BETHANY, Okla. - For student-athlete Kelsi Hilton, Southern Nazarene University became home through the community she found in athletics.

"The community surrounding this school is amazing and the amount of love and support I have received from this program is what brought me here and what made me want to be a part of this program," Kelsi shares. "When I came to my first camp for SNU I didn't have a plan or thought about coming to school here or even playing for this team, but when I talked to the coaches and the teammates I got a sense of feeling at home here."

Representing SNU on the field and in the classroom is deeply meaningful for Kelsi. "Being a student-athlete at SNU represents my journey with the Lord," she explains. "In the classroom I represent athletes and how I get to show that I can handle being a two sport athlete but I can also take care of myself in my academics and show that anything can be done if you stay disciplined and put your mind to it."

A defining moment came when Kelsi won newcomer awards in both softball and cross country. "Winning these awards changed me and challenged me to grow into a stronger person, not just an athlete," she says. "After putting in a lot of hard work and slowly realizing that I have a purpose for these two sports and even my work I did in the classroom, I realized that I was worth it and worthy of having a chance to get to the top."

Her faith has also grown in profound ways. "I came into SNU freshly baptized and just starting to get into my journey with God," Kelsi says. "I've come to realize that I had hard times and struggled with classes, practices and just traveling with two different teams that I needed to stay disciplined and prioritize my faith."

The support of coaches, teammates, and staff has played a huge role in Kelsi's experience. "My coaches played a big role in my growth journey as a person, they helped me to grow and realize that I am not just an athlete and that they care deeply about my health and mental health," she shares. "Danny, our athletic director, really helped me grow as a person outside of my sport. He checked in on me all the time and was by my side through both sports."

Kelsi wants donors to know their support makes an immediate difference. "It would mean a great deal to this school but more importantly it's the lives they change in the school," she explains. "We are a community here and when one's success and passions are blessed we all celebrate together and we feel that deeply."

Looking ahead, Kelsi knows her time at SNU has prepared her for more than athletics. "My life experience here at SNU will carry with me for the rest of my life," she says. "I quit relying on my identity to be in sports and I've come to the realization that I am a daughter to the King and my identity is with Him."