Posted on Friday, August 22, 2025
For junior Jasmine Owens, diving headfirst into something new does not come from her strength alone, but from the One she says encourages her to take that leap of faith. When her church in LaGrange presented her with a summer internship opportunity, Owens said she knew it was a sign from God.
“I wanted to take part in this internship because, during my sophomore year of college, I felt God calling me to take a leap of faith and go deeper—not just in His Word, but also in serving His Church,” she said. “I was already a member of First Baptist Church on the Square when the leaders announced they would be offering internships. At first, I was nervous because I already had another job, but I knew God was opening a door, and I needed to step into it.”
During her experience, Owens said she got a real taste of what ministry looks like on a day-to-day basis.
“On Tuesdays, I sat in on staff meetings and jumped in wherever help was needed—whether it was painting, organizing, preparing for upcoming events or lending a hand in the preschool,” she said. “Wednesday nights were some of my favorites because I got to co-lead Bible studies for 6th–12th graders and help plan fun events like Nerf Wars and Milkshake Mondays. Beyond that, I also served as a camp leader at Beach Camp, VBS, Team Kid and Camp Viola, which gave me hands-on experience in so many different areas of ministry.”
Because of this opportunity, Owens said she made the decision to pursue a minor in Religion alongside her Education major.
“This internship helped me realize that my calling is not just to be a teacher but also to serve in ministry,” she said.
“I had the chance to teach and lead every age group—from infants to adults—and it taught me how to adjust my approach depending on who I was with. That experience is so valuable, not just for ministry but also for the classroom, because teaching requires knowing how to meet people where they are.”
For Owens, she said having this role in the church opened her eyes to how God is leading her to share His Word through her story. She has already been doing this through a women’s Bible study she started on campus last semester.
“I started Broken Into Beauty because I wanted to create a safe space where women could grow closer to Christ together,” she said. “I didn’t want it to be just scripture and lessons—I wanted it to be a place where women could share their lives, struggles and joys and see how God is present in all of it. It’s been one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience.”
The Rev. Ashley Jenkins ’08, Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life, said it has been inspiring to watch Jasmine grow in both her faith and her leadership.
“I am confident that she is called by God to help bring positive change to the world both through the church and in the classroom.”
In addition, Owens said she shares her testimony through conference speaking events, one-on-one conversations and through her own podcast.
“My heart is to let people know they aren’t alone and that God is with them,” she said.
New internships expand possibilities
Church internships allow students to connect classroom learning with real-world ministry, according to Rev. Jenkins.
“Churches provide a rich educational lab for so many areas: worship and music, education and Christian formation, finances and business operations, marketing and websites, as well as pastoral ministry and leadership in religion,” she said.
Beginning this fall, students can serve as paid interns for local churches through the NetVUE grant for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith from the Council of Independent Colleges. The funding is made possible with generous support from the Lilly Endowment.
For more information, contact Rev. Jenkins at ajenkins@lagrange.edu.
Football
The Panthers finished up their fall camp this past week (Aug. 9-15). They are currently getting set for their first game on Sep. 6 at Point University, as they kick off 2025 with The Battle of West Point Lake.
Men’s Soccer
LC kicked off its season on Tuesday (Aug. 19) with a friendly against Enterprise State Community College. They are looking ahead to their next scrimmage on Saturday (Aug. 23) when they travel to Sewanee, Tennessee, to take on the University of the South for their final friendly before the regular season's onset at Pensacola Christian on Aug. 30.
Women’s Soccer
The Panthers are getting primed to start their season on Wednesday (Aug. 27) when they travel to Clayton State for exhibition play. Their first match is on Aug. 30 at home against Berry College.
Volleyball
LC will hit the road this weekend to take on Albany State University in exhibition on Saturday (Aug. 23) Their first official match will be on Friday (Aug. 29) when they travel to Emory University to compete in the Jenny McDowell Invitational.
Tennis
The Panthers start their fall preseason on Sep. 6 when they travel to Huntingdon College to compete in the John McWilliams Invitational.
Golf
LC will hit the links this fall season starting with the Men's team, who head to Lexington, Kentucky, on Aug. 30 to compete in the Transylvania University Fall Invitational. The Women's team will get things going the following week when they travel to Point University to compete in the Fall Skyhawk Invitational.
(Please note that schedules may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Please check www.lagrangepanthers.com to confirm.)
Saturday, Aug. 23 – Volleyball at Albany State (Exhibition), TBA, Albany, Georgia
Saturday, Aug. 23 – Men’s Soccer at Sewanee (Exhibition), 5 p.m., Sewanee, Tennessee
Wednesday, Aug. 27 –Women’s Soccer at Clayton State (Exhibition), 6 p.m., Morrow, Georgia
LaGrange College Athletics: Be More
At LaGrange, you can be more than just a student-athlete. Visit https://www.lagrange.edu to learn about the transforming power of LaGrange College.
Category: Community, Service, Students
Keywords: Religion, Education
