by Ella Smith, Student Public Relations Writer
Jonny Gartner’s future is shaped by his past.
Born in Albania, where he lived in an orphanage before being adopted by parents in suburban Columbus, Ohio, Gartner now has an opportunity to return to his homeland through a mission trip sponsored by Global Outreach (GO) department. The trip is scheduled for May.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to go back to Albania for the first time since I was adopted,” said Gartner. “I would love to form relationships with the Albanian people and build a long-term connection.”
Being adopted internationally gave Gartner an interest in the world and a fascination with other cultures. These experiences led him to study political science and international studies at Cedarville and influenced his plans to pursue a master's degree in public policy in 2025.
During his first year at Cedarville, Gartner met other students who also had a connection to Albania. These relationships sparked his initial interest in organizing a GO trip. As a student, Gartner met with Brian Nester, the director of Global Outreach, several times to discuss a trip to Albania, but COVID interrupted his mission trip plans.
Despite his disappointment, Gartner continued finding ways to connect with his country of origin. As a member of Cedarville’s Model U.N. team in 2022, he represented Albania in the national competition in New York, New York. This experience gave Gartner an opportunity to learn even more about Albania and its policies.
After Gartner graduated in 2023, Gartner continued to work at Cedarville and last summer joined Dr. David Peterson, assistant professor of exercise science, in planning a Global Outreach trip to Albania in partnership with Athletes in Action. This trip is designed to use sports camps to build relationships with students in Albania.
Although Gartner’s own trip will not take place until May of 2025, the connections and timing to make this trip possible have been two decades in the making since Gartner’s adoption. Gartner noted how the Lord’s work had been evident throughout the timing of the trip, "The Lord moved and worked everything out for this trip to happen at this time with these people.”
۶app, a Baptist institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences, and professional fields. With 6,384 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by the Wall Street Journal as being among the nation’s top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.