Xela Davis Discovers Purpose Through Sport, Story, and Calling
Published: April 22, 2026
Author: Liz Dowell
When Xela Davis first arrived on the Greenville University campus as a freshman, she thought she knew exactly who she was.
A basketball player. A competitor. A student chasing an opportunity close to home.
But as she balanced early morning practices, late-night assignments, and meaningful conversations with professors, Davis discovered something deeper. She realized that identity is rarely static, and calling often unfolds one experience at a time.
“I didn’t really know who I was outside of a sport,” Davis said. “Coming to college made me realize I had to figure that out for myself.”
Now set to graduate in sport management with a business minor, Davis is pursuing a graduate assistantship to earn her master’s while gaining experience in athletic communications.
This next step is rooted in a journey that began when Davis first encountered Greenville University at a scholarship fair in St. Louis.
“They just had a cadence about them,” Davis said of the faculty and staff she met that day. “I knew I wanted a small community that wasn’t far from home. It felt like somewhere I could belong.”
That sense of belonging became tangible during her first year, when upper-class teammates and mentors offered encouragement and guidance. Davis recalls feeling both challenged and supported as she adjusted to college life and began to ask bigger questions about her purpose.
“The love that I felt here—it was what I thought it was,” she said. “People mentored me without me even asking. It’s like they knew I needed it.”
Among those mentors was Professor Doug Faulkner, who helped Davis see her strengths beyond athletics.
“Xela is persistent. She does not give up. She is faithful to the task and brings a joyful spirit with her wherever she goes,” said Faulkner, Senior Vice President- Student Life and Athletics.
Through ongoing conversations with mentors about career decisions, internships, and life after graduation, she started to see new possibilities.
“Don’t just look at professors as teachers,” Davis said. “Build relationships with them. Those connections can take you into rooms and cities you never thought you’d be in.”
Her internship with the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) marked a turning point. Immersed in the fast-paced world of athletics communication, Davis discovered a passion for sports storytelling. Managing responsibilities and deadlines not only grew her confidence but also clarified her career direction.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” she said. “But that experience helped me realize I want to work in sport—and probably tell stories about it.”
As graduation approaches, Davis reflects on her time at Greenville, which has been home for 4 years, a place where she learned resilience, independence, and faith in her ability to navigate uncertainty.
“It’s tough because I’m such a family person,” she said. “But I know I have support whether I’m five minutes away or five hours away.”
Her advice to future students reflects the lessons she has learned firsthand, to give the college experience at least two semesters to get used to the new environment.
“Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Give it time. Give it at least two semesters. Different doesn’t mean bad—it just means you’re growing.”
Now Davis has just secured a Graduate Assistant spot in sports communication at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and will continue her education at that college in the Fall of 2026.
Looking back, Davis says she will miss the people most—professors who invested in her life and peers who walked alongside her.
Looking ahead, she carries with her a clear sense of self and the courage to keep evolving—confident that her journey of discovery is only just beginning.
