This time of year, every student has holidays on their mind, but many students also start thinking about the upcoming summer and what they should do between school years.

This week on Nov. 7–8, there was a summer camp job fair in the Campus Center, including a variety of camps from across and country. Each of the 12 camps in attendance discussed basic information–location and available positions as well as mission and ministry.

Each of these are Christian camps with great missions to bring people closer to Christ. Some have lots of sports, some have great outdoor adventure and some focus on the relationships they build. But all of them desire for their campers to know Jesus Christ, and I think that is the most important part.

The first two camps to catch my eye when I was a freshman were Glorieta Camps, based in New Mexico, and Camp Eagle, located in the hill country. When they talked to me about the jobs, it wasn’t a counselor position that sparked my interest, it was the accounting intern position (yes, a summer camp has internships for accounting). As a bright-eyed freshman accounting student, I was eager to apply and get my foot in the door for my future career path.

I left the Campus Center and immediately went to my dorm to apply for the accounting intern position at Glorieta Camps. To say I had high hopes was an understatement. After several weeks of anticipation and a couple of interviews, I heard back Glorieta with a “yes.” I was extremely excited to spend my summer in the mountains of New Mexico while also getting the opportunity to learn more about my future career surrounded by amazing and adventurous people.

Glorieta has the mission to inspire Christ-like change through outdoor adventure, authentic relationships and Biblical truth. I knew this mission statement before I showed up for work at the end of May, but it wasn’t until I went that I was able to truly experience this mission for myself and see the things the Lord is doing there.

Not only do campers grow in their faith, but so does the staff.

Working at Glorieta was such a blessing in my life. I was surrounded by a community who was there to speak the Gospel intentionally. Even as an accounting intern, I could experience the Lord through worship, community and outdoors. I enjoyed it so much, so I went back the next summer and did it again, still working as an accounting intern.

Then I went back for a third summer.

My third summer at camp, I was a counselor. It was an incredible time of learning, growth and fun.

As a counselor, I was paired with another college-aged adult to lead a group of kids. Each week, there was a chance to build relationships with the new group of kids that would come to camp, disciple them, encourage them, play with them, care for them and share your life with them.

If you missed the camp fair, saw it and walked past, or even talked to some of the camp representatives and are thinking about working at a camp, do it.

Each of the camps that visited, and even others, have values and missions to share Christ to campers in fun ways. I encourage you to spend your summer doing something meaningful, doing something you enjoy, in a place you would love. Working at a camp could be more than just a summer job, it could change your life.