Class of 1996 Profile: Beth Kormanik Hubbuch

As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the YTI Class of 1996, YTI alumni are interviewing each other, discovering and recording what is happening in the lives of our YTI family today. If you are a member of the class of 1996, and would like to participate in this project, contact Sara Toering at sjtoering@gmail.com

Beth is interviewed here by Sara Toering

After graduating from high school in Upper Arlington, Ohio, Beth pursued her dream of becoming a journalist by majoring in journalism and minoring in political science at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Upon graduation Beth worked as a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In 2002 Beth moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where she covered politics, government and higher education for the Florida Times-Union, and where she won several state and regional awards, including the 2008 Freedom of Information award from the Florida Society of News Editors. Beth's reporting on the city council's violation of the Open Meetings Act led to systemic changes in the way that Jacksonville local government conducts its business. Beth and her husband Bart now live in Brooklyn, New York, where she works as the editor of Hotel Interactive and managing editor of Buyer Interactive, trade publications that cover the hospitality industry.

Beth's work as a journalist covering politics and local government has led her to ask significant questions the intersection of Christianity and politics, and to examine her own beliefs in juxtaposition to other Christians and other Catholics who may believe differently. She finds the way Christianity often has been equated with the Republican Party alienating, and the way politicians use religion has caused her to feel a sense of cynicism. Critical moments of potential change in the Catholic church – such as the election of Pope Benedict XVI – have felt like missed opportunities. In this Lenten season Beth is reflecting on the challenge of responding to these issues--what should that response look like? Engagement? Avoidance? Both at different times?

When asked to articulate the impact YTI had on her life, Beth stated that she deeply appreciated the YTI community and the lasting friendships she made there, and that YTI instilled in her a desire to seek community in other places in her life. She recalled the last day of YTI as one she will never forget. YTI also inspired Beth to become more of a leader as she headed toward college where she led a student-run fellowship group and was a leader in the campus Catholic organization. Finally, Beth shared that YTI taught her about expressing difference with compassion: She feels that YTI taught her to be a citizen of the wider world.

Beth has recently had several bylines published in the New York Times. Here are a few:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/10/nyregion/yeshiva-university-stunned-by-tale-of-a-tryst.html?ref=women

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/14/nyregion/marching-after-anti-semitic-vandalism-in-brooklyn.html?_r=2&ref=nyregion

Beth can be emailed at beth351@gmail.com

Class of 1996 Profile: Jermaine Freeman

As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the YTI Class of 1996, YTI alumni are interviewing each other, discovering and recording what is happening in the lives of our YTI family today. If you are a member of the class of 1996, and would like to participate in this project, contact Sara Toering at sjtoering@gmail.com

Jermaine is interviewed here by Sara Toering

After leaving YTI Jermaine spent half of his senior year in New York City in a program designed to study the city itself. He finished his senior year of high school back in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Jermaine went on to Morehouse College in Atlanta where he studied drama. While in Atlanta for college, Jermaine worked for fellow YTI 1996 alum Hannah Loring-Davis’s mom Murphy Davis at the Open Door Community. While he was at Morehouse he also had opportunity to do semester at sea and he traveled around world by ship during his junior year.

After graduating from Morehouse, Jermaine moved back to Chattanooga and worked in the airline industry for several years and then the U.S. postal Service. While working at the Postal Service, Jermaine and his brother Jarrod went into business together and started a web design company. As he and Jarrod worked on their upstart business, Jermaine continued his work with the U.S. Postal Service and then taught 6th grade world history. In April of 2010, Jermaine began working with the Obama campaign and he ultimately became a regional community organizer for the campaign in southeast Tennessee. Jermaine is currently in business with his brother, working for the Obama campaign, and in his last year of business school at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. When Jermaine finishes school his primary focus will be in business with his brother. Jermaine would also like to run for office in his local community.

When asked how YTI affected his life, Jermaine described how YTI taught him to always look for new and challenging experiences and to never stop dreaming. “We established a real community of people and to one extent or another, my life has always been in pursuit of community—I can do that if I am always opening myself up to new experiences and trying to make the world a better place.”

Jermaine described several questions that he is currently exploring regarding his vocation—in particular aspects of his business career. For example, Jermaine is exploring the balance of remaining humble and doing good for people in the world while also building a successful and profitable business. “How do I balance wanting to be financially secure with doing Gods will all at the same time?”

Jermaine asked to relay the following message to his YTI 1996 classmates: “Keep the faith. Life is tough and for any who have struggled with any aspect of life since 1996—keep the faith and try to be a lover!” Jermaine’s phone number is below and he invites anyone from 1996 to reconnect.

