Interested in working internationally? The ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission program may be just what you are looking for!
Find out more when we host Kristie Olson at Penn State on Thursday, September 24th!
Kristie spent a year with the Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program with our ELCA connections in Hungary.
Kritie will share about her time in Hungary and talk about her experiences of cultural exchange, personal growth and how saying “Yes” to YAGM might be the right step for you!
If Thursday evening doesn’t work in your schedule, one-on-one conversations can be arranged while Kristie is on campus or online afterward! Just contact Alicia Anderson (campus minister) for more info!
Greetings from Kristie: Hello! My name is Kristie and I am from Edina, Minnesota (right outside of the Twin Cities- Minneapolis). I have just completed my YAGM year of service in Budapest, Hungary in the 2025-2026 cohort. I served as an English conversation teacher at Deák Téri Evangélikus Gimnázium (High School), Dévai Fogadó (Ukrainian refugee center), and Király Klub (a senior community center). This fall, I am a short-term recruiter for the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Upper East Coast regions.I graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College, class of 2021. In my free time, I love to spend time outside hiking, camping, kayaking, and reading. I am excited for the opportunity to share my stories of my time in Central Europe as a continuation of accompaniment with Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Kristie.olson@elca.org
More about YAGM: Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) offers adults ages 21-35 the opportunity to spend a year living and serving in a cross-cultural setting alongside ELCA companion churches around the world. Rooted in the values of accompaniment, simple living, community, and spiritual reflection, YAGM helps participants grow in faith while engaging with issues such as economic inequality, globalization, and social justice through service and relationship-building.
Each year, approximately 25 young adults serve through YAGM’s regional programs in Argentina/Uruguay, Cambodia, Central Europe, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Participants work in a variety of settings, including education, congregational ministry, health and human rights, environmental justice, and communications. Open to people of all faith backgrounds, YAGM offers a transformative year of service, learning, and connection within God’s global church.
Get Connected
You can learn more about YAGM, follow our social media or get connected by clicking here
We also have three info sessions coming up:
- Thursday, September 3, 2026 (12-1pm CT)
- Thursday, November 12, 2026 (6-7pm CT)
- Monday, January 11, 2027 (12-1pm CT)
