BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – While watching American Idol with his 5-year old daughter, alumnus Justin Ahrens ’94 decided that his life of “suburban dad and entrepreneur,” was not enough. “How can we help in Africa,” asked Ahrens’ daughter. Inspired by “Idol Gives Back”, celebrity Bono’s charitable work in Africa and his daughters words, Ahrens embarked on a new adventure, one that would take him across the globe, into the depths of his soul and would materialize into a lifelong mission.
Shortly after graduating from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1994, Ahrens opened the doors to Rule29, a creative design firm located in Geneva, Ill. “Our desire was to create a firm that would make creativity matter to our clients and to our community,” said Ahrens. Although Ahrens loved his job, he felt something was missing. The firm had previously worked with rock legend and director of Solid Rock Foundation, Alice Cooper. Continuing their work with not-for-profits, Rule29 connected with Life in Abundance (LIA), a Christian-community development organization founded in Africa.