Jermaine Freeman: 423-785-6605

Class of 1996 Profile: Victor Acquaah-Harrison

As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the YTI Class of 1996, YTI alumni are interviewing each other, discovering and recording what is happening in the lives of our YTI family today. If you are a member of the class of 1996, and would like to participate in this project, contact Sara Toering at sjtoering@gmail.com

Victor is interviewed here by Beth Kormanik Hubbuch:

Since graduating from American University, Victor has worked in the financial services sector, first in London, then in New York and Chicago. He earned an MBA from the University of Wisconsin and recently started a leadership program with GE Capital in Columbia, Missouri. Victor plays bass guitar and has accompanied several church choirs. It’s a way to practice his craft but also serve the church. He would have attended the the YTI reunion this summer but it coincided with a surprise 70th birthday party for his father.

YTI's instilled in Victor a curiosity about other religions. His father has been a United Methodist minister for 42 years, and the Methodist tradition, as his parents learned in Ghana and passed onto him, was grounded in British imperialism. “Growing up,” he said, “I felt like if someone did something out of set boundary lines it meant they weren't serious about their Christianity.” Those beliefs have changed.

“When you grow up in that environment, you are pretty much given one thing and that's it," he said. "You never have an opportunity to experience anything else. It’s like you almost walk around with a puffy chest: ‘This is what I believe in and what I know.’ And then you meet other folks with other beliefs, and it makes you a little more open... Everyone else may not worship the same way I do, but it's like the same template. It's the same underlying factors and desires to lead to a better life.”

For awhile, Victor wasn’t leading that better life. The years he spent in New York were challenging socially and career-wise. He realized he had to change his attitude and his surroundings.

“You can't make excuses,” he said. “Now the thing I'm wrestling with is trying to be on point and be the best I can as Victor. In that whole process, when I think of how I got here, it definitely wasn't on my own. There's a higher power out there that has watched me and seen me struggle, and things have changed completely now. You have to really sit back and think about things. Is this situation really hell, or is it just a setback and I have to think through it and come up with a different way to address it? It's more of a personal thing that I have to get out of my own way. I've seen the changes that can be made if you hang in there. I feel like I have a positive attitude. There's a lot of stuff out there that sucks, but there's plenty out there that's good and great. For the past few years, I've been able to change my thought process and think about the things that are good and stop trying to change things you have no power over.”

Class of 1996 Profile: Laura Willard

As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the YTI Class of 1996, YTI alumni are interviewing each other, discovering and recording what is happening in the lives of our YTI family today. If you are a member of the class of 1996, and would like to participate in this project, contact Sara Toering at sjtoering@gmail.com

Laura is interviewed here by Beth Kormanik Hubbuch:

Laura is entering her second year of veterinary school at the University of Minnesota with the goal of eventually practicing large animal medicine or wildlife medicine. This summer she represented her school at the Veterinary Leadership Experience, a week-long program to develop leadership and communication skills. She also is also leading orientation for incoming vet students at Minnesota this fall.

“I think I've settled in the right place where I can balance my desire to do good in the world and use that with my scientific knowledge,” she said. “I see veterinary medicine as a ministry. I provide a voice for animals to make sure they are cared for, respected, and treated well. Additionally, I guide people through challenging decisions and support them through hard times or bad news. This career is my calling."

YTI’s lasting impact came through the lifelong friendships she developed. “That was the first place I didn't feel like I was the odd one out,” she said. “Being in a community of people I could relate to and were so genuine and caring helped influence the way my relationships formed after YTI.”

Laura’s first exposure to meditation was YTI, and today she attends a Vipassana meditation group. She does not identify as Buddhist but finds in the practice a place where she can think through issues and look for wisdom. “The silence is an easier place for me to connect to God, or whatever you want to call it. I've gotten to a place where I feel the organization of formal church service is impeding that connection. I find quiet and stillness is the way to best connect.” She also appreciates the community of a church organization. For awhile, she tried not going to church but missed the connection to a higher power. The meditation group meets on Sunday mornings and offers supplements such as pot luck meals and a book group.

“It's that supportive community environment of a Christian church," she said, "but it's more of an open space where you bring what you want to it and it can be whatever you need it to be, whether that's Christian or Jewish or Buddhist.”

