Peer Ministers

Peer Ministers serve as mentors, a caring presence, and role models to students, being available to peers, fostering relationships, creating program and spiritual growth opportunities, and connecting students in need of spiritual care with the pastoral staff of the Chapel of the Resurrection. The majority of the Peer Ministers live in the residence halls and are an integral part of both the Residence Life team and the Chapel ministry.

What is a Peer Minister?

Peer Ministers serve students by offering welcome, guidance, compassion, support, and accompaniment through intentional relationships. Peer Ministers provide a safe place for all students to question, ponder, explore, grow, and develop an understanding of self amid the spiritual journey.  Peer Ministers are an extension of, and provide a connection to, the pastoral ministry of the Chapel of the Resurrection. 

As integral members of both the Residential Life and Campus Ministry staffs, Peer Ministers attend regular hall staff meetings, actively participate in regular team meetings, and work closely with the Resident Assistants to facilitate spiritual programming within the residence halls.

Meet the 2024-2025 Peer Ministers!

Hello! My name is Isabel Gauss and I am a junior elementary education major with a music minor from Yorkville, IL. I am one of the lead peer ministers this year! I love being a PM because I love people and I love reminding them of how deeply they are loved and cared for. This year I have the unique opportunity to lead and encourage the other peer ministers to do the same. In my spare time you can find me helping out around the Chapel in various ways, drinking coffee, and singing in the Chorale. I LOVE coffee and will always find an excuse to go to a coffee shop downtown (my favorite is The Press). If you see me around campus feel free to say hi! I cannot wait to meet you!

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I am Sarah Roeglin! I am a Senior Nursing major with a minor in Healthcare Leadership from Delafield, Wisconsin. I am one of the lead peer ministers for the team this year. I became a peer minister because there have been many people in my life who have been there for me when I was going through a hard time. This felt like my opportunity to “give back.” I am also a member of the Valparaiso University Chorale and Sigma Theta Tau (the Nursing Honor’s Society). Something I like to do in my free time is walk over to the practice rooms in the music building to practice piano.

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Hello! My name is Connor Joffe and I am a senior Electrical Engineering major from Kankakee, Illinois. I am the male PM for Alumni Hall. I am excited about being a PM because I am looking forward to creating a tight-knit community in the freshman dorms that then persists throughout their college lives.

I am currently involved in Celebrate as a band leader, I am a Christ College Freshman TA and CC Production TA, and I am the VUDU Bus Man, among other campus involvements. In my spare time, I enjoy writing music, running, playing volleyball, playing DND, and cooking. If you ever need a restaurant recommendation, I’m your guy.

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Hello! My name is Becca Schatte! I am a senior music education major/ humanities minor from Jefferson City, Missouri. This year, I am serving as a Peer Minister in Alumni Hall. During my time at Valpo, I have been learning about vocation and spiritual guidance and developing my abilities to care for others through my classes, leadership roles, and experiences. I pursued the calling to Peer Ministry to put those abilities into practice to serve the Valpo community. 

In addition to Peer Ministry, I minister to others through music in Sweetwine Music Ministry, cantoring for Candlelight, and as a member of the VU Chorale. I enjoy participating in theater as an Alpha Psi Omega member, a Dance Ensemble member, and a TA for the Christ College First-Year Production. I am also the Secretary for the VU chapter of the National Association for Music Educators. Some of my favorite things to do include hiking at the Dunes, creating art, and spending time with my amazing friends! 

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I am Roxanne Adams! I am a Sophomore Biology major with bioengineering and neuroscience minors and I live in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. I’m super excited to be the first Athlete Peer Minister ever this year!!! I chose to be an Athlete PM because it is a great way to encourage my fellow student athletes to focus not only on their physical health but also on their spiritual, mental, and emotional health. I am looking forward to supporting Valpo’s student athletes this year, whether that is celebrating their successes or being a listening ear on their bad days. Some things I’m involved in on campus are Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) , Celebrate!, Students for Life, InterVarsity, and I am also on the Valpo swim team. In my spare time I love hanging out with friends, hiking, and running.

