Outcast

Natasha Eileen Home is a born and raised South African studying psychology and fine arts at Gordon College. Two of her biggest loves are the beach and dogs, and if you add in a sweet cup of coffee, it is her perfect day. She is an amateur baker and loves nothing more than hosting friends for a meal. She is hoping to explore social work as a next step, as she is motivated by the practicality with which she can serve her community through providing basic support and resources.

Michael Arko Roy is a Junior at Gordon majoring in Business management and Marketing. Michael was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh (Almost 8000 miles away from home), brought up in a Christ-loving family. Severed in a youth ministry in Bangladesh for almost 6 years. He loves meeting new people and making new friends. Michael loves doing origami and is fluent in 3 different languages. Fun fact about Michael – he can read and write at the same time

Prophet Samuel Ackatia-Kwaidoo, affectionately called Prophet Sam by loved ones, is a gifted international student from Ghana who goes by the producer name Peechytunez. A versatile music producer, Peechytunez is passionate about creating unique sounds across sonics such as Afrobeats, Hip Hop, Lo-fi, Boom Bap, Dancehall, and Pop.  Balancing his creative pursuits with academic excellence, Prophet Samuel serves as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Chemistry at Gordon College. This role reflects his dedication to both mentorship and his aspiration to become a surgeon and serve the body of Christ. Tune in to the Outcast Podcast to hear his inspiring story and how he bridges faith, music, and academics to impact lives. 

Samantha Amanda Tiningrow Kenney is a junior studying International Affairs. Being born and raised in Guam, she grew up in a bicultural household with her dad from Boston and her mom from the Federated States of Micronesia. She is on the Gordon women's soccer team, the student athletic advisory council, and intern coordinator for the World Evangelical Alliance. Sam will be studying in the Balkans this spring as she is interested in peace, conflict, and reconciliation.

Jasmine Yoo is a junior at Gordon College, majoring in Marketing and Business Management and minoring in Communication Arts. She was born in South Korea, lived in Thailand for 10 years, and moved to the US when she was 13 years old. She loves meeting and connecting with new people. She also loves thrifting and getting coffee.

Graeme Bird was born in New Zealand, and as a young child also lived overseas with his family: a year in India, and then two more in England and Scotland, before returning to New Zealand for middle and high school.  At Auckland University he studied Classics and Mathematics, then did some high school teaching before coming to Boston in 1981 to study music at the Berklee College of Music. While there he met his wife Joni, who was also studying music at the Boston Conservatory.  Subsequently he got back into Linguistics and Classics, getting his MA and PhD at Harvard University. He came to Gordon College in 1999 and has been teaching here ever since, mainly Linguistics and English courses. He also loves to play piano with Gordon's jazz band. 

Johnny Paul-Faina is a student at gordon college studying english and art. He's a third culture kid and pastor's kid born in the United States and serving in Romania. He loves learning more about the Lord's goodness through poetry and oil painting, and feels God's joy through singing jazz and worshipping. Johnny has been a co-host on Outcast Podcast this past year, seeking to provide other international and multi-cultural people with a voice that will resound on a Global Scale. Ivyanna Carr, more commonly known as Ivy, was born in Fort Libtery, formerly known as Fort Bragg, North Carolina; however, she is a military kid so she did not stay there for long. Her family is now stationed in Sacramento, California. Throughout her time at Gordon she has participated in various extracurriculars. She is happy with the different experiences she has had during her undergraduate years and looks forward to continuing her education at Simmons University to obtain her Master's in library science. In her free time, Ivy loves reading, cooking, exploring new places, and spending time with her loved ones.

Richmond Obeng, a diligent and accomplished junior at Gordon College, is a native of Ghana, West Africa. He grew up in Tema, a town in Accra, where he was nurtured in a devout Christian household alongside two siblings. Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in computer science with a minor in pre-law, Richmond exemplifies a harmonious blend of technical expertise and legal insight. Richmond's journey towards academic excellence began at the prestigious Presbyterian Boys Secondary School in Legon, Ghana, where he distinguished himself as both Headboy and student body president, demonstrating exceptional leadership and organizational skills. Outside the realm of academia, Richmond finds fulfillment in his passion for coding, which he sees not only as a technical skill but also as a means of creative expression. He also nurtures a love for literature, avidly devouring books to broaden his intellectual horizons, and finds solace in the melodic tapestry of music.

