Abby Holdsworth
Wilmington, NC
Graduated from UNCW
Employer: Big Brothers Big Sisters
Church: Redeemer
I love to laugh and I laugh quite a bit. I value my friendships deeply and love hanging out with people. At the beginning of my freshman year, I started making stamped jewelry and opened up an Etsy shop now known as “The Brass Hammer”. I have absolutely loved learning how to grow and run a business by selling online, and all the connections with friends and strangers I’ve gotten to make along the way.
Andrew Miller
Toledo, Ohio
Cedarville University
Employer: Flow Automotive
Church: First Presbyterian
I was born and raised in Toledo, OH with two loving parents and an older brother and sister. I attended a small private Christian school that my mom taught at from Kindergarten through graduation. After that, I pursued a double major in Marketing and Finance with a Bible minor at Cedarville, Christian University in central Ohio. I was introduced to Winston-Salem through a friend of a friend, but ultimately through Josh Benoit. He connected me to Ned Erickson and the WS Fellows and to my job. My three favorite things are probably Jesus, being active and hiking outdoors.
Mathu Gibson
Winston-Salem, NC
Wingate University
Employer: Boosterthon
Church: River Oaks Community
I am a firm believer that with faith and hard work anything is possible. That is a formula that has proven itself true time and time again in my life. Upon graduating I decided to pursue my dreams of playing in the NFL. Throughout the journey to the NFL so much growth took place and my dreams became a reality right after the NFL Draft when the NY Jets invited me to their Rookie Mini-Camp. Though I didn’t sign with them I left a good impression. After months of waiting (and working), I received a call from the Denver Broncos.
Aly Hall
Orlando, FL
West Point and Covenant College
Employer: Forsyth County Government
Church: Hope Presbyterian
Sports have always been a big part of my life and I was blessed with the opportunity to play college tennis for three years and play some Team Handball as well. I enjoy a variety of music and attending concerts. I love dogs, coffee, and reading. I majored in history at Covenant and I am passionate about politics and am interested in going to law school after the Fellows.
Bryan Pardue
Kernersville, NC
Glenn High School
Employer: Chik-fil-a
Church: Redeemer
I am unbelievably excited to begin the Fellows and start working and learning with specific intention. But perhaps the thing that I am most excited for is the community. It will be interesting and encouraging to be with others in similar situations to mine and learning and growing together. Another passion of mine is music. My freshman year of high school I started learning the bass. Shortly after were the drums then guitar, piano, ukulele and mandolin.
Chanice Withers
Winston-Salem, NC
Forsyth Tech
Employer: Reynolda Smiles
Church: River Oaks Community
I’m a big believer in giving back to the community and helping in areas who are in need. In my spare time I love volunteering through the outreach from my church at local title one elementary schools, habitat for humanity, and other organization throughout the city. For the last three years I have had the privilege of being a Young Life leader, it’s an experience that I’ll never forget. I'm grateful to have found my spirituals gifts, how to walk with teenage girls towards the lord, and to see how the lord uses me to lead.
I have a passion for writing, I've had this passion since I was younger. Writing has allowed me to express joy and pain in beautiful ways. I also enjoy writing poetry: poetry for me is the realist form of emotion I can put on paper, I have found a new love for spoken word poetry.
Christian McConnon
Severna Park, MD
University of Maryland
Employer: New Canaan Society
Church: River Oaks Community
Some things I enjoy doing are listening to music, hiking, boxing, and spending quality time with friends. As a philosophy major, I loved that it provided me with the opportunity to challenge my own ideas, and refine my sense of self and worldview. I am passionate about reading, writing, and teaching on topics such as metaphysics, ethics, and epistemology.
Kelly Martin
La Plata, MD
Guilford College
Employer: Breakthough Sports Therapy
Church: First Presbyterian
I love to cook, bake, play, coach sports, and stay active outdoors in the mountains or on the water. I was recruited in high school to play college lacrosse and committed to Guilford College where I have spent the last four years. I was a three-year starter; my fourth year was cut short due to injury. Since graduating I have remained active in the sport through coaching a travel team, NC Elite.
Tim Spangler
Winston-Salem, NC
UNC - Chapel Hill
Employer: Forsyth Country Day School
Church: Hope Presbyterian
I enjoy being around kids. In high school and college, I volunteered in elementary school classrooms, helping ESL students with reading and writing. I loved getting to know kids from different cultures, and seeing them make progress in their abilities was really rewarding. This year with the Winston-Salem Fellows I’m excited to learn more about who I am, what I’m good at, areas I need to grow, and how I can make a difference with my career and calling.
Laura Johnson
Winston-Salem, NC
Furman University
Employer: Novant Health
Church: Redeemer
I find happiness when browsing around a bookstore or sitting at a coffee shop by myself. I come from a family where love of books is mandatory. I love trying out new restaurants and I could eat breakfast for every meal. I’ve spent four summers coaching a summer league team in Winston, the Sherwood Sharks. Being a swimmer my whole life and having spent my childhood at Sherwood, I love sharing my excitement for the sport with kids. It is so satisfying to watch my swimmers improve and be excited about becoming better swimmers. At Furman, I majored in Politics and International Affairs as well as Religion. I also acquired a minor in Poverty Studies which led me to a summer of working to help the low-income population of Greenville County better access the healthcare system. I am fascinated by the healthcare system and am seeking a career working in healthcare policy.
Garrett Briggs
Winston-Salem, NC
Virginia Military Institute
Employer: Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Church: First Presbyterian
While at VMI I chose to fill my time with different extracurricular activities including being an EMT for both the school and the city. I believe that these experiences and skills made me more calm, patient, and confident in a crisis. They also allowed me to experience working in and around the community I lived in. These situations also allowed me to practice being calm in stressful environments and the confidence to make decisions in those situations.
Trent Hancock
Columbia, SC
USC
Employer: The Budd Group
Church: Trinity Community
Raised by passionate Gamecock fans and graduates, I followed in their footsteps and I am now an alum of the University of South Carolina with a degree in Mathematics. One of my greatest passions throughout my high school and my undergraduate tenure has been through youth ministry work. I am a very sociable person, and I have always felt called and rewarded in the adventure of being able to lead students in worship and events that can further their own individual walks in faith. I am always looking to be active and love any outdoor sports, but have mostly been an avid cross country runner. I’ve competed in races throughout high school and college, from 5Ks to triathlons as well.