Class of 1996 Profile: Jeff Jones

As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the YTI Class of 1996, YTI alumni are interviewing each other, discovering and recording what is happening in the lives of our YTI family today. If you are a member of the class of 1996, and would like to participate in this project, contact Sara Toering at sjtoering@gmail.com

Jeff is interview here by Sara Toering:

After graduating from high school Jeff Jones attended Macalester College in St. Paul -- in no small part because 1996 mentor David Colby recommended it so highly. Jeff focused on urban studies at Macalester — a rare small liberal arts school in the middle of a city — to learn about how cities work. After graduating from Macalester, Jeff had the incredible opportunity to intern with Jim Lehrer at the NewsHour in Washington, D.C. during PBS’s coverage of the events of September 11, 2001.

After his internship, Jeff came home to the Midwest — a place he described as feeling “a bit more honest and down to earth.” Jeff worked for a period with the Minnesota State House of Representatives, and was soon hired as a producer for Minnesota Public Radio where he has served for almost a decade. Jeff has produced call-in shows, breaking news events and the regional version of All Things Considered. When I asked him what it meant to “produce a show,” Jeff explained that his job is to come up with the content of the radio shows by considering what his audience wants to hear. “What does my audience want to hear tonight when they tune in to listen to All Things Considered? What stories do people need to know and how do we cover those stories? Do we send a reporter out? Book a guest on the phone?” Jeff and his team record interviews from 10-20 minutes long and then edit those interviews down to roughly 3.5 minutes for his audience because “people are busy and they honor you by giving you their attention and you have to respect that and give them as much information as is useful to them and then move on.” Jeff enjoys his work — he loves learning about multiple new things each day and approaching the challenge of boiling the stories down for folks so that they have the information they need to make decisions about important public issues.

Now Jeff works for Minnesota Public Radio’s Public Insight Network -- a group of 120,000 people around the U.S. who have agreed to share their expertise and experience with journalists. Those journalists work for radio, TV, internet and newspaper newsrooms across the nation and they are always looking for new and interesting people to sign up. Jeff says every YTI alum should become part of the Public Insight Network. All you commit to is occasional e-mails from journalists when they think you may have useful insight to share about stories they’re working on. Go to www.pinsight.org to learn more. Or contact Jeff at jjones@mpr.org.


Jeff met his wife, Jessica, in college while they were both attending a seminar at the United Nations hosted by the Presbyterian Church. He and Jessica attend Central Presbyterian Church in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota — their pastor is none other than the Rev. David Colby.

When asked about the impact YTI had on his life, Jeff shared that while he did not realize it at the time, he later deeply appreciated having permission to ask questions at YTI. Jeff walked into YTI in 1996 not even knowing why he was there — he felt secure in his faith and Presbyterian church community and he recalls not being sure what YTI was intended to accomplish. And then he walked out of YTI having no idea what he believed. Yet, because of all of the questions raised at YTI, Jeff commented that his experience of faith and religion became much deeper. He had assumed that if he walked away with questions that would mean his faith was shaken — but instead “it was so much richer.”

At this point in his life in his work with MPR, Jeff spends all day asking questions and finding reasons to be skeptical — “but its ok to do that—not only is it ok but its imperative that we don’t take things at face value. We need to challenge those who are most influential in the world and dialogue and conversation are a part of it. “ Jeff recalled YTI conversations and commented that “we sat around at YTI for a month talking with people from other parts of the country about stuff we didn’t know much about and heard people’s stories and got into fights and it was wonderful to sit there in conversation with folks.” Jeff’s roommate was someone he often disagreed with both politically and religiously but with whom he had so much fun. Jeff sees how folks in the public sphere act as if you have to destroy and take down others, but “normal people disagree with people they love all the time.” Fifteen years later at his job on the radio, Jeff is trying to create a space where members of the audience can be listened to and have access to other points of view in a civil arena.

One of the issues Jeff is exploring in his life right now is the balance between work and family and self. Where does our identity come from? Who am I? Jeff articulated the ways in which he has been lucky enough to have a job that he loves and that is interesting to others. But now he has a beautiful five-month old daughter and a house and family — and his job is still cool but is no longer the thing that defines him. But what does? Is he just a father? Is there something about the outdoors and the natural world that gives him energy and recharges him in a way he didn’t realize before? Jeff asked “how do I get out of the office and the nursery and into the natural world and make that part of my life? How can I respect and honor the natural world?”

Another question Jeff is pondering is the importance of physical place in our lives. “We now find the same restaurants and stores everywhere and we all interact on the level playing field of Facebook and Twitter -- where we are becomes less evident and important.” Jeff has recently been reflecting on what we can do, both professionally and personally, to enhance our experience of place and get people to think about what is distinct and unique and wonderful about the places that we live, work and play. “What is the vocabulary around place and how can we remind each other that its interesting? I know what Facebook looks like and I know what Home Depot looks like. But what is the story of that river? What used to be on this place?”

