Lives of Purpose

Lives of Purpose

Who should join LoP?

Any incoming (first-year or transfer) student interested in building community, serving locally, and exploring values at commitments—members of the world’s religious traditions, atheists, agnostics, seekers, or anywhere in between.

What is the commitment?

Students will engage weekly (usually one afternoon or evening) in a local nonprofit focused on food and hunger programs in Waterville and Central Maine. Plan on about three hours per week. Small groups will meet for dinner twice a month. The full group will gather monthly for discussion or gatherings with campus or local leaders.

Why should I join?

Many students come to Colby with a passion for community service and social justice work. Many more come with deep questions about who they are and how to put their talents to work in the world. Lives of Purpose offers a community of first-year students the opportunity to engage substantively with the community while building deep and lasting relationships with peers. The group seeks to form a safe-enough space to delve consistently into big questions of meaning, purpose, and community.

In what ways does LoP engage ‘religious’ questions?

We anticipate that students in the program will encompass a wide variety of religious traditions as well as students who are not religious or not religious in a conventional way. The key aspect of the program is engaging themes of integrity, values, commitment, and social justice. For some students, this will have a religious component. For others it will not. The program is meant to be an open place to discuss, support, and even challenge one another. Our hope is that each person will feel comfortable enriching our discussions with their own personal perspectives.

What should I do next?

Apply online by August 31 for the Fall 2018 cohort, or contact Kurt Nelson, dean of religious and spiritual life, at kdnelson@colby.edu or 207-859-4272 with more questions.

Thu Le ’19 – nnle@colby.edu

Thu is a rising senior majoring in both Biochemistry and Science, Technology and Society. She’s from Vietnam, but she spent her last two years of high school in Singapore. She joined Lives of Purpose as a first-year and served as a Discussion Leader in her sophomore year. She’s also a member of Colby’s Admission Ambassadors, International Club and Quilting Club. In her free time, she loves reading books and taking part in fun activities with friends, especially arts and crafts. She’s eager to lead Lives of Purpose in the coming year and welcome new group members from the class of 2022. My name is and I am a sophomore at Colby. I was born in Baltimore but moved to Maine when I was 8 have lived here since! Collecting seaglass in the summer is still a favorite activity as is complaining about winter. As of now, I have declared a history major and an art minor—and along with learning about history and making art, I also enjoy reading, singing, playing soccer, and coming up with strange explanations or analogies. I’m excited to continue working with LoP as a sophomore mentor.

Elizabeth Airan

Coming into my second semester as a freshman at Colby, I found myself eager to be a part of a special community. LOP was the perfect group; It created a way for me to combine two important aspects of my life: service and school. Regardless of the context, I have always been passionate about giving a helping hand during a time of need. I am honored to be assisting the Waterville community while simultaneously connecting with others at Colby.

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Kevin Argueta

I am a first-gen student from Houston, Texas. I love pupusas, bachata, and warm weather. LOP is great way to get off campus and make meaningful connections.

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Hannah Johnson

Hey everyone, I’m Hannah Johnson, a sophomore from Lancaster, PA! I’m currently a psychology major with a neuroscience concentration on the premed track. Even though I love my state, Maine will always have a special place in my heart. You can catch me skiing at Sugarloaf, studying in an Olin cubby, or eating spoonfuls of Foss peanut butter (highly recommend). I can’t wait to meet you all and get you excited about Lives of Purpose!

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Avery Munns

My name is Avery Munns and I am from Topeka, Kansas. In addition to Lives of Purpose, I am in Multi-Faith Council, CCAK, Ballroom Dance Club, a tutor in the Farnham Writers’ Center and a CA of East! Through important engagement with the homeless shelter, Lives of Purpose has helped me bond with a community of other Colby students who also value meaning in their lives.

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Sam Orenstein

My name is Sam Orenstein and I am from Marblehead, Massachusetts, but Maine has always been my second home. I am a double major in Global Studies and Spanish and can’t wait to study abroad and hopefully become fluent in Spanish. I love LOP because it allows me to connect with kids on a weekly basis and provide important value to the greater Colby community.

Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life

Kurt Nelson

Kurt Nelson has been Colby’s dean of religious and spiritual life since the fall of 2012. Kurt is the founder and advisor of Lives of Purpose. He lives in Waterville with his wife Joanna, daughter Lillian, and dog Grover. He comes to Colby after five years at Dartmouth College advising multi-faith programs and with degrees from Yale Divinity School and St. Olaf College. He’s always up for coffee and conversation—email or stop by his office on the lower level of Lorimer Chapel.