Gelu Paul was born into a small Evangelical family in Oradea, in Communist Romania. Early on in his life, he experienced hostility from professors due to his faith. Because of his involvment in evangelism, he was also under constant surveillance and threatened by the secret police. Between 1982 and 1990, in partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ, Gelu developed an underground disciple making movement that reached out to hundreds of college students with the Gospel in Timisoara and throughout Romania. In 1991, Gelu attended Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Theology and Ministry. Upon his return to Romania, Gelu and a team of 31 leaders planted Vox Domini, one of the first multi-site Evangelical churches in Romania. In 2021 Gelu with his evangelical leadership team launched the Romanian Leadership Forum where currently he serves as the National Coordinator.

Michel Bayarjargal is a senior graduating with a degree in economics and philosophy. He was born in Mongolia and raised between Mongolia, Massachusetts, and the UK. Michel is a rower for the college and claims to read. But more importantly to him, he likes talking about profilicity, ideology, and Slavoj Žižek.

Lily Rodrigues is a senior at Gordon College double majoring in Political Science and History with a pre-law minor. As a woman of dual nationality, Lily grew up immersed in Brazilian culture despite being born in the US and never living in Brazil. In true TCK fashion, Lily loves to travel and experience other cultures firsthand. For fun Lily likes to bake, sing hymns, read, and hang out with her friends. Marco Nachtigall is a TCK and MK who was born and raised in Hong Kong before moving to Germany. Currently, his family resides in Italy. He's here at Gordon college as a junior history major with minors in business administration and classical studies. He loves history, corgis and video games.  

Quentin Cole (or Q) is a senior at Gordon College, majoring in Communication Arts. Q was adopted from Almaty, Kazakhstan when he was 9 months old. From growing up as an Asian in the U.S. to living in Rome, Italy with an American understanding of culture, Q is grateful to have had numerous intercultural experiences both in the US and abroad. Please enjoy this conversation with Q about the challenges and complexities of growing up multicultural in the United States.

Faith Ettlich is a junior at Gordon College and is majoring in music and piano. As a military kid, Faith has moved all over the country and has experienced much of the diverse subcultures of the United States. She loves traveling and adventures and enjoys meeting people with different stories and cultures. She has used her experience in music and piano abroad in missions (in Japan and Spain) and looks forward to pursuing music after college. Faith enjoys reading, photography, the beach, and city walks. She currently resides in Hawai'i and greatly appreciates the culture, food, and weather! Please enjoy this conversation with Faith about living as a military kid in the United States!

Seraphina Chong is a sophomore at Gordon College majoring in marine biology with a passion for discovering God through His creation. Born and raised Singaporean Chinese, she moved to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, when she was 12, where her family currently resides. She is the second out of five siblings. Besides cooking Asian food on Saturdays, she enjoys playing guitar, studying, and watching anime or Korean drama with her friends at Gordon. Because of her passion for teaching, her goal for the future is to open an affordable Christian marine biology school where children and teenagers can learn about God's amazing design for every aspect of His creation. Please enjoy this conversation about God's creation with Seraphina!

Christian is a missionary kid who grew up in Chiang Mai, Thailand and Budapest, Hungary. He studied History here at Gordon with the goal of moving onto grad school and, eventually, back to the mission field. In the meantime, he serves as the International Admissions Counselor for Gordon. He loves conversation — especially about TCKs, cooking, and recently took up surfing. In this episode, Christian Shepherd discusses his experience as a missionary kid, his journey to Gordon College, and the ups and downs along the way. Please enjoy this conversation with Christian!

