Action Photo for Haley Compton

Short Answer. God.

Photo of Haley Compton

Haley Compton

Papillion, Neb.
Being at Concordia has not changed my direct belief in God, but it has challenged me to think about what I believe about God.

When describing her decision to come to Concordia, Haley Compton, gasped, halted and then proceeded: “Short answer, as always, God.” As her story went on, and she described her life, past and present, God was clearly a part of all of who she was and will be. 

She first described God in the context of the current direction in her life. “When I was in eighth grade, I started volunteering at the Henry Doorley Zoo in Omaha. I have done it ever since that summer, and I have deeply wanted to be a zoologist ever since then.” 

Haley’s decision to be at Concordia was not immediate. “I first found out about Concordia at a college fair I went to. Originally, I was not really interested in Concordia because I was looking for a school with a program more specifically focused on animal science. Then I found out that there was going to be a new science center and my interest was sparked.”  

Once Haley got here, she felt that Concordia was where she was meant to be: “The more I stepped onto Concordia’s campus, the more I interacted with professors and students, the clearer it became that it was where I was supposed to be. There is such a strong sense of belief among professors and students. Their belief does not make you feel dumb or motivate you to believe differently, but they live it out in such a way that makes you want to know what they know, and be strong in your own beliefs.” 

Haley has grown in her belief in God, and that has encouraged her in other areas of her life as well. “When I was in middle school, I was a concerned, scared individual, and now I’m different. I’ve become much surer of who I am, which is such a freeing feeling. I have a God who loves and cares about me, why should I care about what other people think of me?”