College student Krista Friedlein's passion for serving others started at Kingswood United Methodist Church in Dunwoody, Georgia. She said the church nutured her and taught her how to channel the need to serve others into a career.
"My church has many service opportunities and I readily signed up because we always had fun. I have grown to love to serve and now study tourism management to learn how to serve better and gain a degree," she said.
Friedlein is a student at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, where she is the membership development chair for her sorority, Delta Delta Delta. She also participates in student government as an election commissioner, promoting and running the election polls, and serves on the judicial board of the Greek Panhellenic Board, which mediates Greek conflicts.
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| Posing on a visit to Edinburg, Scotland. |
Through her sorority, Friedlein has continued to serve those in her community, including children fighting cancer at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
"All year long, we raise money, but when we actually visited the hospital and got to experience the place we raise money for, it was so moving and motivating. It reminds us how blessed we all are and how special those kids are," she said, adding that the sorority has raised more than $850,000 for the hospital. "We believe no child should die in the dawn of life."
A Gift of Hope scholar, Friedlein said a career in the hospitality industry fits with her passion to serve others. It's about exceeding service expectations, she said. Receiving the scholarship, which is funded through a special offering on United Methodist Student Day, has given Friedlein more opportunities to help others.
"(The scholarship) allows students to be involved in clubs and not have to work. They can get more out of their college experience and be able to give their time and energy to others," she said.
She urges United Methodists to continue to give generously on this churchwide Special Sunday so that more students like her can make a difference in the world.
"(My goals are) to continually grow spiritually and get a job that pays me for doings things I love to do like travel to new cities, meet and help others."
Julie Dwyer, general church content editor, United Methodist Communications
One of six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings of The United Methodist Church, United Methodist Student Day calls the church to support students as they prepare for life in uniting faith with knowledge. The special offering provides scholarships for qualified United Methodist applicants.
When you give generously on United Methodist Student Day, you support students as they prepare for life in uniting faith with knowledge. Give now.
