What I love about HPU

There are so many things I love about HPU. I could talk about the benefits of a small campus, or how it is centered on Christ, or how many opportunities there are for leadership on campus. All of this is true, but the thing that stands out most to me is how vast the opportunities are to find mentors and wisdom here.

The presence of mentors can be the difference between flourishing and failing. There have been so many times at college where I have been struggling academically, emotionally or physically, and I needed someone to speak encouragement and wisdom into my life. Every time, the HPU community fulfilled this need. Instead of getting stuck in the struggles of college life, I was helped to see ways to improve and grow so that I could succeed. There are so many examples of my mentors from my two and a half years at HPU that it’s hard to pick only one or two to share.

One of the very first people to become a mentor to me at Howard Payne was Kristen Faulkner, resident director of Veda Hodge Hall. I met her as soon as I moved to Brownwood and she supported me even from the beginning. Although I was excited to be here, I was also very scared. I went from being homeschooled in the Houston area to college in Brownwood. I didn’t have any friends or know anyone here, so I didn’t have a support system yet. I was struggling to cope with all of the changes – new home, trying to find friends, adjusting to college academics, trying to juggle responsibilities – and on top of all this I broke a student’s laptop on the second day of school. When I was in a hurry to get to my next class, my backpack knocked someone’s laptop off a desk and shattered the screen. I ended up crying in Kristen’s office. I needed encouragement and a hug, and she was there for me. This kindness gave me the courage to keep trying at college and not give up. That was the beginning of my relationship with Kristen, and even though I no longer live in Veda, she is a friend and mentor to me to this day.

The encouragement I received did not stop after the first couple of weeks or even after the first semester. A year ago, I was not very involved on campus because I hadn’t found the place where I clicked. We had spaces for those who are into athletics, ministry, leadership and engagement, asked to meet with me about leadership opportunities on campus. She encouraged me to start a group to fulfill this need. At first, I didn’t think it was something I could do, but she kept encouraging and supporting me. It was my first time to step fully into a leadership role. In the fall 2025 semester, our new group, the Hobby Hive, held four campus-wide events and took part in two existing HPU events. We foster a community for anyone interested in art and crafts. It has been amazing to see how God has blessed this group and used it to bless our campus. It turns out that there were others like me who hadn’t found their spot on campus either. Now the Hobby Hive is that place. I would never have started this group if I did not have continual encouragement and support from Kailee, Dr. Nathan Penland, vice president for student experience, and so many others.

If I had not attended Howard Payne University, I do not think that I would have found this type of encouragement and community. HPU as a whole offers this to every student who comes here. I am so grateful to everyone here who has taken a minute or two out of their day to encourage and disciple me as I seek to further my education and glorify God in all I do.