MARION, Ind. - While Indiana Wesleyan University prides itself in academic and athletic excellence, community service is likewise a point-of-pride, having immersed themselves in Marion and the surrounding communities in a variety of outreach venues.
 

One of the newest community outreach programs - Wildcat Reading Program - geared up this past fall. This program positions athletes from the university to work in local schools to assist kids with reading and reading comprehension, and engage them in skill-building activities to promote literacy development. 
 

Isaiah Kline, a junior majoring in marketing and business administration and a member of the IWU men's soccer team, is heavily involved with the program and has grown immensely because of the opportunity for service the program provides him.

When he isn't on the soccer field or in the classroom, Kline spends his time at Riverview Elementary School with Aileen Totty and her 22-member second-grade class. At Riverview, he reads with some of the students, monitors tests, and even led portions of their annual Christmas party. 
 

He has grown close with many of the students, particularly with a young lady named Isabella, who gifted him a stuffed elephant at Christmas. 
 

"God placed giving generously on my heart," Kline said. "Being in college, I can't really give financially, but giving my time was probably my best option. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. The kids are looking up to me, but at the same time, I'm getting a lot out of it from them as well. It's very rewarding."
 

For Kline, being a part of the Wildcat Reading Program is more than just assisting Riverview students with their reading. It's about making a positive difference in a young person's life, all while showing Christ's love and light in the process.
 

"It's very much about being a believer and understanding that there is so much more than ourselves," Kline said. "There is so much more to give. We are called to go out and make disciples. Although it's not a Christian school, it's a cool opportunity to sneak a little Bible verse in there or even give little Biblical principles. Our job is to plant the seed, and God is able to grow that."

While he is using his time at Riverview to set a Christ-like example, he simply enjoys his time there. Working with the Wildcat Reading Program provides him an escape from the stresses of college – the work, the major projects, the long nights, and the deadlines – and gives him a chance to do something worthwhile for the kingdom of God. 
 

"It's good to have fun," Kline said. "When you're in college, it's all business. We have such a structured setting here, and there is really not a whole lot of time just to get outside of yourself. [I learned] it's okay to have fun and let loose a little bit. Me being an introvert, as well as a pretty serious person, this is something I [never] thought I would have done…but God has placed this on my heart. Being with a group of second graders, it's been very much outside of my comfort zone, but it's been so fun."

To hear more stories on how God is working in and through Wildcat Athletics, please visit http://IWUWildcats.com/MissionInAction.