Graduation Spotlight: Wadlington finds calling to ministry at Lipscomb
Kim Chaudoin |
Simon Wadlington didn’t expect to land in Nashville for college, but a scholarship opportunity that “came out of the blue” changed everything.
The Lexington, Kentucky, native transferred to Lipscomb University as a sophomore and found not only a new home, but a deeper sense of calling and purpose.
“I transferred here because of a really neat scholarship opportunity that came out of the blue and enabled me to come and study,” Wadlington explained. “Lipscomb was a school I heard about frequently growing up, but I never knew its impact until I came here as a sophomore.”
Now, with a Bachelor of Arts in pastoral leadership and a concentration in Business as Mission in hand, Wadlington is preparing for the next chapter serving as student minister at College Hills Church of Christ and pursuing a Master of Divinity degree. In June, Wadlington will marry his fiancée, Emma, who will begin Lipscomb’s Doctor of Pharmacy program this fall.
“Lipscomb University has changed my life,” said Wadlington. “It has grown me and challenged me. My professors have deeply influenced me through not only their knowledge, but also their humble posture. They are very relationally oriented, and that has made all the difference.”
Wadlington’s journey into ministry began with his upbringing and his church’s youth group, which gave him a safe space to ask questions, build lasting friendships and form a meaningful mentoring relationship with his youth minister. That early experience sparked a desire to serve others and walk alongside them in their faith journeys.
Lipscomb University has changed my life. It has grown me and challenged me. — Simon Wadlington
At Lipscomb, Wadlington found an environment where that calling could flourish.
“My time at Lipscomb has prepared me in many ways,” he said. “I’ve been equipped for ministry through theological training. I’ve been challenged to think deeply and critically. And I’ve also been trained pastorally — how to love people, how to lead, how to listen and how to disciple others.”
One of the most formative aspects of his experience, he said, was the close-knit nature of the Pastoral Leadership program. Professors played a major role in both his academic and personal growth.
“Determining only one favorite thing about the program is very difficult,” Wadlington said. “But I would have to say that the time shared with professors in the classroom and outside of it has been the most formative. They’ve invited us over for dinner and to holiday parties, and they’ve been instrumental in planning retreats and activities that brought the whole program together.”
As he reflects on his graduation in May, Wadlington described the moment as both exciting and bittersweet.
“It feels exciting and somewhat sad,” he said. “I am excited for the things to come and am sad that my time at Lipscomb is coming to an end. Lipscomb University is such a blessing.”