Carlos Ordonez, (B.A. InterculturalStudies ’23) could not have predicted that when he spoke to Manna U President Dr. Steven Crowther regarding his work in Latin America, Manna University Latin America would be born. Carlos shared his passion for his mission work in Mexico and a need for more training for his people. “I was not expecting anything. I was just sharing.” Ordonez recalls. A few months later, Dr. Crowther told Carlos to get his students ready. The plan underwent a short detour when Dr. Crowther passed away but Manna U’s new Provost Ron McBride and President Carlo Serrano shared Dr. Crowther’s vision and continued to work to prepare a program specifically designed for Latin America.
“Everything just worked out perfectly. I had the students in Mexico ready, I just needed to get the greenlight. Dr. Serrano was getting the program set up and everything worked together really well.” Ordonez explains. Ordonez continues to play a role as a teaching assistant for several courses, helping students get what they need and assisting faculty. The program began in Fall 2022 with 13 students and grew to 21 in the Spring with students in Mexico and Columbia.
