Through a combination of Advanced Placement (AP) credits and lots of hard work, Emily managed to complete her degree at Penn State a year early. In just three years on campus, Emily faced some difficult times including adjusting to college, coping with a cousin’s death, and dealing with an ongoing illness.
Finding support and community at college was not easy at first. “As you randomly meet people around campus freshman year you don’t know if they share your values.” Eventually, another student talked to Emily and a friend about Lutheran Campus Ministry. There she found others who shared her faith and values. “Brooke told me and Aunica about worship on Thursday and we just loved it from the start. It was just awesome that first night.”
Coming to college, Emily hoped to grow in faith. Finding Lutheran Campus Ministry was key “I feel like this group allowed me to grow more in my faith and gave me more purpose throughout the week to think about God’s word. I loved the sermons so much. Now I am much closer with God and Lutheran Campus Ministry was a catalyst.”
Emily truly realized she’d found her home that first year when a group from Lutheran Campus Ministry volunteered at the Penn State Arboretum Pumpkin Festival. “I thought, ‘I love this. It’s definitely going to be part of my college journey.’ It was so simple and fun helping with the pumpkins, then just having dinner together and talking with everyone who was there.”
The community was there for her in hard times, too. “When my cousin passed away so early in that year, it was such a hard time. The first time I came back to worship I felt very supported. I’ll always remember that.” When Emily was in the hospital the next year, Lutheran Campus Ministry students made get-well cards for her. “The other day I found those cards and they reminded me of how much support I had from everyone and how grateful I was to have that in my life.
Your generosity to Lutheran Campus Ministry at Penn State makes it possible for students to grow in faith and find community that helps them the challenges life throws at them during college.