Muskingum News

Over Spring Break Chaplain Derek Wadlington and five Muskingum students partnered with Westminster College, led by their Chaplain, Reverend Jim Mohr ’81, on a trip to western North Carolina, specifically the region east of Asheville that was hit hard by Hurricane Helene last fall.

The following students participated in the Spring Break trip:

• Hannah Metzger ’27​ from Huntsville, OH majoring in Environmental Science
• Miu Kumagai ’26​ from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan majoring in Sociology
• Ekaterina Moellendick ’27​ from Martinsville, OH majoring in Sociology, Religion, and Philosophy
• Kyra Kiessling ’25​ from Willowick, OH majoring in Public Administration
• Luke Dunlap ’25 from Byesville, OH majoring in Religion

The group, which included some church members from western Pennsylvania as well as Chaplain Derek’s daughter, a student at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC, totaled 39 people at its fullest.

The students stayed in Swannanoa, North Carolina and worked on eight job sites. They supported organized clean-up efforts that included cleaning up damage from the storm, insulation and skirting installation in a mobile home community, and working in a community garden.       

“I try to get out of my comfort zone and interact with different people,” Miu said. “I enjoyed the feeling of when people appreciated what we did. There are still kind people in the world who will help others.”

Each evening Chap and Rev, as the students called them, led a time of reflection and discernment reflecting on experiences of the day and the part we all play in helping one another.

“This was service learning at its best,” Derek said. “The students really absorbed the anxiety of the region. There’s so much work to be done, so the students felt the urgency to work faster.”

This donor-funded experience left a lasting impact on the students and the communities they served. Hannah reflected, “It is amazing how much you can get done in a short amount of time. My biggest takeaway is how the same everyone is. We are all the same; we are all here and there is a feeling of camaraderie among everyone.”