Goshorn finds ‘perks’ of ACTC business program

March 29, 2022

ASHLAND, Ky. – Business Administration student, Katherine Goshorn, is taking what she is learning in the program and applying it to her daily life as a small business owner in South America. 

Along with her parents, Goshorn owns Peru Perk, a coffee shop located in the Andes Mountains. Their coffee is available for purchase online, and through their mission, they are able to support the locals and also help educate coffee farmers on better harvest and land management techniques. 

“We started Peru Perk for a couple of reasons,” Goshorn said. “One, we noticed that when missionaries left the field and moved back to their passport country, their ministries would fall apart due to lack of funds. So, we hope that if we ever leave, that the profits from Peru Perk would help keep the ministries and programs going. Second, we noticed that the coffee farmers around us were getting taken advantage up and ripped off by local cooperatives. We hope to one day help them get what their coffee is worth.”

The Goshorn family moved to Peru in 2014. Goshorn’s father and brother had been there on a short-term mission trip previously, and felt led to come back there to serve the Peruvian people.

“The main work we do is delivering food and doing Bible studies. Our first year here, we started a feeding program in a neighborhood close by,” she said. “We cook a well-balanced meal once a week, do a kids club and Bible study. We started a second program a few years later due to a child passing away from lack a food. These two programs are still going to this day.” 

Peru underwent a nationwide lockdown in response to the pandemic, and Goshorn said no one was allowed out of their homes except for getting food, medicine, or going to the hospital. 

“We were fortunate enough to be able to drive around from week one to deliver food to the Peruvians in our programs. Then we started getting calls and text messages from Venezuelan refugees saying that they need food, diapers, medicine, baby deliveries, and even some lifesaving surgeries. We got up to about 500 people, 220 families. We are still delivering food to those who need it,” she said.

Goshorn, who has been homeschooled since third grade, knew she wanted to enroll in a small college while pursuing her online degree. She is set to graduate in 2024. After completing her degree, she hopes to grow the family business and possibly become a Q-Grader, which is someone who scores the quality of roasted coffees. 

Rebekah Michael, Business Administration program coordinator, believes Goshorn’s future is incredibly bright.

“I’ve loved getting to know Katherine, and serving as her advisor and one of her teachers has been a great experience,” she said. “She brings a unique perspective and a great work ethic to her studies, and I’m excited to see what her future holds.”

Goshorn says ACTC was a good fit because of the ability to complete certain programs online. 

“The teachers are more than happy to answer your questions and really want you to succeed,” she said. 

To learn more about the Peru Perk or to place an order, visit https://www.peruperk.com