From Distance Runner to Admissions: How Jalen Franz Found His Voice - And His Calling - at GU
Published: October 14, 2025
Author: Liz Dowell
When Jalen Franz first stepped onto Greenville University’s campus, he didn’t expect to stay long. He certainly didn’t expect to become a student leader, a decorated athlete, or a voice for prospective students. But transformation rarely follows a predictable path—and Jalen’s journey is proof that calling often finds us in unexpected places.
SCHOOL CHALLENGES THAT HE OVERCAME
Raised in Lincoln, Illinois, Jalen didn’t always see college as a likely path for him. “School and I weren’t friends,” he said with a quiet laugh.
As a child, he experienced selective mutism, which made it difficult to understand or express himself in traditional learning environments. Reading and writing felt like foreign languages. "But if I could see something - watch it happen - I could remember it," he said.
It was his parents, he recalled, who met him where he was. They found ways to turn flashcards into games and lessons into stories, pulling out VHS tapes and making education visual, memorable, and sometimes even fun.
TRACK THAT LEADS TO GREENVILLE
By his senior year of high school, something had shifted. He could finish his homework without help. He began excelling on the track. And colleges started to notice.
More than 30 schools reached out after they watched Jalen compete at the state level. "I didn't even know if I wanted to go to college," he admitted. "But I didn’t want to struggle like I’d seen others do. I wanted something better for myself.”
Jalen began at Lincoln College, giving campus tours and competing in track events. However, when the school closed unexpectedly, he had to make a quick adjustment. A chance encounter with GU coaches at a track meet opened the next chapter. He transferred, walked onto the team, and found himself - literally and figuratively - running in new directions.
At first, he balked at Coach Brian Patton’s suggestion that he try cross country. “I was a sprinter. Always had been. But he tricked me into training for distance,” Jalen said, grinning. “I didn’t realize until it was too late - and then we went and perfect scored at conference by sweeping the first five positions.”
Since then, Jalen has earned multiple All-American titles in the National Christian Collefe Athletic Association and a conference championship in the 800-meter. However, what surprises him more than his athletic accomplishments is how deeply involved he has become in the GU community.
CAMPUS FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES
“I didn’t expect to fall in love with this place,” he said. “But suddenly I was joining Student Government, getting hired in admissions, and going to church surrounded by teammates who felt like family.”
He now serves as director of student relations for GSGA and helps pace runners for Coach Patton in his final year of eligibility.
NOW EMPLOYED AT GU
His current role in the Office of Admissions began on a whim - nudged by a professor who saw his natural charisma. “They didn’t ask me any real interview questions,” he recalled. “They just wanted to hear me talk.”
What followed was a role built on the very thing Jalen once struggled with: his voice.
“It’s weird. I used to cry at the dinner table, trying to understand my homework. Now I’m the guy leading tours and helping others find their place here. I get to give back to the place that gave me so much.”
When asked what advice he would give other first-generation students, Jalen doesn’t hesitate: “It’s okay to be uncomfortable. That’s where growth happens. I never thought I’d make it here, let alone graduate. But here I am.”
And while he’s still deciding whether his future lies in coaching, business, or student development, one thing is clear - Jalen Franz has found his stride.
