A Culture of Service

Meet alumni and students who are changing their world

World Changers Week highlights Andrews University alumni and students whose experiences bring continued growth and whose work makes a positive impact on their world. From March 15–19, visit andrews.edu each day for a new alumni feature, and join the Center for Faith Engagement each evening:

• Monday–Thursday, 8 p.m., PMC Youth Chapel
• Friday, 7:30 p.m., PMC Sanctuary

Chapel credit is available for in-person attendance. A livestream can be viewed on the Andrews University YouTube channel. Find the full schedule of events on the UniversityFaith app.

Kevin Wilson

When did you attend Andrews and what did you study? How were you involved on campus?
I attended Andrews University from 2009 to 2017. I graduated in 2014 with a BA in theology with a certificate in leadership and then graduated from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary with an MDiv in 2017.

In undergrad I was a resident advisor in Meier Hall during my sophomore and junior years. In 2013 I was elected religious vice president of the Andrews University Student Association (AUSA) and also the religious vice president for the Adventist Intercollegiate Association (AIA). I also helped out as a worship coordinator for the Andrews Ministerial Association for the Department of Religion & Biblical Languages. In my junior year, I joined Campus Ministries as a student chaplain where I founded "Triads," a campus discipleship initiative that spanned a few years. I also took a year off as a student missionary to serve in Beirut, Lebanon, as a Bible teacher at an Adventist high school.

I was a student dean for Meier Hall toward the latter part of Seminary. During this time I also helped Campus Ministries with organizing and coordinating various events.

Describe your current work.
I am currently an associate pastor at the Oceanside SDA Church in California since graduating from the Seminary in 2017. In addition to leading the high school and young adult ministries at my local church, I lead a social media following of 168K across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook centered around storytelling through chai.

Why are you doing what you are doing? How are you influencing your community?
I believe every follower of Jesus has a ministry. The apostle Paul calls this the "Ministry of Reconciliation," which is to do all things with the ultimate intention of reducing the gaps between others and God. As a pastor, I try to do this by journeying with a tribe of individuals God has entrusted to us as they pursue wholeness in Christ.

As a content creator/influencer, I attempt to do this by helping people think meaningfully about their lives through storytelling. Over the course of a year, I have gained a following of around 154K friends on TikTok who are united around their love for chai and meaningful storytelling. The account was featured in the New York Times, Yahoo, Forbes and other news publications within and outside the Adventist church. This platform has allowed me to build bridges with different cultures, form friendships with non-believers, raise awareness for social injustices, and inspire many to use their own platforms to amplify their impact.

How did your Andrews experience impact your calling or your work?
I came to the U.S. as an 18-year-old immigrant, having left all of my family behind in Oman. Andrews University provided the nurturing space I never knew I needed to navigate new geographical and ideological terrain. The diversity of the student body, the mentoring relationships with my teachers, and the many opportunities to lead prepared me for the real world in ways I could not have had I gone to a different educational institution. This quote from Africa distills my view of Andrews: "A fish knows the beauty of water once it is outside of it." By providing many spaces where I was encouraged to engage with the "other," Andrews taught me to reframe my "out-of-placeness" as a precursor for self-acceptance. The education and the friendships I'd made at Andrews continue to remind me that my story is not a liability but an asset—a sacred ground from which I can meaningfully engage with the world.

What advice would you have for Andrews students as they prepare for life after university?

• Find ways to document your experiences. This time is precious and you'll never experience it the same way again. The medium does not matter as long as it allows you to have a dialogue with yourself.
• Creating is the best way to learn anything. The more you take what you learn and transform it into creative work that you are proud of, the more you will retain the information but also use it to move the world forward in obvious ways.
• The Way of Jesus is the best Life OS (operating system), contributing to a life that is physiologically holistic, existentially hopeful, relationally other-centered. An honest pursuit toward Him can be the ultimate adventure of your life.

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World Changers Week: Diana Cordero Ortiz
World Changers Week: Matt Master
World Changers Week: Erin Johnson