Pastor Andy Nelson is the Campus Chaplin and Director of Campus Ministry at Morningside University since 2018. Andy graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa with a Bachelor of Art in Religion and Political Science. He then went to Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota to further his studies and obtain a Masters in Divinity. He would tell his younger self, “Have some time to step away and discharge from the experience” He didn’t always want to be a pastor and changed his mind back and forth about whether being a pastor was for him. Leaving seminary after two years into figure out it it was for him which he decides it was and went back to seminary. If he could go back and give advice to his younger self on what to do, he would tell himself to take a gap year. “Like to think about ministry positions as calls.” They say a minister is called to his job by the other ministers or the people they work with and are being called by God to do the job. After finishing his schooling to become a pastor he had his first calling at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minnesota. Spent time at Bethel Lutheran Church, Andy moved on to become a Campus Pastor at the University of South Dakota. He then worked at St. Mark Lutheran Church as a Pastor before coming to Morningside University. He came to the Sioux City area because his wife was hired here in the Psychology Science department while he worked somewhere else. After a couple years the ministry position opened here at Morningside when he applied, he received the job. Ever since 2018, Andy has been the Chaplin at Morningside University and has tried to be a helpful source for students. He works in confidentiality, so students can come to him without worrying about other knowing. While being at Morningside he has thought of ways to spread faith and bring the community together. “Community comes together.” Is something Andy has been wanting to make more prominent on campus and that is why he started Midweek Mindfulness. Midweek Mindfulness is about allowing others to tell there stories, play music, or even ask questions about faith and life.

How a High School student found his passion for Politics.

Jaden Carney is a Political Science major at Morningside, but he didn’t always plan to be a Political Science major. He found out how much he enjoyed politics his senior year in High School when he was hired as a Legislative Page.

Jaden said, “I applied to further my knowledge on on legislative procedure and policy, as well as learned about the redistricting in Iowa.”

He spent five months being a Legislative Page and he loved every minute of it. His two favorite parts were that he was able to carry legislation between the two houses and he got to work in a beautiful building.

Jaden said, “I’ve always wanted to try it and when I did it was turning point for his love of politics.”

From the start of high school he knew that he wanted to try being a legislative page to further his knowledge. When he did become one it was his turning point in what he wanted to study because he found a love for politics.

He use to be wanting to be an Ag educator, but he now wants to be a politician. After finding his love for politics has made him change to be a Political Science Major.