As season one of Outcast closes, this final episode features two new guests who will be taking on the roles of co-hosts for season 2. In this episode, they interview the founders and current hosts of Outcast, Hannah and Peter, and ask them to reflect on the production and creativity of the Outcast podcast. In this episode, Hannah and Peter discuss the initial creation of the platform and their future vision for the podcast as season 2 begins in Fall 2023. They also reminisce on their favorite moments together as hosts and offer final pieces of advice and farewell to their listeners. Please enjoy this last episode with Hannah and Peter :)

Welcome to our 14th episode featuring Jason Lopez. Jason Lopez is a senior at Gordon College, majoring in Computer Science. He is Salvadorian-Honduran and is actively and deeply involved in some organizations at Gordon, such as La Raza, the Hispanic-Latino Student Union, student government, and both God's Chosen Gospel Choir and the chapel band Kavanah. In this episode, he discusses being born American while simultaneously participating in both El Salvador and Honduras cultures and his family's immigration journey. Please enjoy this conversation with Jason!

Dr. Bobb is a Professor of Psychology at Gordon College. She joined the Gordon College faculty in the fall of 2015, coming from Northwestern University where she had been a Research Associate working on the neural correlates of bilingual language use and cognitive control. Susan's work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the German Research Foundation, and the Graduate Women in Science. She grew up in a missionary family and lived in Germany and Austria till she was 12 years old. In this episode, Dr. Bobb discusses her research of the psychology of bilingualism, her history living in Germany and Austria and then her move to the States. Please enjoy this conversation with Dr. Bobb!

Join us for another episode with Baraka Kamau, this time discussing topics around home, being a pastor's kid and an African woman in the United States of America. Baraka Kamau was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya before moving to The United States for higher education. She is a graduating senior studying Economics with a minor in Innovation and Social Enterprise. In this episode, you'll hear her recount her experience growing up in Kenya, and how her story has transformed her perspective on what it is to be truly home. Please enjoy this conversation with Baraka!

Welcome to the third special guest episode, featuring Kika Ghobrial. Kika was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. When he was nine years old, his family moved to Boston MA to serve at the Arabic Evangelical Baptist church. After studying at Gordon College, Kika now serves with his dad at the Arabic church as the youth and English ministries pastor. In this episode, Kika discusses the culture between Christians and Muslims in Egypt, his transition to the States, and the joys and concerns of working in an immigrant church in Boston. Please enjoy this conversation with Kika!

Welcome to the 10th episode of Outcast, featuring Eric Lee. Eric is a missionary kid who was born in Seoul Korea but was raised in Kunming, China. He is currently a Senior at Gordon College double majoring in Business Administration and Economics and minoring in Innovation and Social Enterprise. He is an entrepreneur, loves to think creatively, and is an aspiring Strategy/Management Consultant. In this episode, Eric discusses his cultural identity between his experiences in China and Korea, his first experience living in the United States, and his time in the Korean military. He also includes his heart for the gospel in the business world and expresses how being a missionary kid changed his view on finance and the idea of supporting missionary families and students. Through his passion for the business world, Eric hopes to use his resources to impact the kingdom of God in mighty ways. Please enjoy this conversation with Eric.

Welcome to the 9th episode of Outcast! Today we are interviewing Serafina Zotter, who is an Austrian Ethiopian American who was born and raised in Vienna, Austria. She is currently a senior at Gordon College majoring in Biology (with a pre-med concentration) and minoring in Neuroscience. Serafina is driven by her love for medicine, her fascination with languages, and her passion to see the healthcare sector change for the glory of God. At Gordon, she is heavily involved in research in the biology department and has served as a part of Residence Life and as a Presidential Fellow. In this episode, Serafina explores her history living in Vienna, and her exposure to multiple different cultures, and explains how they made her who they are today. Serafina also discusses her experience being a European in America, and how her perspective on her home culture was changed during her time studying in the States. Please enjoy this conversation with Serafina!

Welcome back to Outcast! In our 8th episode, we're speaking with Teddymax Talanoa. Teddy is a senior Psychology student with a minor in Political Science. Originally from Tonga and Samoa but growing up in southern California, Teddy discusses the struggle of growing up between cultures and how he never felt truly at home in either culture. He now uses his experiences of searching for community to provide safe spaces for others. He serves as a Presidential Fellow, has worked in Student Government and Residence Life, and is an active member of his local church. Please enjoy this conversation with Teddy!