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I am PM David Ramay, but you can call me Dave. I’m a Junior English and Spanish major from Washington State. I’m the PM for Brandt’s top floor. I applied for the position because friendship with my own floor PM (Sean Korpela) really brought me joy in my freshman year. I’m especially involved in the Chapel, being a member of the sacristy staff and SALT, and I’m a brother in SigEp. In my spare time I like to play music (piano, drums, guitar and banjo) and read.

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Hi, my name is Natalya Reister. I am a senior majoring in Sociology and minoring in Theology. I am from Michigan and currently serve as a peer minister in Brandt Hall. I wanted to be a peer minister because I love walking alongside my peers in both the joyful and the difficult times. In addition to being a PM, I am the Producer of VUDU Comedy (Valpo’s improv troupe) and am a Christ College TA. I look forward to seeing all the ways the incoming class leaves their mark on our campus!

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My name is Sean Korpela and I am a junior Theology & Ministry major with a minor in English from Ironwood, Michigan way up in the UP. This is my second year being a PM and this year I’m the peer minister for the third floor of Brandt or anyone who needs a peer minister. I knew I wanted to be a PM even before the application was released two years ago because although there wasn’t a peer minister on my floor as a freshman, I connected with the other PMs, which helped me battle my way through my freshman year. 

Around campus, I’m the president of a student org called SALT. It takes up most of my time outside of classes but I love being able to help make a difference and advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves.

My leisure activities include playing guitar (I just bought my first electric <3) and throwing around a baseball, and I’ve gotten into selling things on eBay lately.

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My name is Allison DeMik! I’m a senior Communications major and Humanities minor from Ridgewood, NJ. I’m currently serving as a Peer Minister on Brandt Hall’s 4th floor. I became a Peer Minister because I care deeply about people, and I know how important support is to getting through college. I wanted to be able to provide that support to people who needed it. I was also influenced by another Peer Minister, who talked me into it by telling me what he liked about his job.

On campus, I am also involved in the Lighter as its co-editor in chief and Beloved when I can be. There are some other groups that I occasionally dabble with as well, such as swim club and theater. In my spare time, I enjoy playing games of almost all kinds with my friends (especially D&D), reading, and writing. I also like watching crime or medical TV shows.

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Hey! My name is Lain, and I’m a junior studying Theology and Ministry. I’m from Franklin, Tennessee. I am one of the Fraternity Sorority Life PMs and I’m a member Gamma Phi Beta. I became a PM because I love ministering to my peers and making sure everyone can feel supported and that they have someone to turn to on campus. You can usually find me walking around campus, having a coffee in BBs, or hanging out in the Helge Center. Feel free to reach out to me if you ever want to chat!

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Hi!  My name is Eli Conklin, and I’m a sophomore meteorology major from Pittsburgh, PA.  This year, I am one of our two PMs for Fraternity and Sorority Life.  I became a peer minister because I felt God’s calling to be there for students on this campus who are seeking direction or help in their lives – those who are looking for “rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16).  I hope to be a welcoming resource for all students who want to know what is next for them!

On campus, I’m involved in the club ultimate frisbee team, WVUR sports broadcasts, the Celebrate! planning team, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, and officiating intramurals.  I also enjoy watching sports (go Red Sox and Steelers!) and playing golf and cricket.

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I am Mason Gleva! I am a junior Meteorology major from Goshen, Indiana. I am serving as one of the Peer Ministers for Guild-Memorial Hall. Becoming a Peer Minister was an easy decision because I want to serve God, be there for others when they need it, and give back to the community here at Valpo. 

In my spare time, I enjoy hiking at the Dunes, playing volleyball or pickleball, and hanging out with friends. I am involved in VUTV where I serve as the Weather Director, a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha, and I am involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) here on campus. I also serve as a Weather Center tutor for the Meteorology department a couple of times a week.

