Born and raised in New Zealand, Renata recalls almost packing up and returning home within the first few weeks of college because everything seemed too different, and she felt unprepared. Standing with a handful of change to call her parents and ask them to “please bring me home,” CIU Professor Bryan Beyer spoke to Renata in her distress, prayed with her, and she agreed to stay for one week, which turned into a month, then a year, and the rest is history.