Students Share Servant Awards with Charities
October 8, 2004

Four Indiana Wesleyan University seniors have received Servant Leadership Awards for 2004, but the true winners are charitable organizations based in Grant County.

The Servant Leadership Award program, started four years ago at IWU, is designed to identify and recognize students who are servant leaders in areas of ministry and community service. Each winner receives $1,000 with the stipulation that $250 be given to a charity of his or her choice.

This year's winners are:

--Emily Marie Wohrley, a Christian ministries major from Parker, Colo. She donated her $250 to the Kids' Hope ministry at College Wesleyan Church. "I believe as servant leaders we are called to think of others as better than ourselves," she said.

While a student at IWU, Wohrley has taught English to Hispanic residents of the Grant County Rescue Mission, led a discipleship group for 10 girls and been a Youth for Christ intern.

--Anthony Nathan Riske, Flushing, Mich., who is majoring in pre-Christian education and business administration. His $250 went to Youth for Christ of Grant County. "Servant leaders realize the needs of others and are proactive in providing for them," he said.

Riske has held a leadership role in Bowman House, IWU's residence hall for freshmen men for three years. He also has worked as a volunteer for various Christian organizations, including Youth for Christ.

--Sarah Dignal, Woodburn, Ind., is majoring in exceptional needs education. Her $250 will go to W.I.N.G.S. House, an inner-city ministry in Marion. "Being a servant leader is not about doing things but about being Christlike and obedient to everyday calls to love and give," she said.

During her years at IWU, Dignal has been a mentor in her residence hall, taught a Sunday school class at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church and been involved in a jail ministry.

--Kasey Marie Strait, Chesaning, Mich., is majoring in business administration and intercultural studies. Her $250 donation will go to Rotary International. "My motivation behind being a servant leader is simply to do my part in making IWU and the community in which I live a better place to be," she said.

While a student, Strait has helped coordinate IWU's annual Harvest Party, an alternative Halloween party for Marion youth, and organized a Christmas gift program for Mentor Mothers. She has participated in two missions trips to the Czech Republic.

IWU's Center for Life Calling and Leadership provides funding for the Servant Leadership Awards.

Students are nominated as juniors and must have a grade-point average of at least 2.0. A committee of faculty, staff and students chooses the four winners each April.