World Opportunities Week

Our Purpose and Vision

World Opportunities Week (WOW) is a week designed to increase Taylor students' involvement in global missions through prayer, active service, and support. WOW's goal is to bring excitement and knowledge about cross-cultural evangelization to the Taylor community with current information about the status of missions throughout the world.

Our hope is that as a result of WOW, students will be challenged to pray more earnestly for the spiritually lost and actively seek out God's direction for their role in missions.

World Opportunities Week (WOW) is a part of our overall emphasis on global engagement at Taylor University. Students will interact with these guests through seminars, informal meals, booths and other presentations. Last year, WOW’s theme was ‘Celebrate Missions Stories’, and we brought in speakers Dr. David Howard, Valerie Elliot Shepherd, and Stephen Saint.

WOW has been an integral part of Taylor’s World Outreach program since the 1960’s. Director of Student Ministries, Mary Rayburn, works with a student cabinet to coordinate this important week.  

WOW is funded through the Jay and Phyllis Conrad Endowed Chapel Fund. It is the intent of this family from Berne, Indiana to provide special chapels throughout the year which give a clear presentation of the gospel.

What to Expect

WOW brings together mission representatives from a wide variety of organizations, both domestic and foreign, to Taylor University. Throughout the week mission "reps" eat lunch with students, interact through booths set up in the Hodson Dining Commons, speak in residence halls about specific topics of missions, and engage in seminar nights. Chapels throughout the week are focused on the theme, presented by the keynote speaker to the student body.

Housing is provided for Mission reps in student residence halls or faculty/staff homes throughout the week.  Meals are provided at the Dining Commons, but transportation is at the mission reps expense.  
WOW is giving mission reps the option to come for the whole week (Sunday night-Friday lunch), the 1st half of the week (Sun night – Wednesday lunch) or the 2nd half (Wednesday afternoon-Friday lunch).  Please make note of when you will be arriving and leaving when completing the application form.  

Mission Representative Applications are available by emailing wow@taylor.edu.

Contact Us

Have a question? Want to drop us a line? Have a suggestion or comment? This is where you can reach us. Feel free to call, write, e-mail or just stop in any time. We're always glad to hear from you.
World Opportunities Week, Taylor University, 236 West Reade Ave., Upland, IN  46989-1001
Phone: (765) 998-5335
E-mail: wow@taylor.edu

WOW Cabinet 2011

Director of Student Ministries: Mary Rayburn
Co-Directors: Ryan Caven, Joshua Larkin
Mission Representatives Coordinators: AJ Geick, Ericka Zeddis, Samantha Sweeting
Residence Hall Events Coordinators: Bethany Gehman, Matt Boersma
Chapel Service Coordinators: Esther Lang, Amanda Stephens
Housing Coordinators: Trevor Shockey, Emily Day
Faculty Relations Coordinators: Ashley Wisz, Hilarie Carlson
Prayer Coordinator: Brittany Smith
Publicity Coordinators: Melody Kerigan, Nick VanHeest
Seminar Nights Coordinators: Luke Lines, Kristen Prebble
World Opportunities Center Coordinators: Shogo Matsuki, Hope Broomham