Join us in extending a warm welcome!
Courtney Gaskins was born and raised in Des Moines, IA. She is a graduate from Iowa State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She is hoping that her experience in Newark will help guide her future career choices in the nonprofit sector.
Margaret “Meg” Barry is from Dallas by way of Missouri. A cradle Episcopalian who has always loved this faith, she attended the University of Missouri where she was a peer minister for Episcopal Campus Ministry. She planned this year as a year of exploration prior to entering seminary in the fall of 2012. Meg is in the process for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Missouri.
Jamarr Neyland was raised in Toledo, Ohio and attended Kent State University majoring in Fine Arts. After college, he worked at a local Christian bookstore and was given the opportunity to go on his first mission trip. Through his participation in the NEWARK ACTS program, he hopes to continue in his faith tradition, and gain new experiences in “serving as Christ served.” He plans on attending graduate school for an Art Education degree, and hopes that this opportunity will help unite his love for missions, as well as utilize his artistic talents to help change his community.
Victoria Shao grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of California, Davis where she earned a B.A. in English and Psychology and a minor in Theatre. Through the campus ministry program, she was introduced to the Episcopal Church, and was baptized. Upon graduation, she volunteered at a local homeless shelter and also learned American Sign Language. In the future, she hopes to earn her MSW, which will combine her passion for working with the deaf with her desire to work with disadvantaged children.
Tatiana Bien-Aime was raised in a suburb of Albany, NY. She is a recent graduate of Howard University in Washington D.C., where she received bachelor’s degrees in English and psychology. She became involved in the Episcopal Church while working as a Peer Minister for the Anglican/Episcopal and Lutheran Campus Ministry at Howard, under the direction of the Rev. Robyn Franklin-Vaughn, who serves as chaplain. She hopes that her experiences with NEWARK ACTS will enable her to grow deeper in faith and service.
Monica Steans was born in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in the small town of Glens Falls, NY and in Cherry Hill, NJ. A Jersey girl at heart, she is the youngest of three children, and has a twin sister. She is a graduate of Rutgers University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Upon graduation, she worked at City Year, a nonprofit in West Philadelphia, where she tutored and mentored students. She plans to study mental illness and learning disabilities, with the goal of taking the stigma out of these conditions. After completion of the program, she hopes to either write about ADD/HD or enroll in a graduate program studying social work or psychology.
Jania Billups was born in Wichita, Kansas, and grew up in Kansas City, MO, with a twin sister and an older brother. She attended Avila University in Kansas City where she received a bachelor’s degree in biology and pre-health studies. She was raised in the Catholic tradition, and during college found a temporary home at a Methodist church. There, she worshiped in a small non-denominational college setting. Eventually, she was confirmed in the Catholic Church this past April. She is hoping this experience will provide her with insight and guidance to discern her direction.
Chris Fenner grew up in the small town of Spartanburg, South Carolina. He is a 2009 graduate from the University of South Carolina where he earned a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology, and from the University of Edinburgh where he received an MSc in International Sociology. A traveler-at-heart, he has lived in Brazil, China, Nicaragua and Scotland, and speaks Spanish and Portuguese. An independent and foreign film aficionado, his most recent favorite is Woody Allen’s Whatever Works, while his all-time favorite is Good Will Hunting.
Ashley Cadet is from Leominster, a suburban city located in central Massachusetts. She grew in a Seventh-Day Adventist community the third of four girls. She is a graduate of Worcester State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in English, with a concentration in literature. Known for her energetic personality, she quotes Isaiah 6:8, which states “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” She is hoping to be an asset to the NEWARK ACTS program, and believes she is here to make a difference.
Richard Hogue is a native of Clam Lake, Wisconsin, and currently resides in Jersey City, NJ. A member of the previous class, he joined NEWARK ACTS for a second year as a Peer Leader. He attended all-male Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN, where he majored in Religion with a minor in English. He became involved in the Episcopal Church in 2002 and attended General Convention in 2003, 2006 and 2009. Upon graduating from college, he worked in Mthatha, South Africa as a member of the Episcopal Church’s Young Adult Service Corps. Richard is excited to continue working in Hoboken and Hudson County as he discerns where God is calling him.
And while the diocesan spotlight focuses on the new generation of NEWARK ACTS interns, let’s take a moment to congratulate and thank their immediate predecessors, the ones who brought the NEWARK ACTS program to our diocese. Teresse Myers, who interned at Episcopal Community Development, is attending graduate school at Loyola University in Chicago where she is working on her master’s in social work. Alyssum Roe, who interned at Turning Point and North Porch, is working as a resident director at Northwestern College in Iowa. Alma Gast, who interned at the Jubilee Center in Hoboken, is now in Jerusalem on the West Bank where she is working for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Richard Hogue, who interned at the Hoboken Shelter, is remaining with NEWARK ACTS for another year and is working at Saint John’s in Union City through All Saints’ Episcopal Parish in Hoboken. Anna Mellace, who interned at All Saints’ School, is in Semarang, Indonesia, where she is teaching English to preschoolers on a two-year assignment. Mark Sharrow, who interned at the Seamen’s Church Institute, is attending The Chronological School of Biblical studies in Tiajuana, Mexico where he is doing local mission work. Alex McCartin, who interned at Christ Hospital, is looking into the field of social work in the metro area. Clare Boyd, who interned at St. Philip’s Academy, is traveling and applying to graduate school.