Welcome back to another episode of Outcast! This episode features Sara Gaviria Ardila, who is from Cali, Colombia. Before coming to Gordon to study Art, Sara spent a considerable time in the States living in Fairfield, CT. In this episode, Sara discusses the impact of culture shock, and how she navigated challenges like the language barrier, learning how to live in a different culture, and how she feels about the concepts of change and transition. She also explains how studying in a different country taught her how to appreciate other cultures. Please enjoy this conversation with Sara!

Welcome to the 6th episode of Outcast, featuring our second special guest Dr. Michael Hammond. Dr. Hammond grew up in Indiana and has served in executive and academic positions at several universities, including the University of Arkansas, Southeastern University, and Taylor University. Currently, Dr. Hammond is living in MA with his family as he serves as the President of Gordon College. Dr. Hammond and his wife Jen have been married for 26 years and have 5 daughters and one son, ranging in age from 15 to 22. Their names are Elizabeth, Jack, Rebekah, Natalie, Anne, and Evelyn. In this special guest episode, Dr. Hammond discusses his first year of presidency at Gordon and recounts the transition for him and his family. He also explores the concept of "finding his calling" and recounts his own journey after graduating college. He offers valuable advice to graduating seniors about understanding God's calling for their life and encourages them to trust in the Lord's guidance in the process.

Welcome to the 5th episode of Outcast, featuring Roddy Ngolomingi. Roddy Ngolomingi is a senior at Gordon College, studying Computer Science. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and grew up in Kinshasa. Roddy came to the States when he was 19 and lived in Beverly MA until coming to Gordon in 2018. He currently lives in Beverly with his wife Jennifer, who he met at Gordon. After he graduates in May, Roddy plans to pursue a career in technology. In this episode, Roddy shares his experiences coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo to studying in the United States. He also shares the challenges, joys, and wisdom that comes with being in a multicultural relationship, and how that has shaped him into who he is today.

Welcome to the second part of the MK to MK series, featuring the co-host Hannah Hartman. Hannah is a sophomore at Gordon College double majoring in English and Communication Arts. She is originally from Denver, Colorado but moved overseas at age 9 to the Czech Republic, where she and her family spent 10 years serving the Czech young people through the local church. She is actively involved in communities on campus like Residence Life and was a 2021 International Student Leader and is now co-host of Outcast! In this episode, Hannah recounts her journey as a missionary kid in the Czech Republic. As she tells her story, she offers encouragement and advice about being an MK and also expresses the challenges that come with living the missionary life.

Welcome to Outcast Episode 3! These next two episodes will be in two parts featuring the two hosts of Outcast: Peter Lee and Hannah Hartman. In these episodes, they will explore their experiences as missionary kids, and share encouragement and advice from missionary kid to missionary kid. Peter is a senior at Gordon College, majoring in Business Administration. He is originally from Korea but he was born and raised in Bangalore, India. He is actively involved in activities on campus like chapel band and photography. He was a 2021 International Student Leader and is now the co-host of Outcast! In this episode, Peter will explore his experience as a missionary kid and share the challenges and joys that he faced during his time. He discusses his opinions and feelings about "missions" and offers encouragement and wisdom to the greater conversation of what it is to be a missionary.

Welcome to the first Special Guest Episode! For these episodes, we invite a special guest who has an international background to share how their cross-cultural experiences have shaped them after college. These guests offer wisdom and insight surrounding international topics through their life stories. Ingrid was born and raised in El Salvador and first came to Gordon College as a student. She was heavily involved in the international student community, which later led her to start the International Student Organization (or ISO) after her graduation. She is now the Director of International Student Services at Gordon and is a central resource to all the International Students. In this first "Special Guest" episode, you'll hear Ingrid recount her journey from El Salvador to the United States and her experience with culture shock and transition. She has some great advice for monocultural individuals who are moving to a new country and wisdom for both international and non-international people who are heading towards transition. She also describes the growth of the International Student Organization and her involvement in the communities around her.

Jasmine was born in Illinois, but her parents are from India and the Philippines. She moved back and forth from Connecticut and the Philippines before settling in Japan for 8 years. Currently, she and her family are living in San Diego CA. Jasmine is a junior here at Gordon College, where she's studying Communication Arts with a minor in theatre. In this first episode, you'll hear Jasmine talk about the joys and challenges of being a part of a multicultural family and how her diverse past has contributed to her perspective on identity. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Jasmine!