STATE COLLEGE, Pa., (BRN) – Following graduation, Will Sams’ initial plan was to move back to northern Virginia and work for the government, but by the time his junior year of college rolled around God made clear that He had a different path for him.
Not entirely sure what the Lord had in store, Sams accepted an internship with the college ministry he served in as a student at Virginia Tech (VT).
“God kept opening doors for me to continue serving in ministry, which I’m very grateful for,” said Sams.
Eventually, one of those doors led him to Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania.
Prior to moving to the Keystone State to pursue college ministry alongside BRN Next Gen Consultant Eric Reiber, Sams had the opportunity to lead two short term mission trips to the Happy Valley university while serving at Virginia Tech.
“I really loved the time I spent up here, and as my time on staff at Virginia Tech was drawing to a close, I mentioned to Eric that I could see myself here in the future,” shared Sams.
After plenty of follow up conversations with Reiber and a few months of praying, Sams leaned into the Lord’s calling to move north and minister to Penn State students.
“God made it clear to me that this is where I’m supposed to be right now. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve here (Penn State) and excited to continue working with students,” said Sams.
Coming from Virginia Tech, a university with roughly 38,000 students, Sams has a passion for “creating an environment where students can walk in and feel welcome,” especially at large institutions. A skill that will suit him well as he steps onto Penn State’s campus, which houses roughly 50,000 students during the academic year.
“Making sure new people feel known and cared about is very important to me. One-on-one meetings are probably my favorite part of college ministry — it helps students feel seen, heard and known and it’s rewarding to pour into them and see them grow,” said Sams.
Along with discipling students one-one-one, Sams is also passionate about students knowing Jesus as Lord, if they don’t already, and preparing students to live out their faith post-graduation.
“I hope that when they leave, they are lights in their future workplaces and are faithful members of their churches. I hope they come away knowing how to be in the world but not of the world,” said Sams.
On a mission field where “no day looks quite the same,” local churches have the unique opportunity to partner with campus missionaries, like Will Sams, and impact the next generation.
“College is one of the most impactful times for someone’s faith. For students who are already believers, many are away from home for the first time and are looking for stability. For students who aren’t believers, this is a time when they’re open to new ideas. We have a chance to minister to both,” explained Sams.
He continued: “College ministry isn’t meant to replace church – it works best when ministries have strong local churches to send students to.”
Aside from coming alongside campus missionaries to reach students with the gospel, local churches also can be a haven and place of refreshment for those serving college students.
“Being a collegiate missionary is both rewarding and tiring. We have the opportunity to meet students where they are, to introduce them to the gospel, and to disciple them,” said Sams.
Off campus, Sams enjoys watching sports — particularly the Nationals, Capitals, Liverpool, Penn State and Virginia Tech sports teams — and playing disc golf. Gradually, he is getting back into reading for fun, while still recovering from the technical reading he did in college. He grew up playing baseball and occasionally plays the piano.
Sams graduated from Virginia Tech in 2023 with a degree in political science, with a concentration in national security.
How to pray for Will Sams:
- Pray for Will as he settles into State College and makes it his home
- Pray for him as he builds relationships in the community and finds a church home
- Pray for the students at Penn State, specifically that they would start the new semester well
- Pray for the New Life student leaders to be invitational and to be lights for Christ on campus
- Pray that more students at Penn State would come to know Jesus
Will Sams is serving as a campus missionary through the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in partnership with the BRN. His primary financial support comes through support raising. Financially support Will Sams and the college ministry he is doing at Penn State by clicking here.
