Three Northwest Christian University students have been selected to participate in The Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) Regional Discernment Retreat for diverse students to explore how they can serve their church and ultimately the world.
“FTE’s discernment retreat is for exceptional student leaders who are actively listening to God’s call to serve their churches and their communities,” said Dennis Lindsay, DR.Theol. NCU’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. “The NCU students attending the retreat were selected by faculty based on their academic achievement, interest in a pastoral vocation, and participation in activities that serve the spiritual, social, and academic needs of the campus community, their individual churches, and the greater community.”
NCU students attending the FTE Regional Discernment Retreat on April 7-10, 2016, are:
Carly J. Bigby is a senior elementary education major from Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Hosanna Christian Academy. She is student teaching in the fourth grade at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in Eugene, volunteers for the Read America Program, and tutors students after school. A former campus tour guide, she is a leader for “Life 101,” a campus ministry at the University of Oregon. Bigby is a junior high school/high school leader at Life Bible Church in Harrisburg, Oregon.
Michael Buss is a sophomore communications major from Eugene, Oregon, and is a graduate of Churchill High School. A musician, he plays the guitar and sometimes sings with two of NCU’s Grove Collective’s musical groups, including Bloom. He serves as Vice President-Activities for the Associated Students Northwest Christian University (ASNCU). Buss works at the Inn at the 5th boutique hotel in Eugene. He has been to Uganda, San Francisco, and will be going to Nicaragua for mission work. Buss attends Willamette Christian Center in Eugene, Oregon.
Joshua Higashi is a sophomore communications major from Eugene, Oregon, and a Churchill High School graduate. He serves as a Spiritual Formation Coordinator on the university’s Campus Ministry Team. The chaplain for the NCU Men’s Track and Field Team, he also throws the shot put, discuss, and javelin. As a member of the choir, Higashi has one of the lead parts in the spring campus production of Aladdin. Through NCU’s Center for Leadership, he is mentored by Don Gulbrandsen, Director of Development with ShelterCare, a Eugene-based nonprofit organization serving the homeless and people experiencing traumatic brain injuries. A former campus tour guide, he has been on mission trips to Cambodia, Japan, and Mexico. Higashi attends University Fellowship in Eugene, Oregon.
The FTE Regional Discernment Retreat will be held at the Mercy Center retreat and conference facility in Burlingame, CA.
About Northwest Christian University
Northwest Christian University is a liberal arts institution dedicated to providing a transformational education that champion’s wisdom, faith and service. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the University was founded in 1895 and is affiliated with the historical restoration movement of churches in America. Northwest Christian University offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in traditional undergraduate, adult degree, and graduate program formats, as well as online programs for MBA and M.Ed. More information about the University is available at www.nwcu.edu.