Chris Scanlon ’24
Founder and Executive Director, Mending Together
Before joining the M.A. in Humanitarian Disaster Leadership program at Wheaton College, I spent years volunteering with refugee resettlement organizations, teaching on mental health, and assisting in finding housing for refugees. These experiences sparked my commitment to supporting displaced communities and motivated me to gain deeper knowledge and leadership skills.
I pursued the HDL program while working full-time in the for-profit sector, using it as an opportunity to build the expertise needed for a career shift into humanitarian work. Our NGO Leadership class, in which we formed mock NGOs in small groups, helped shape my approach to launching my own organization. My group, and the rest of my cohort, come from many different cultures and types of organizations. They were invaluable, their support and shared insights reinforced my growth and encouraged me to pursue my vision.
Thanks to the knowledge and connections I gained through the HDL program, I launched Mending Together, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting everyday people and refugees with mental health resources and community. My journey in the HDL program turned my experiences into actionable leadership skills, enabling me to launch Mending together with confidence guided by the desire to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God along the way.