Theology Professor Reflects on 19th ISIP Trip

Samantha Gonzalez Reporter

aspect.

Dr.

Stephen Wilson, Ph.D

is a theology professor who has been going on International Service Immersion Program trips for 19 years.

One day Wilson was in the cafeteria and was approached by Maureen Burgin, a previous head of campus ministry. She asked if Wilson would like to accompany some students to Belize over spring break. More specifically it was to Belize City, Belize and after saying yes, Wilson’s first ISIP trip began.

Before ISIP, there was a Habitat for Humanity group on campus where teachers would accompany students to places like North Carolina to build houses for service. ISIP is international and trips either focus on immersion or service. For example the trip to the Dominican Republic is purely immersive where students find out more about what is happening in the country versus mainly focusing on the service

Additionally, this year those who went to Belize city helped to build a house. The house dedications at the end of the Belize City service trip involved building a house with Hand in Hand Ministries really mean a lot to Professor Wilson.

“Seeing the joy it can bring to a family along with the singing of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song doesn’t usually leave a dry eye in the group,” said Wilson.

When asked which of the places visited was his favorite Wilson said, “Consistently, Punta Gorda, Belize. It’s not as structured as Belize City and allows for more freedom and exploration.”

Wilson goes on the ISIP trips, “for the mission of this college, creating people who are called to be leaders in service to others, these trips can be a broader aspect to the Spring Hill movement and most every student could benefit from ISIP”.

Wilson wasn’t always going to be a theology teacher. While in undergraduate school, he was actually a history major. During his break between undergraduate school and graduate school he had to make a decision on what exactly he wanted to study and became stuck between history and theology he said, “during the hiatus I found myself more interested in reading theology over history, so it became kind of a no brainer to go into theology.”

When he accepted the job here at Spring Hill College he emailed his friends and family, “I got a job… at a catholic school… in the south!”

Wilson looks forward to continuing ISIP trips in the future and if money and anything else were not an issue, he would love to take one to Sub Saharan Africa one day.