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Emily Juhnke is a Fall 2014 graduate of Washburn University who upon graduation recieved the Sibberson award. After visiting
Cape Town, South Africa, Emily decided that following graduation she would take an internship in the heart of Cape Town, South
Africa.
Graduate finds place in the Cape
By Sarah Seuell
Emily Juhnke, a fall 2014
graduate of Washburn University,
has been a star inside and outside
of the classroom throughout her
college career. Her efforts within the
classroom earned her the Sibberson
award, a substantial monetary
award established by the trusts
of Erna Sibberson and Gretchen
O.A. Sibberson. The endowment
was established to honor the most
deserving student among the highestranking members of the senior class
at Washburn University. Outside of
the classroom, Juhnke has interned
with Schowalter Villa, worked for
the university’s foundation and
acted as assignment editor for the
Washburn Review. Now that Juhnke
has graduated, she plans on interning
again, only this time she’s leaving the
country.
Juhnke is performing a six-month
volunteer internship at the Hillsong
Africa Foundation (HAF) located in
Cape Town, South Africa. Juhnke
had visited Cape Town just two years
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earlier on a study abroad trip through
Semester at Sea. In a journal she kept
while in Cape Town she had written,
“I know I’ll be coming back
to this place. I could see
myself living here and going to
Hillsong. I love it so much!”
Hillsong is a nonprofit
organization that was founded out
of Hillsong Church in Cape Town.
Juhnke plans to serve as a full-time
public relations and communications
intern for six months. Juhnke will
help HAF improve its social media
presence, create and implement a
crisis communications plan, organize
upcoming events, design newsletters
and any other projects HAF may have.
Although the internship is only listed
at six months, Juhnke’s visa is valid
for a little over a year and she is open
to staying longer.
Hillsong is also where Juhnke met
pastor Phil Dooley who helped her
accept Christ and restore her faith.
Juhnke, on a whim, attended a Good
Friday service at Hillsong Church.
Afterward, she was sure that Cape
Town was where she belonged.
“Phil Dooley spoke the message
of the gospel in a way that connected
with me on a deep and personal level
it hadn’t before. I accepted Christ into
my life that morning and made the
decision to follow Him.”
Juhnke left a part of her heart in
Cape Town that day. When graduation
washburn.edu/massmedia