Sam Skillern
As Library Assistant, Sam Skillern supports students in library circulation, retrieving materials from online databases, maintaining the collection, and converting materials into accessible formats. Sam also assists Student Academic Services with class recording management and special projects, and works with Campus Services in helping staff the Front Desk and processing mail.
As Administrative Coordinator at the Center for Transforming Engagement, Sam develops and implements program management systems and oversees participant communications. He also manages forms processing for reimbursements and payments.
Sam joined 天美视频 staff in Fall of 2022, drawn to the school鈥檚 mission and interdisciplinary approach to learning and community engagement.聽Sam is passionate about helping people feel welcome, valued, known, and heard. He鈥檚 really enjoyed getting to know each member of this community and聽 has treasured being a part of all that folks are learning and doing here.
In 2017 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology with minors in Spanish and History from Seattle Pacific University. To his role, Sam brings a range of experience including interning at the Salem Leadership Foundation, working as a Bilingual Program Coordinator at Big Brothers Big Sisters, serving as Youth Director at Calvin Presbyterian Church, and working as a Brick Specialist at The LEGO Store Bellevue.
Outside work, Sam鈥檚 hobbies include playing Dungeons and Dragons and collecting LEGOs and Transformers. He鈥檚 also into Star Wars, Marvel, fantasy, and sci-fi. Sam likes trying new restaurants with his wife Jessica, spending time with his brother Drew, and hanging out with friends. Recently Sam鈥檚 also been getting into mini-golf and gardening.
Sam lives in Lake City with his wife Jessica and their beloved cat Poppy. Salem, Oregon is his hometown, and his favorite place in the world (so far) is Wallowa Lake, also in Oregon.
Sam is passionate about decolonizing and recontextualizing Christian faith and reconnecting it to the unadulterated divine revelation of Jesus of Nazareth. He believes Christians in the Western world must divorce our understanding of the Triune God and of what it means to be made in God鈥檚 Image from the systemic colonialism, racism, sexism, xenophobia, ableism, and homophobia ingrained in the culture that surrounds us.聽鈥淛esus lived, died, and was resurrected so we can be free, so let鈥檚 embrace our liberation!鈥