Estrada transformed from an angry young man to a leader at GU

Published: September 26, 2024

Author: Dave Bell

Having endured a tumultuous upbringing in Big Bear, California, Gianni Estrada found an anchor in the Christian atmosphere at Greenville University. When he was being recruited, the Panther track coaches and admissions counselors told him that this would be a place where he would be cared for and nurtured.

“I was angry at the world when I came here,” Estrada said. “Things were tough back home, but it didn’t take long to realize that people here were different. They really cared for me as a person. And they shared the love of Jesus with me.”

Though running had been an outlet to combat his anger, Estrada learned that his newfound faith could help heal the root causes of those emotions. And his studies in psychology have given him tools to help himself – and others – to work through challenges. Meanwhile, his running has flourished at GU. He’s won more than a dozen SLIAC conference cross country and track titles in several distance events, holds the school indoor 3,000-meter record, and has emerged as a leader on campus.

“I’m so grateful to the donors whose generosity made it possible for me to come here and experience all that I have during the past four years,” said Estrada, who has served two years as a resident assistant. “I believe God led me here so I could be around people who love me with the love of Christ. He wants to mold me into a better version of the person I was when I arrived.”