As the spring semester continues, TCU students gathered to share summer camp experiences and learn about new opportunities.
TCU alumnus Collin Sparks visited campus on Tuesday to talk about his camp in Branson, Missouri.
Sparks graduated in 2002 with a degree in mechanical engineering and is now the director of K-Kountry, one of 12 Christian summer camps under Kanakuk Kamps.
The Kanakuk organization hosts athletic, family, traveling and adventure camps. Most camps are located in southwest Missouri.
Kanakuk looks for 2,000 college students from 300 different universities each year to be a part of its summer camp program.
“From sunrise to sundown, you go, you serve and you give.” Sparks said.
Sparks said he is always looking to make his camp better.
“If you’re going to tell people and kids about Jesus,” Sparks said, “you might as well do it using water slides and zip-lines.”
After Sparks spoke, TCU students talked about their experiences working at the camp.
“It totally surpassed my expectations,” said Emily Dodd, a camper for five years who worked at Kanakuk last summer.
Nathan Loewen, a junior, also worked at the camp last summer.
“Without a doubt, working there was one of the best summers of my life,” Loewen said. “It was an absolute blast.”
Sparks said his co-workers across all 12 camps have one main goal for the students they hire.
“Our biggest hope is that this generation would live for things greater than themselves.”