You can get in touch with Jeff at: Jeff1863@aol.com

Class of 1996 Profile: Jenny Lo Thorsen

As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the YTI Class of 1996, YTI alumni are interviewing each other, discovering and recording what is happening in the lives of our YTI family today. If you are a member of the class of 1996, and would like to participate in this project, contact Sara Toering at sjtoering@gmail.com

Jenny is interveiwed here by Beth Kormanik Hubbuch

After finishing her degree in communication disorders at North Carolina State and a master’s degree in communication disorders at Northwestern University, Jenny became a speech language pathologist and now works at the Indian Prairie School District in suburban Chicago. She works with children from kindergarten through fifth grade, many of whom cannot accurately process the language being spoken to them or communicate their thoughts effectively. Other children may have articulation problems, stutter or have voice disorders. Jenny finds inspiration from her students when “suddenly a light bulb goes on and all of your hard work pays off.”

Jenny Lives in Saint Charles, Illinois, with her husband, Pierre Thorsen, and two daughters, ages 4 and 1. One of the many challenges of being a parent is trying to find the line between nurturing her daughters while pushing them to achieve, Jenny said, and that’s why she found herself interested in the debate surrounding the recent book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua.

“I had to laugh when I saw that,” Jenny said. "I didn’t just grow up with a Tiger Mom. I grew up with a Tiger Mom and Tiger Dad. I want to do that in a more nurturing way. It’s hard to break through that cycle. How do I raise my children to be proud of themselves and know that I love them, but still do what I can to help my children reach their potential?”

Jenny attends a Baptist church, although she doesn’t necessarily consider herself a Baptist. “My husband and I share the belief that God is the one that sets doctrine, not man,” she says. Jenny served as the music director for nearly two years and still fills in from time to time. She also taught children’s church and worked in its nursery.

YTI’s impact on Jenny’s life was to open her horizons to how other people saw the world. “It made me question, what do I believe in and why do I believe it? Is it because I was raised this way? Have I thought about what I believe? It’s one of those events in my life that planted a seed in my head. I didn’t do anything about it until later, but it started the process.”

Jenny can be reached at: jennifer_thorsen@ipsd.org

Class of 1996 Profile: Sheila McCarthy

As part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the YTI Class of 1996, YTI alumni are interviewing each other, discovering and recording what is happening in the lives of our YTI family today. If you are a member of the class of 1996, and would like to participate in this project, contact Sara Toering at sjtoering@gmail.com

Sheila is interviewed here by Rebecca Rich:

Since YTI, Sheila has spent lots of time in South Bend, Indiana. After graduating from high school, Sheila attended Notre Dame, where she studied theology and started a chapter of Pax Christi, a Catholic peace group. (She remembers her first visit to Notre Dame well because it included a delightful weekend with fellow YTI ‘96ers Sara Toering, Becca Rich, and Christian Petersen at a lake house in western Michigan.) After graduating from Notre Dame, Sheila lived in several Catholic Worker communities—in Los Angeles, New York City, and upstate New York. She then completed an M.T.S. at Duke before returning to Notre Dame where she is currently working on a Ph.D. in Theology in the area of Liturgical Studies. Her dissertation is titled “Healing the Body of Christ: Liturgy, Trauma, and the Works of Mercy.” She is a member of the St. Peter Claver Catholic Worker community in South Bend, teaches yoga, and goes to daily mass.

Sheila reports that YTI changed just about everything for her and that the rest of her life since YTI has been an attempt to recapture, and in fact go beyond, the community she experienced there. For example, her interest in the Catholic Worker movement grew out of her YTI experience of living simply and close to the land, with the poor in a faith community. Sheila says that YTI made her want to study theology instead of medicine, made her interested in living in community, made her connect environmental issues to poverty issues, began a life long interest in Buddhism, and made her glad to be Catholic. Even today, Sheila meets people that she wishes would have gone to YTI because they could have used it—or, because YTI could have used them. Sheila believes that one of the great gifts of YTI is that it treats teenagers like people who have a contribution to make, and she found that to be empowering.

Sheila is currently grappling with a variety of questions. In her dissertation, for example, Sheila is exploring how movement, not just words, can be healing of trauma. She also thinks about community a lot, and about fallibility and brokenness in the context of living in community. Sheila has lately been amazed by God’s love in the world.