Lighting the Way
BY MILES MOREY ’25
2 MIN. READ
This past summer, cinema and media arts senior Josiah Dieterle found an internship that taught him practical skills and strengthened his faith.
When choosing an internship, Dieterle wanted something that aligned with his skills and passion. Through Anderson University partnerships, he had opportunities to work in Los Angeles or do marketing for local companies, but nothing fit until he heard about Christ in Youth.
Christ in Youth is an organization that partners with local churches to bring the Gospel to preteens and teens through age-intentional programming. With their organization, Dieterle could travel across the country to help bring the message of Christ to thousands of middle and high school students.
His experience operating and designing lighting rigs for Reardon Auditorium and work at the Ruoff Music Center prepared him to set up and cue lighting at several venues across the country.
“I’ve always enjoyed creating spaces where people can have that moment with God,” Dieterle said.
His summer began with three weeks of preparation in Joplin, Missouri, building lighting rigs and rehearsing for the programs. After that, they traveled to New Mexico, Texas, Florida, and California setting up week-long events at local venues. Sometimes the team flew, but often Josiah drove across the country himself as the only member of the crew licensed to transport equipment.
“The longest was an hour and a half up to Fort Wayne before leaving. Then I was doing six, seven, eight-hour drives by myself,” Dieterle said, recalling the physical demands of travel.
Despite exhausting days and team conflicts, Dieterle found his work fulfilling. One pivotal moment came several weeks into the job, when a new leader helped the live production team work together more efficiently during an event.
“That week in California was one of the best. Everything clicked, and by the end of the summer, I knew I wanted to do it again,” Dieterle explained.
Repeated exposure to different preachers strengthened Dieterle’s faith. Though occupied with his work, the message of Psalm 23 spoken over nine weeks from various perspectives provided a deeper understanding of the psalm and its application. While learning and testing professional skills, Dieterle was being shepherded by the Word.
Like many Christians, Dieterle has experienced times where God felt more distant. “I’ve had rockier points in my faith, but the one constant has been, even if I’m not as locked in with God as I want to be, I want to still create a space for someone to have that moment. So being able to spend nine weeks straight getting to do that for thousands of kids was just really, really great to do.”
As a cinema and media arts major, Dierterle’s internship with Christ in Youth offered a unique blend of technical development and spiritual growth. “It’s a feeling you don’t find easily elsewhere,” he said, reflecting on the adrenaline of live events and the opportunity to impact others. As a Christian, Dieterle has been reminded that the Lord is his shepherd and is using him to establish reverent spaces for worship.
Miles Morey is a senior from New Castle, Indiana majoring in public relations and minoring in psychology. Miles is an associate with Fifth Street Communications®, a student-run public relations agency at Anderson University.
Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.