Sophomore criminal justice major Alexis Taylor wanted to travel. 

“Coming to college I knew that I wanted to either do a study abroad or do a mission trip, especially with Waynesburg being a Christian school and mission focused and mission centered,” Taylor said. “I knew I wanted to do some kind of traveling.”  

But after completing most of her general education requirements, Taylor didn’t believe the opportunity would still be possible. 

“After freshman year I knew it would be kind of hard to study abroad as a [criminal justice] major because I had gotten most of my [general] [education courses] out of the way,” Taylor said. “And I can’t really take my [criminal justice] classes somewhere in another country because their justice system is way different than ours.” 

Then she learned about the Footsteps Ministries trip to Greece. 

“I [felt I would never study abroad], then when this trip come up I was like ‘Wow, that’s a perfect opportunity,’” Taylor said.  

Waynesburg University encourages its students to travel and improve their knowledge of the world by the many different trips every year. During Spring Break 2018, Taylor and 21 other students will have the opportunity to travel to Greece during a 10-day trip, from March 2 to March 11. 

Instructor of Biblical and Ministry Studies and Assistant Chaplain Josh Sumpter and Mary Fox, from Institutional Advancement, will lead the trip. Sumpter and Fox visited Greece in 2014 as a part of Footstep Ministries with Waynesburg University’s Alumni Program. 

The trip has been planned over the last couple of years, and Sumpter said it is a well-rounded experience. During the trip, students will have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Paul, according to Sumpter, as Footsteps Ministries owner David Sparks will provide the biblical insights. Sparks’ wife, Elizabeth, is a native of the country and will provide students an insight into the culture. 

“They are really going to come away experiencing Greek culture…there will be a diverse selection of experiencing the culture…language, food, shopping, history and the Bible,” Sumpter said. 

Taylor said she signed up and didn’t think about the trip too much. Then she thought about the cost of the trip and where the money would come from. 

“I was signed up, I didn’t really think much about it at the time other than ‘I’m going to Greece,’ but I didn’t know how I was going to raise the money at the time but it all got done and here we are like three weeks away,” Taylor said. 

After attending the informational meeting last year, Taylor decided this trip was something she wanted to participate in. 

“It was kind of like a spontaneous decision – I didn’t know how I was going to raise my money for the trip,” Taylor said. “But I guess I kind of believed that God had a plan and that it would get done that I would be able to fundraise and go on the trip.” 

For most Waynesburg University trips, fundraising is possible. Students participating in the Greece trip started fundraising during the Spring 2017 semester, according to Sumpter, due to the different opportunities available.  

Fundraisers such as sales for Yankee Candles sales and pepperoni rolls were how Taylor raised most of the funds for her trip. She also wrote a letter to friends and family describing the experience she would have and then received checks with donations. 

Taylor said the fundraising and donations were a big benefit. She raised about $2,500 towards the original trip price of $3,400. 

The trip, according to Taylor, requires students that are biblical ministry studies majors or students who have taken the BMS 106 Introduction to New Testament course – which she took with Sumpter.  

“The trip we are going on, they advertise ‘We are going to walk in the footsteps of Paul, walk where the word was written’ and to do that it can be a very surreal experience to be in the Biblical cities where Paul would have been,” Sumpter said. “I think it just really makes the text come alive and you’ll never read the Bible the same again.” 

Since students in a variety of majors will be going on the trip, Sumpter said this provides a unique situation from the group.  

“With a diverse group of students, we have the ability to learn from one another…I think when we share intentional time together it impacts who you are,” Sumpter said. 

It is in Sumpter’s BMS 106 class where he teaches students of apostle Paul and shows the pictures he took during his 2014 trip to Greece. 

“I think it’s vital, it really opens up the Bible – it makes it come alive,” Sumpter said on the students having the opportunity to visit the places he teaches in class. “We’re going to be visiting exact locations where the apostle Paul would have been preaching, where he would’ve been baptizing individuals, where he would have been confronted by religious leaders and teachers of the day…I think just being there enhances it – when we talk  visual aids, to directly go there and experience Greek culture and to see archaeology in the setting that’s still in place [from] 2,000 years ago can be life-changing.” 

While this trip will take Taylor out of her comfort zone, she knows it will be in a good way, and is excited about the opportunity to immerse herself and grow in her faith. 

“I think it’s definitely going to be a really powerful trip and basically a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and that’s what I kind of explained to my parents,” she said.  

Sumpter said he is thankful for Waynesburg for providing students opportunities like this. 

“Waynesburg University has done a great job of making partnerships with organizations and to assist also in fundraising efforts, whereas once you leave college it’s much more difficult as a young adult to go on 10-day trips overseas and experience things like this,” Sumpter said. “I’m grateful for academic affairs and Sarah Bell and how hard they have worked to help make these types of trips possible.” 

Sumpter’s goal for students is to change during their time at Waynesburg. He believes trips, such as the one to Greece, are an influential factor in the students’ growth.  

“My prayer for the students at Waynesburg is that when they leave they are not the same,” Sumpter said. “And this type of experience, both in and out of the classroom, is a part of that in shaping them intellectually and spiritually. I’m grateful to have that opportunity to invest in them.” 

Sumpter plans on having another trip in 2020 and hopes to have the trip every two years. 

“Trips like this help them become more globally minded and they realize how large the world is and how much there is that is beyond themselves…the experiences like this expose us to [the idea that] God’s creation is much larger,” he said. “[It gives] us a bigger perspective, and then ultimately, [we are] creating memories that change us intellectually and spiritually.”