Krista Andersen ('23), LSM President
Major: Environmental Engineering
Hometown: Houston, Texas
How has your faith developed in your time on campus?
I was a relatively new Christian when I came to LeTourneau, and therefore, I had a lot of questions. Going through classes like Biblical Theology and Biblical Literature, talking with friends and professors who had walked the Christian walk longer than I had, and participating in ministries like Kidz Club helped me learn about God and how we are to live on this earth. I learned that my faith is not about myself and what I can do, but it is about Him being greater and us realizing that we are so much less. Life is all about serving and loving God and others. I continue to learn that every day.
How has your role as LSM president grown your faith and allowed you to minister to others?
This role has simultaneously been a much greater challenge and much greater blessing than I anticipated! I stepped into the role because God kept placing it on my mind, and as I prayed about it over time, I realized He had been preparing me for it for multiple years. Since then, my job has been to faithfully care for the responsibilities I have. I absolutely love it! There is a very clear purpose behind what we do, which is to enable students to minister on campus, in Longview, and around the world! One thing I've learned about leadership from LeTourneau is that it should be servant-hearted, so I have been trying to view this job as me serving others and lifting them up, not as me in a position over them to order them around. I would highly recommend any student to assume a leadership position of some form, because it stretches you and makes you grow in your relationship with God and dependence on Him.
What other opportunities have you had for spiritual growth here?
I’ve had many opportunities for spiritual growth here: Bible studies with friends, getting connected with a local church, conversations with professors, and being involved in clubs and leadership positions on campus. Forming relationships and friendships with the Christian brothers and sisters around me has also been a major contributor to my spiritual growth. I have been a resident assistant, in leadership for multiple clubs, and in LeTourneau Student Ministries, which have all taught me a lot about God and about myself, through some really great times and some really hard ones. I really appreciate that LeTourneau provides opportunities for us to form relationships and take on different extracurricular roles outside of schoolwork; it’s had a large impact on who I will be for the rest of my life.
How do you feel LeTourneau equips students to go into the world and use their faith to serve others?
LeTourneau equips students by exposing them to Christian theology and practice. They also bring in alumni and other Christians to speak in chapel or to visit during events like GO Week which shows us that it’s really possible to follow Christ in any occupation! I have met Christian engineers, businessmen, and overseas missionaries in my time here, which gives me people to look up to as I start my life after college. LeTourneau also provides opportunities for students to serve others on campus which gets them into the habit of living a life of loving others wherever they are. That is something I really appreciate and am trying to assist with in my role as LSM President!
We often talk about LeTourneau as an intersection for faith, science, and technology. Do you feel that we are well-equipped to speak into that conversation here? How so?
I feel that, yes, this is a place where those three aspects join in a productive way. I have learned that they are not in dichotomy but that they can beautifully fulfill one another and be seen all at the same time. It is not science vs. religion; science complements religion, and religion complements science. Since LeTourneau has such strong STEM programs, especially engineering, all three things (faith, science, and technology) have been merged together in my time here. I hope to use what I’ve learned here to further God's kingdom on earth!
