It can be nerve-wracking coming into college- you don’t know what to expect, who you will meet, or what opportunities will be presented. Fear is an understatement for what incoming freshmen may think; it’s something we eventually adapt to.

Lexi Albert, from Falls City, Texas, states that she was nervous coming into college as it was her first time alone. Although she had a big friend group in high school, they all separated into different schools, and she was then left in a position to meet new people.

Lexi and I shared the same theology professor, Dr. Amanda Kaminski, who teaches not only within the theology department but is also the director of the social entrepreneurship and social innovation program at TLU as well.

In the spring of 2023, Dr. Kaminski presented Lexi and me with the opportunity to go to Baltimore, Maryland, with 12 other participants to learn about spiritual reformation, public health, and racial redlining through the Baltimore Urban Studies residency program.

Hannah Tarr, a senior in the nursing department at TLU, was another invited participant to go on the social entrepreneurship and theology immersion trip.

The opportunity was presented:

Tarr, Albert, and I did not know any participants coming on this trip besides Dr. Kaminski.

 Tarr and Albert both agree that this was an exciting opportunity presented to them. The personal goals set for Tarr were going to an urban area outside of TLU to get an idea for her future practice as a forensic nurse, and it was an experience she did not want to miss out on.

“Dr.Kaminksi asked me to join two weeks before we left. I was supposed to have surgery the day before we left. I canceled my surgery and followed her.”

Hannah Tarr

In my personal experience, I was unaware of this immersion trip as well. I was excited, grateful, and curious about what opportunity this would bring me. When talking to Dr.Kaminski in the spring of 2023, the opportunity to go was new to all of us; we had no idea what would be expected.

“It was such a big opportunity and I feel like I would have missed out on a lot if I did not go.”

Lexi Albert

When asked about their expectations and initial thoughts for this trip, both Albert and Tarr mentioned the excitement they felt. Tarr was not a student compared to Lexi and me for this trip; Tarr was asked to be part of the staff and coordinate. She was honored and excited and had no expectations as she was not given the information since this was brought upon her so quickly before we all had left.

“If someone were to have told me what I would be getting into- I would have put all of this weight and expectation into the promise of having this life-changing experience, rather than just allowing this experience to affect me in a more organic way.”

Hannah Tarr

However, Albert’s expectations were different; as a student compared to Tarr, she felt going to Baltimore would create an eye-opening experience as home for her is a small town in Texas compared to the big city in Maryland. “I’m limited to what I hear, views, political wise, beliefs… my eyes were really open to that,” Lexi says as she was preparing herself for this moment.

As for me, my expectations varied; I had no idea what to expect, I was curious, I had questions, I was scared. I did not know anybody- going on this trip would be a learning experience where I would meet new people from all over Baltimore and create new friendships with the students from TLU.

A few days after we all appeared in the beautiful city of Maryland, the moving moments started to take place. We began taking trips all over Baltimore, where we were moved with inspiration, learning opportunities, and the eager feeling of wanting to know more about the city and surrounding areas.

The Helping Up Mission was one of the many places we had visited. Helping Up Mission is a women’s shelter for women who are overcoming addiction and homelessness; women who are in the recovery process but are also expecting a child are welcomed with open arms at The Helping Up Mission. This state-of-the-art facility is personalized with decorations from residents, a beauty salon, a movie theater, and a nursing program for residents who want to pursue a career within the healthcare department; not only is healthcare an opportunity presented to residents but they are also given the option to pick up a career path along the lines of getting their cosmetology license as well.  

“There was a school and room for these women to not only overcome addiction but to start a whole new life for themselves within the safety and comfort of medical and therapeutic staff- like taking care of their emotional and physical needs as addicts and people who have experienced homelessness,” Tarr mentions as she evidently found light and joy in being able to come and learn about this Mission.

“We were going around with the founder of this organization; she was this incredible woman who had an amazing story of overcoming addiction and abuse from her ex-husband. She shared her story with us and how she came to be a part of this incredible program she built.”

Hannah Tarr

Tarr explains that this story then led to a conversation between just Pam, The founder and owner of Helping Up Mission, and herself… Describing her career goals to Pam, Tarr explains that being a nurse practitioner is in her favor; with the support and motivation from Pam, Pam offered Tarr a job on the spot.

Not only was The Helping Up Mission very impactful for Tarr, but Albert also felt a sense of joy within this community. Albert explains being able to see these women level up from the steps they were in before, the excitement that would radiate through every single one of these women, for not only themselves but for the others surrounding them in that community, is a feeling that Albert states she will never forget.

Bringing back what we learned to TLU:

Baltimore Urban Studies provides urban internships, spiritual formation, and public health opportunities to residents. Tarr explains that she has had a good understanding of living in urban settings due to her duality and wants to take her public health interest into an urban environment outside of a hospital.

“For me, the biggest growth that I saw was within my spiritual reformation. Being able to connect what I learned and how integrated spiritual reformation is to personal growth and being kind and being brave… and all of these things that make great leaders, humans, and connections.”

Hannah Tarr

Tarr feels this has affected her positively, saying that she prays a lot more and is moved by the unexpected- tarr was never religious and has struggled to find her identity through it. Still, Baltimore Urban Studies made this changing process for her accessible, nonconfrontational, open, and welcoming.

As for Albert, the experiences and positive ascertain she had learned were taken back with Albert to Texas. She states that she is no longer closed off from hearing people, and she mentions that she used to be very opinionated in certain situations.

In Baltimore, we did a stress relief exercise called the temperature reading, where we would break down each day and reflect on what we thought could’ve gone better, what was great, and what needed improvement.

“I’d say I use the temperature scale reading on a daily basis, not just for myself, but with my friends and family as well.”

Lexi Albert

Overall, the opportunities given to us as students and professors on this trip were nothing short of extreme. Forming such a strong bond with Dante and Micah, the teachers of Baltimore Urban Studies, Dr.Kaminski brought the love from her own friendship and personal relationship with them and shared it with us, her students and friends, so we could learn, grow, and gain understanding of areas where none of us knew much of before