Joseph

Joseph Teipel, 22, was born in the small, Colorado mountain town of Buena Vista. Since he was young, Joseph has had a strong desire to see justice done in the world. To this end, he pursued a criminology degree from the University of Denver. Through life-shaping travel experiences provided through DU, Joseph’s drive for justice transformed into what it is today: a passion to help people rethink the way they live, so as to take into account their impact on each other and the environment.

At the University of Denver, one of these molding experiences was a three-week trip to Nicaragua where he volunteered with various service projects, stayed with host families, and learned a great deal about Nicaraguan culture, history and economy. Moved by his experiences, Joseph extended his stay to spend an extra week with a coffee-farming family in the mountains. There he picked coffee, made corn tortillas, and played baseball with their kids. The experience of seeing such poverty mixed with an absolute reliance on nature was a turning point which led Joseph to realize the kind of change he wanted to see in the world. He would, from this point forward, dedicate himself to leading and connecting with people, working towards the revision of society in a meaningful and loving way.

Eric

Eric Kornacki, 26, was born in Boulder, CO and spent most of his life growing up in the surrounding areas. With a sense of adventure and a restless spirit, Eric explored his environment, cultivating a respect and stewardship for nature. A youthful passion for the great outdoors would later transform into the conviction that societal life needs to be founded upon principles of cultural wisdom.

After high school, Eric’s inner search led him to multiple universities and a shift in majors, from business to economics and international studies. Unsuspectingly, it happened to be an English paper that would change the course of his life. Assigned to write a research essay on environmental degradation and economic growth, the findings of his study inspired Eric to commit his life to changing the way society is run.

International study experiences in Albania and Central America perpetuated Eric’s commitment to learning about sustainable lifestyles. While working on a development project in an impoverished community in Albania, Eric was forced to reconcile the ideas of sustainable development he believed possible and the reality he saw as a result of the current global economic paradigm. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Eric was able to see first hand how local principles of sustainability and community can be applied towards improving social, economic, and environmental community-valued aspects of life.