Student chaplains extend the reach of the University chaplain
Published: November 19, 2024
Author: Dave Bell
As the chaplain at Greenville University, Keli Pennington is responsible for the spiritual growth and care of more than 800 students. She freely admits it’s an impossible job description.
The good news is that she’s not alone in sharing the Good News.
“This year, we have four student chaplains,” said Pennington (Totton ’16), “and I’m blown away by the level of pastoral care they’re providing to our students. It’s incredible what they do. I pour into them, and they reach out to others.”
Three of this year’s student chaplains are pictured above with Pennington (far right). They are, from left, Talahiva Talanoa, a senior in education; Cate Cota, a senior in accounting; and Markel Wade, a junior in education. The fourth student chaplain, Joshua Leemon, a sophomore in theology and history, is pictured below.
The student chaplain program has been in place at GU for three years – since Pennington returned to campus after earning a master of divinity degree at Duke University. There was only one student chaplain the first year, and last year there were three.
Students are invited to interview for the chaplain positions in February for the following academic year. If selected, they are encouraged to participate in the school’s Walkabout team-building event in August, go through much of the same training as Resident Assistants, and help with New Student Orientation in late August.
The student chaplain’s job responsibilities include participating in University events, building relationships with other students, providing spiritual leadership and care for students, and meeting weekly with the University chaplain. Student chaplains are paid by the hour and are expected to work at least five hours per week during the academic year.
Beyond the chaplain job duties, the student chaplains are also involved in many campus activities, including sports, clubs, student government, and musical groups.
“I have seen so many ‘divine appointments’ – when the Lord has brought me into contact with people at just the right time so I can help them work through a situation,” said Talanoa, a California native and a thrower on the track team. “I love seeing people go from struggling with an issue to coming out on the other side with a solution. That can happen best when they feel seen, heard, and supported through prayer.”
Cota said that the student chaplains’ peer-to-peer relationships open the door to meaningful conversations. “We often have one-on-one conversations with people,” said the Montana native. “That seems to help them open up about areas in which they are struggling or spiritual questions they may have. Those interactions are especially important for people who don’t have a natural group that they’re part of.”
“This role has helped me learn to be a servant,” said Wade, a native of East St. Louis. “I listen to them, ask questions, share my experiences, and then commit to pray for them. It’s helped my prayer life because I try to pray about the situations people bring to me.”
Leemon said the most common spiritual need he finds in students is burnout. “Students are involved in so many things that it can take a toll on them,” said the sophomore from Marissa, IL. “The most meaningful thing I’ve done as a student chaplain is to walk alongside those students and build a supportive relationship with them. I want God to use me to impact their lives.”
Though Pennington is grateful for the way student chaplains help “share the load” of ministering to students on the GU campus, she also sees the experience as crucial training for future ministry opportunities for them.
“Greenville University is committed to training ministers to serve in a full-time way, but we also want to produce people who will be future lay leaders in their church,” she said. “The training the student chaplains get here will prepare them to impact people for the rest of their lives.”
