For Libby, Penn State was a natural choice. Her parents and grandfather were all proud Nittany Lions, and Saturdays meant tailgates and cheerleader outfits. But once on campus, finding her place took more discernment. She found it at Grace Lutheran Church’s 10:30 a.m. worship and Lutheran Campus Ministry’s Thursday evening Holden Evening Prayer. Campus ministry became her anchor—offering deep, safe conversations and the space to explore faith and calling while navigating the challenges of college life.
In 2018, she joined a campus ministry trip to Germany for an alternative spring break. Libby jumped at the opportunity to return to the roots of the Lutheran church, walk in the steps of Martin Luther, and learn
more about the history of the Reformation. Standing in a candlelit German church, leading Holden Evening Prayer with students from around the country, Libby felt a stirring that would shape her future.
Back home, she found herself imagining sermons during worship and talking with mentors and friends about a possible call to ministry. That trip had lit something—confidence, clarity, and courage to follow where God was leading.
Libby entered United Lutheran Seminary in 2020 and, after graduating in 2024, accepted a call as pastor of St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, PA. Reflecting on her path from the College of Agriculture to the pulpit, she said, “If you have enough faith, things end up in the way they’re meant to, even if they aren’t the way you expected to.”
In 2027, Libby plans to lead her own trip to Germany—returning again to the roots of her faith and her calling.
Your generosity to Lutheran Campus Ministry ensures that college students at Penn State discover the same life-giving community of faith, rooted in the expansive love of God, where they can find their calling, just as Libby did. As we prepare for a new year and new semester, we invite you to join us in giving a gift of $25, $250, $500, or even $1000 or more. Thank you for your support of our campus ministry!
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