2020 - 2021 Volunteer Missionaries
“In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles.”
LUKE 6:12-13
For the last five years, men and women, recent college graduates who have grown in the paths of spiritual life, have committed to serving Him generously and wholeheartedly in a 10-month volunteer missionary experience. After prayerful consideration we are pleased to introduce to you the twelve Volunteer Missionaries for the 2020 - 2021 academic year.
Austin Zeober
Where they are from: Buckley, WA
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I heard about the volunteer missionary year from Johnny Guiher and Faith Copeland.
Favorite Saint: Saint Teresa of Calcutta
Fun Fact: I have eight siblings and 11 nieces and nephews.
Olivia Guillen
Where they are from: Albany, OR
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I have been a part of the Newman community at OSU and my life has been touched by many VMs in prior years.
Favorite Saint:Saint Teresa of Avila
Fun Fact: I had a childhood collection of 150+ toy pigs
Jordan Pugh
Where they are from: Salem, OR
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: Watching other VMs and being encouraged to submit my application.
Favorite Saint: Saint Anthony of Padua
Fun Fact:I can fly a plane
Shideya Parilla
Where they are from: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I was asked to consider it by my spiritual director, Fr. Ivan and our Campus Minister, my then mentor, Grace Hegarty.
Favorite Saint: Pope Saint John Paul II
Fun Fact: I have been to 4/7 of the continents, I was the undergraduate December 2019 commencement speaker, and I was a majorette for 11 years.
Robert Wines
Name: Robert Wines
Where they are from: Long Island, NY
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I heard about the VM year through Fr. Ivan. One day during spiritual direction, he invited me to take this next step in my faith and apply. While it took me a while to come around to it, it was clear that this is what God was calling me to do.
Favorite Saint: Saint Michael the Archangel
Fun Fact: In November of my freshman year, I appeared on CNN’s “America’s Choice 2016” to discuss the upcoming election on a segment focused on millennial voters.
Faith Copeland
Where they are from: Tacoma, WA
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I am just finishing my first VM year at OSU, but I heard about the VM year last year from a providential run in with Casey Collins at the Ignite Your Torch Youth Conference.
Favorite Saint: Saint John the Evangelist
Fun Fact: I enjoy urban hiking, Vincent Van Gogh biographies, and Juanita’s tortilla chips, sometimes all at once.
Chris Anderson
Where they are from: Corvallis, OR
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I have been a part of the Newman community for many years and have seen the impact the VMs have had on my spiritual growth
Favorite Saint: Pope Saint John Paul II
Fun Fact: I don't like cats
Hannah Andrews
Where they are from: Annapolis, Maryland
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I heard about the Volunteer Missionary year through the St. John's Society, and my first interaction with the OSU VMs was on the 2019 Summer Pilgrimage to Rome, Medjugorje and Loretto. This past year, I witnessed the life of a VM through Casey, Savannah and Shideya, the American University VMs.
Favorite Saint: Edith Stein
Fun Fact: I am named after the Japanese word for flower!
Eiyack Cacho Ayala
Where they are from: San Juan, Puerto Rico
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: Heard about the VM year from the AU Catholic Ministry.
Favorite Saint: Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Fun Fact: I am a barber
Megan Kirsch
Where they are from: San Diego, CA
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I’ve known about the volunteer year since my freshman year of college here at OSU. Every year Fr. Maximo would remind me of it and count down the years, and here we are!
Favorite Saint: St. Joseph
Fun Fact: I love Christmas and baking.
Zach Tillema
Where they are from: Tualatin, OR
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I first heard of the VM year from Father Maximo.
Favorite Saint: Pope Saint John Paul the Great
Fun Fact:I like to play Monopoly and talk about important philosophical ideas, perhaps at the same time.
Sarah St. Clair
Where they are from: Portland, OR
How they heard about the volunteer missionary year: I first heard of the VM year 2 years ago when I was starting to come back to the faith.
Favorite Saint: St. Teresa of Calcutta
Fun Fact: I really enjoy backpacking!