MEET THE STAFF AT K-STATE
Paul Scheele
Paul Scheele is the Director and Team Leader for Athletes in Action at Kansas State, in addition to giving leadership to the Great Plains as a Regional Director. Paul graduated from K-State in 1993 with an Electrical Engineering Degree and worked as Manager of Strategic and Industrial Accounts for Groupe Schneider before being led to join the staff of Cru/AIA in 1998.
He is currently focused on the spiritual needs of athletes and coaches at Kansas State University, while also giving attention to all colleges/universities across Kansas.
Throughout his time at K-State, Paul has been closely involved with many sports, but especially with the baseball, football, and men’s basketball teams as a chaplain. Over the course of his time on staff with AIA he has led mission and leadership projects to Barcelona, Spain, Juneau, Alaska, and the Baltic States of Europe. He and his wife, Wendy, also led a one year short term mission team to Puebla, Mexico to reach the over 150,000 college students and athletes of this beautiful city.
Paul is an elder at his local church in Manhattan, KS where he and his wife, Wendy, have raised their three children – Rachel, JP, and Sarah. Paul loves to engage with people’s life stories, spend time with his family, enjoys practically all sports, and loves to cut, split, and burn firewood.
Wendy Scheele
Wendy is a 1996 KState graduate in Elementary Art Education. During her college years God really grabbed her heart for Him, His Word and people. During her senior year of college it became obvious that God was calling her to a life of ministry. She joined staff with Cru/AIA in 1998 and has been privileged to serve on the KState campus since (minus one year in Puebla, Mexico in 2006-2007).
Wendy married Paul Scheele in 1998 and is a mother of three kids; Rachel, JP, and Sarah.
Wendy is passionate about seeing others walk with God for a lifetime. She loves teaching women the truths of God’s Word and how to be all that God has called them to be. She loves developing others and seeing them grow. She loves seeing how God uses sports to build relationships with teammates and with God himself.
Wendy is also passionate about art and experiencing God’s beauty and seeing Him as Creator. She enjoys painting, crafting and using her hands to glorify God.
Michael Turkovic
Michael Turkovic has been involved with Athletes In Action from 2016 – present.
A graduate of Manhattan Christian College & Kansas State he pursued youth and children’s ministry in Abilene, KS (2009-2016) after college where he also had the opportunity to coach basketball, substitute teach and be a huddle coach for the High School FCA program. Years later he was called to enter into campus ministry at Kansas State where he is currently serving.
College is a great time to decide what is worth chasing after in life and my heart is for young men to experience God’s best in all the things, and to pursue a lifetime of Kingdom work wherever God may take them.
Michael lives in Manhattan, KS and is married to Tyndol Turkovic. They have two children: Christian and Kalea.
Gwen Bachman
Gwen Bachman is in her second year as an intern with Athletes in Action in central Kansas. She graduated from Kansas State with a degree in Human Resources Management. While in college, Gwen spent four years as a student manager for the women’s basketball team which gave her the opportunity to be involved in AIA and create a solid community of Christ followers around her.
Gwen spends her free time attending K-State sporting events, going to the lake with her family, and volunteering with the youth at her church.
Some of Gwen’s spiritual gifts are teaching, leadership, and service. She has a strong passion for learning the word of God and an excitement to share with others in a way that encourages them as well. It always re-energizes her faith to see new people become captivated with the love of God or long-time believers discover a new facet of his grace.