Fleeting Moments Meet Reflection – Institute for Leadership and Service Blog

[Insert bittersweet hello here]

I am quickly approaching my final days in Washington D.C. and I can’t help but get a feeling of heartache. I’ve grown so much here, in many different ways that I hadn’t even anticipated. I feel transformed and empowered to move forward. My chapter in D.C. may be short one, but this place and these people that I have come to know in such a short span of time will always hold a special place in my heart.

Lutheran Services in America, because of you I am a better me. My time at LSA has been a journey in itself. From my first few days as a very nervous intern that was terrified to make a mistake to a confident professional with a voice that is no longer afraid to ask for help and has become inspired by power of social ministry and what you are able to achieve when you stand firmly together.

I’ve gained deeper insights into how the field works and what it takes to be successful. While there have been challenging moments due to my inexperience, everybody has been more than helpful and communicative. They’re understanding and welcoming when I end up asking a million questions. They offer encouraging advice when I get insecure about my work performance. Thank you Jackie, Jasmine, and Rachel. And thank you to the remainder of LSA, I couldn’t have asked for a better work environment to walk into each day. I’m going to miss the good morning thumbs up from Bola, the sound of coffee brewing as Jonah pours his fifth cup of the day, the discounted hot dogs from Izzat each week, and sneaking away for some mid-morning Jeopardy with the other interns on the “fun side” of the office.

I am going to miss the boys. Being placed in an apartment that was directly down the hall made it feel like we were all still back in the Valpo dorms, except Lankenau doesn’t have a hot tub or balconies overlooking the city. Our group may quite possibly be the oddest group to end up together, but I am so forever grateful that we did. I am thankful for Jonah’s heart of gold and his ability to find the most fascinating places in D.C. I am going to miss the endless amount of sour gummy worms and how he always knew when to ask to go to Ebenezers for lunch (basically every day). I am going to miss the in depth and reflective conversations with Aaron. We could talk about anything under the sun and still not run out of things to discuss. I am grateful for your capability to always give the best advice or offer encouraging words. I can’t wait to see everything that you accomplish here. I am thankful for Josh’s carefree spirit and his excitement to try new things. I’m definitely going to miss living the high life in the Diamond Club!!! I am NOT going to miss hearing “HUZZAH” yelled every two minutes. 😉 I am going to miss Jake’s bold spirit and how moments were never dull with him. I admire his ability to start a conversation with just about anybody. Thank you all for the constant laughs and interesting adventures. I couldn’t picture myself spending a summer in D.C. with anybody else.

I consider the CAPS Fellows program to be my final of many incredible opportunities that Valpo has given me. The CAPS Fellows program has given me the chance to explore and grow within the professional world, while being able to reflect on my personal goals. No two CAPS experiences are the same. Each experience is engaging and you have this incredible opportunity to gain insight into what life looks life after Valpo. This is what CAPS is supposed to be about. It is about discovering your passions and aligning those with God’s plan for your life. It is about finding purpose in the world around us and finding where you fit best. CAPS is about identifying your God given strengths and improving on those to serve others.

Signing off as an official Valpo alum,

– N

Check out some more D.C. images & look out for video soon!