Paying it Forward

When Jessanna Hall visited Messiah College with her parents, it was the community’s genuine concern for students that convinced her to attend Messiah.  Although the cost was great, the unique experience Messiah affords was too important to pass up. She wanted to continue her education in a Christian environment that would challenge her to grow.

At Messiah, that desire has become a reality.  Jessie started college in 2005, unsure of where she wanted to focus her education.  She explored the field of Christian ministries and got involved with the Agapé Center, where she now serves as coordinator for prison ministries.  Now, as a sophomore, Jessie has settled into the social work program and is looking forward to using her Messiah education to meet the needs of many hurting people in our broken world.

Jessie’s experiences at Messiah have fueled her passion for missions, and she credits Messiah’s faculty and the Agapé Center staff as her greatest models of servant leadership.  Last year, she took a service learning class at Messiah and had the unique opportunity to apply what she learned during a six-week summer trip to India.  While in India, Jessie provided child care for missionaries serving in the country, taught English and art to local children, and served in an orphanage.

These formative experiences would not have been possible for Jessie without the generous financial support provided by many members of the Messiah community.  In fact, without the generosity of a local family connected to Messiah, she would not be here.  Although Jessie receives financial aid and has three part-time jobs on campus, she recently considered taking out more loans to address her unmet financial need.  Knowing that additional loans would make it significantly more difficult -- if not impossible -- for her to pursue service and mission opportunities after graduation, Jessie considered transferring to a less expensive college. 

Jessie is not the only Messiah student who worries about paying for her education, and she doesn’t take the blessing of financial support for granted.  Your generosity reminds her to give back as she is able.  Following her graduation, Jessie hopes to continue to minister to women and children, possibly through an adoption agency or youth detention center.  She is also considering the possibility of serving overseas or pursuing a master’s degree in social work. The faithful investment of those who choose to give will continue to impact Jessie and those who are blessed by her service.