Jack Schreder is from Wheaton, IL, where he attended Wheaton Academy. Now a first-year Jefferson and Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia pursuing a Commerce degree, Jack's heart for ministry has led him to serve in the Dominican Republic four times since 2023. Working alongside Kids Alive Field Workers Vic & Leslie Trautwein and Kids Alive board member Phil Strzalka, Jack developed and implemented a comprehensive financial literacy program that is now being used in several Kids Alive Schools. This summer, he returns to launch the Network for Entrepreneurial Expansion and Opportunity (NEXO), an accelerator supporting students and graduates seeking employment.

At UVA, Jack balances his academics with purposeful involvement. As a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, and Global Markets Group, a student-run investment club that analyzes international companies and markets, he’s developing professional skills that will directly benefit his mission work. Through 180 Degrees Consulting, the world’s largest student-run nonprofit consulting organization, Jack leads a project restructuring a Christian Theological College in Zimbabwe, demonstrating his commitment to kingdom-building across borders. His service on the University Judiciary Committee, a student-led body responsible for upholding the university’s standards of conduct and resolving disciplinary cases, has shaped his understanding of creating transformative policies that honor dignity and promote positive change.

During his six-week Dominican Republic mission, Jack will teach entrepreneurship to students and graduates while conducting market research across several cities to identify viable business models for NEXO. He hopes to provide microloans to promising graduates of his entrepreneurship course, creating sustainable opportunities for economic independence. Jack believes social entrepreneurship is a powerful vehicle for sharing God's Word while glorifying His Kingdom through practical support for marginalized communities. By combining his business acumen with his faith, Jack seeks to create a lasting impact that transforms both economic circumstances and hearts for Christ.