I got involved with Young Life College when I was a freshman at Colorado State University. I never did Young Life in Middle School or High School, but had always heard about it. As soon as I got to college it was my first stop. During my four years at CSU, I had been given a place that I belonged, enjoyed and had so much fun. I’d been given a purpose greater than myself, people who love me as I am, but also push me to be better. I’ve had leaders, a mentor, a place where I can be me, stumble, and grow. I had been given SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVENTURES.

At the end of my freshmen year, my area director, Greg Hook, pulled me aside and said "I want you as a volunteer leader on my team, the college team, pray about it and get back to me." About 10 seconds later I said "DONE! I'm in." I knew that's where God wanted me. That fall, as a sophomore, I started leading a group of freshman girls and dove head first into being on the Young Life College team at CSU.

In October of 2021, after just getting back from Leadership Camp and College Weekend, Greg asked me to go on Assignment at camp with him. That whole weekend I couldn't stop thinking, "Oh my gosh, I have to do this for the rest of my life." Two months later, Greg told me about Young Life College at UNC in Greeley. As soon as that came up, I heard the Lord speak to me loud and clear saying that I would take that job and work with Christa (the area director in Greeley). Fast forward to a few months later I met Christa, interviewed, and here I am!

Now, a year into my job, I love it that much more. I've been given a whole new bunch of opportunities and girls to lead.

Our mission to introduce students to Jesus and help them grow in their faith.

Students come into college, usually not knowing who they are. My heart breaks specifically for these girls who are figuring out how to be women. The four(ish) years that girls are in college, they go through so many different things whether that be friendships, relationships, jobs, classes, etc. For me, it was so important to have women who had been where I was, who was able to walk through all those changes with me. I want the girls at UNC to have the same things - A true woman who knows WHO’S she is, and is working to live out of that identity. And I want them to have other girls around them who are trying to figure out the same things, being led by that woman who is walking alongside them.

In Young Life College we are about fun & adventure, authentic community, and faith & significance. Our mission is to reach students through friendship and introduce them to Jesus, help build them up in their faith, and then launch them as disciples in the world.

I want UNC Young Life to be a safe space for students to come throughout the week. I want students to be able to walk deeply with other people, make real life long friends, grow to know Jesus, and grow to learn whose they are. I also just want them to have a good a$$ time. Following Jesus is fun, and I hope that YLC is an attractive alternative to the typical college scene. I want it to be a place for any and all. I want people to find their purpose through this.

My deepest hope is that students are experiencing life, and life to the fullest. I want them to experience what it means to be loved and to love others well. And I want them to experience and interact with the Lord in different ways than they probably have in the past. So much of the world is fake and fleeting. I want them to experience moments and people of true substance - I WANT THEM TO EXPERIENCE THE REAL JESUS.

My Goals:

To create at least 2 guys' and 3 girls' small group
To take at least 40 people to College Fall Weekend
To be able to support volunteers financially as they take students to coffee or lunch

Time Tested and Life - Changing

Contact Work — Kids don't care how much we know until they know how much we care! Young Life leaders show they care by going where students are, meeting them as they are, and believing in who they can be. Within Young Life, we call the persistent going out into the world of kids "contact work." But kids just call it friendship.

Club — A "party with a purpose." Young Life College Club is controlled chaos and a space for students to come and find a place to belong, to be safe, and to hear about the life-changing Gospel from a leader who has continually shown up in these students' lives.

Camp — The best week of their lives! A week filled with so much fun in the midst of hearing about the most extraordinary love story. Students get to spend time away from distractions and are given the opportunity to focus on connecting with others, something that is lacking in today's culture as kids become more "plugged in" and yet are becoming more and more isolated.

Campaigners (Small Groups) — Small Groups are weekly gatherings for the students who want to know more about Jesus and grow in their faith. We're with students for the long haul to help them take the first steps of faith with unconditional love and we want them to do that with leaders and peers who will continue to walk with them and help them grow in every aspect of their life.