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I am Emma Johnson! I’m a senior Creative Writing major with an Astronomy minor from Elm Grove, Wisconsin. This year I am a PM in Guild-Memorial Hall and I love being a PM because I have a heart for people! I care about supporting individuals, especially in their mental health and spiritual wellbeing, and I want to help the people at Valpo feel loved and seen.

On campus, I am involved in a number of ways including a music ministry group called Sweetwine, Creative Writing Club, Candlelight staff, and I teach yoga at the ARC! I love to be outside and in my spare time, I hike, camp, and hammock. I also enjoy reading, making music, and art. When I am not in my dorm, you can often find me around the chapel or at The Press, my favorite coffee shop downtown.

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Hey gang! My name is Esther Steinke! I am a senior Social Work major with a minor in Theology. I come from Lake Elmo, Minnesota, and I am the Peer Minister of the Helge Center. Becoming a Peer Minister was an important decision for me, as I enjoy helping and counseling people, a skill I hope to take with me as I become a therapist. Faith has been a huge part of my life, and I hope to share it with others in this awesome community we have on campus. You can also catch me around Muller and the Vuca, as I enjoy helping out with our CC programs and anything art related under the sun here on campus.

In my free time, I enjoy every sort of craft under the sun, from pottery, to woodworking, and especially painting. And, if you ever need a plug for Dungeons and Dragons, come swing by! There are at least 4 games at a time I know of at any point. Let me know if you have any questions, cares or even quests!

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Hello there! My name is Micah Koppang and I use they/them pronouns. I’m a senior Spanish major with a political science minor from Plainfield, Illinois. I’m the peer minister of the Office of Multicultural Programs (OMP). I decided to be a peer minister in order to help those who need guidance in their life (be it religious or not) and especially to advocate for diversity in the church, emphasizing that truly ALL are welcome. 

I’m involved heavily in the chapel, doing tech for services and being the community organizer for “Celebrate!”, our contemporary worship service. I’m also active within the organizations and events of OMP. Outside of campus-specific activities, I love reading (manga especially), watching video essays, going to the library, baking, and dancing!

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Hi, my name is Jose Bartolon-Ramirez! I am a junior majoring in project management and I am

from Detroit, Michigan, go Lions! I am the peer minister for Wehrenberg Hall. I became a PM because I like to help people when in need. If people just want to hang out my room is set up to chill and watch TV or even game so they can come to my room and hang out if they would like. I also want to let everyone know that there are several resources the school has that they can use which a lot of people don’t know. I want to show that Valpo is a safe place to be and is an always welcoming place to be. In my spare time I like to play lacrosse and basketball so if you have time to run some games let me know. 

As well I like to game on my pc, I would most likely play Valorant so if you want to run some games on that too let me know. I also like to go to the L.I.V.E events that occur on campus and just signed up to check out the tennis club so I hope that will be fun!

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PM Training

Valparaiso University’s Peer Ministers undergo a week of training at the beginning of each school year. This week’s goals are to build a team of mutually supportive ministers and equip them with the soft skills needed for peer ministry.

At the heart of this are care and comfort training. Through a curriculum developed by “Inspiring Comfort” which believes that giving comfort when people are hurting is a teachable skill, the Peer Ministers deepen their understanding of the need to initiate contact when they come across someone who is in distress, identify their own inhibitions against doing so and develop a practical plan for doing so that is true to their personality and place on campus. Through this training, along with an annual campus-wide workshop that introduces all new students to the need to provide care for one another, the Peer Ministers are an integral part of a plan to enhance the culture of care and compassion hallmark of campus life at Valpo.

In addition to care and comfort training, the Peer Ministers review the Chapel’s services and activities, are oriented to the breadth of support services available on campus, and learn how their role complements that of the Residential Life staff.

Once the school year begins, the Peer Ministers meet every other week under the direction of either the University Pastors or the Peer Ministry Leads (two veteran Peer Ministers who serve as student managers of the team) to check in with each other, talk out campus care issues as they arise and continue to develop their ministry skills.