Labor of Love: Annie Kornberg
Photos and Writing by Mariah Inman
I met Annie through my sister because they went to college together at OSU. I thought she would be a great person to profile for the “Labor of Love” theme because she works hard and is passionate about what she does. Annie Kornberg works as lead staff for the multicultural chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Washington State University. She works an average of 40 hours a week. InterVarsity is a nonprofit organization, which means that the people on staff must ask for funding from friends and family. Even though she doesn’t make the highest salary, she does this job to meet college students who want to learn about God. InterVarsity is about making a place where everyone is welcome, no matter your background, race, gender, or sexual orientation. Annie creates this atmosphere by making sure people feel invited and welcome through weekly small group and leadership team meeting, and monthly large group dinners. By working to create a space for everyone, she is opening up a way people can feel loved by coming in knowing they will never be excluded or judged for who they are.
She partners with the international chapter staff leader, Adri Fonteijn on some large group events like the 2017 thanksgiving feast, 2018 easter weekend, and 2018 end of the year party.
Annie’s car is a large part of her job. She gives students a ride to InterVarsity events and weekend conferences on the westside of Washington. She also travels to work conferences once a semester and once in the summer to meet with InterVarsity Pacific Northwest staff members in Washington, Oregon, and various places in the Midwest of the United States.
Annie travels a lot, which means she has objects like poster board papers to a box of pens to random articles of clothing. In March she had multiple back-to-back conferences, so she had more stuff than usual in her car. She said people asked her if she lived in her car because she had so many things in her car for several weeks.
Part of her job is to meet with student leaders once a week and mentor them. She usually meets with student leaders at a coffee shop or restaurant for an hour or two.
Aside from her work with students, she does work on her laptop. Work on her laptop includes sending emails, video meetings with other PNW staff members, outlining bible studies, and planning leadership meetings. “I work on average 40 hours a week but I normally work 60 hours a week,” Annie said.
To prep for small group every week she goes shopping for snacks. The snacks change depending on the week, it can vary from sweet treats to fruit to crackers.
Her final purchases for the end of the year small group party were chips, salsa, m&m ice cream sandwiches, and oranges.
For her job, she does constant outreach to WSU students through text message invites and Facebook post reminders. The text message invites remind people that they are always welcome to come to InterVarsity events (such as small group, which she is messaging about in this photo).
Annie gets help from small group members to start the Jackbox game. RaJahné and Alanna wait and talk while it gets set-up. From left to right: RaJahné Smith-Jones, Alanna Lee, Jen Kabat, Annie Kornberg, and Shawn O’Connor.
“My two favorite things are leaders team meeting and small group,” Annie said. Leaders team meeting occurs at 3 p.m. every Sunday in Pullman Presbyterian Church. Small group meets at 7 p.m. every Thursday in the Stephenson downunder conference room. Left to right: Annie Kornberg, Shawn O’Connor, Celestina Hendrickson, and Morgan Aho.
For large group events, like the end of the year dinner on Apr. 24, she buys the ingredients for the dinner. She cooks the meal for the dinner with the help of student leaders and other InterVarsity members.