Executive Committee Bios

President

Ryan DeWall

My name is Ryan DeWall, and I will be serving you as the IV president this year. I am from Hudsonville, MI, and graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, with a degree in mechanical engineering. I started my graduate studies at UW-Madison in September 2005 in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and will finish with a Master's degree in December.

This year in IV I look forward to forming strong social groups and interpersonal relationships with both new and returning students. I hope and pray that we can grow together spiritually as we pursue our academic degrees, so that we may show the Light of Christ in our departments and at the university around us. My wife, Katie, and I are looking forward to the upcoming year here at UW-Madison!

Large Groups

Julie Godshall

I'm Julie Godshall and I hail from suburban Atlanta, where I lived until attending Furman University in Greenville, SC. People thought I was nuts for coming up to cold Wisconsin for grad school, but I love it here! I now have a Master's in math and love my job as an internal auditor at an insurance company here in town. Coming here was also a great move in that I met my husband of two years, Jon (who, incidentally, will be coordinating worship for our Large Groups).

As Large Group Coordinator, my hope is that through hearing great speakers, spending time with cool people, and participating in corporate worship and prayer, we can not only gain more "head knowledge" about God, but can also see deep spiritual formation in our own lives. I'm pumped about our upcoming theme, where through biographies of great Christian movers and shakers through time, we'll gain a deeper understanding of what lies at the heart of the Christian faith. I look forward to seeing you there!

Small Groups

Bern Jordan

I am Bern Jordan and am in my fourth year of graduate school in biomedical engineering with the Trace Center. In my research, I study different methods of making mainstream electronic and computer systems accessible to people with disabilities. My undergraduate work was also done at the UW in biomedical engineering but with a much different focus.

This year I will be serving as the Small Group Coordinator. I have been a small group leader for the past two years and will continue, with my wife Kelly, to host a small group in our house. Being part of a both a small group and a men's accountability group has been very valuable personally in my walk with Christ. I pray that through small groups and men's and women's accountability groups both new and veteran graduate students alike can develop real spiritual depth and close relationships with fellow believers.

Community Life

Sarah Wynia

I'm Sarah Wynia, the Community Life Coordinator for the IV graduate fellowship. After living in both North and South Dakota as a child, I attended Northwestern College in Iowa. Now I am a graduate student in physiology workin' hard on that Ph.D. degree!

I hope and pray that this year Intervarsity will continue to become more community-focused, in addition to its commitment to the pursuit of truth in our walk with the Lord. Change in the minds of future generations really does begin with the university, and I hope to see this fellowship committed to integration of faith, learning, and deeds so that we can play a part in molding those young minds!

Administrator

Amy Commers

Hi, I'm Amy and I'll be serving as the Administrative Exec member this year. I am from Maple Grove, MN, and attended Northwestern College in Orange City, IA, where I majored in English. At UW-Madison I am a Master's student in the Library and Information Studies program. When I graduate in May, I hope to find a job working in youth services at a public library.

My prayer is that God would continue His work building our fellowship, and that we would continue reaching out to the university and community as an outpouring of His love. I'm looking forward to welcoming new and old faces into the fellowship this year.

Executive Assistant

Brian Smith

I'm Brian Smith, and I'll be serving as the Exec "6th man" over the next year. While I was born in Wyoming, I grew up in Champaign, Illinois, where I went to undergrad at the University of Illinois majoring in chemistry and minoring in music. At UW-Madison, I'm in my fifth year of the organic chemistry Ph.D. program where I study enzyme chemical mechanisms.

As the "6th man," I'll be doing whatever needs to be done to help cover for the sabbatical of our staff worker, Jon Dahl. I'm looking forward to being involved in many aspects of Grad IV's ministry including building men's community, leading worship, helping with community life events, and whatever else might come up! I hope to help bring forth a common vision to the breadth of groups and opportunities that Grad IV has to offer.