Howard University Students Answer God’s Call to Ministry
By Rev. Jacob Cogman
UM Chaplain at Howard University
For many students, college is a time of asking questions about career, identity, and purpose. At The Wesley Foundation at Howard University (HU Wesley), those questions are often accompanied by another one:
What might God be calling me to do?
Recently, three students connected to HU Wesley have answered that question by committing themselves to theological education and vocational ministry. Caleb Brantley completed his first year at Harvard Divinity School. DaShawn Jones and Immanuel Martin will attend Duke Divinity School and Candler School of Theology, respectively. All three are pursuing the Master of Divinity degree.
For HU Wesley, these milestones represent more than academic achievement. They are evidence of the transformative power of campus ministry and a reminder that the future leadership of the church is being shaped in spaces where students are invited to listen closely for the voice of God.
Two of the students, Brantley and Martin, discerned their call to ministry while actively participating in the Wesley Foundation community. Through worship, Bible study, prayer, service, and intentional conversations about faith and vocation, both began to recognize ministry not simply as an abstract possibility but as a response to God's call on their lives.
That process of discernment sits at the heart of HU Wesley’s mission.
The ministry has become a spiritual home for students seeking community, clarity, and deeper faith as they navigate the demands of college life. Rooted in the Wesleyan tradition, students are invited to engage faith with both intellectual rigor and spiritual openness, to wrestle honestly with Scripture, ask difficult questions, and consider how their gifts might be used in service to both the church and the world.
For Immanuel Martin, the ministry's impact was deeply connected to authentic spiritual leadership.
"It's good to have a chaplain who can clock you in the spirit, one who has a prayer life. It makes a difference," Martin shared.
"Wesley has been a space of grace and growth for me,” Martin continued. “It inspired me to get some 'learning to go with my burning,' as our chaplain often says." His reflection captures a deeply Wesleyan idea: faith is not simply something felt emotionally, but something nurtured and formed in community.
The Wesley Foundation at Howard University has intentionally cultivated an environment where students can grow spiritually while also discerning how God may be calling them to lead and serve. For Caleb Brantley, the ministry's willingness to embrace honest questioning became central to his formation, and continues to shape the theological work he is now doing in his first year at Harvard Divinity School.
"I appreciated Wesley because it invited us to the holy work of questioning," Brantley said. "And, despite much of what I learned, it's okay to question God. It was amazing to see how not only community was formed in our conversations, but how my faith was being formed."
In a time when many young adults feel pressure to suppress doubt or uncertainty, The Wesley Foundation at Howard University has created space for students to explore faith with honesty and depth. Conversations regularly engage questions about Scripture, justice, vocation, suffering, and the role of the church in a fractured world.
DaShawn Jones believes that openness is one of the ministry's defining strengths.
"The work of The Wesley Foundation draws heavily upon John Wesley's ecumenical spirit," Jones explained. "Rev. Cogman made it clear from the first day that you didn't have to be United Methodist, or even Christian, to be part of the fellowship. You just had to be open."
That spirit of openness has allowed students from diverse backgrounds and experiences to find a sense of belonging within the community while also imagining new possibilities for their lives and faith.
"While I knew my next steps after graduation were to pursue my MDiv, the openness of the space created a culture where others, like my Wesley family, could imagine what their next faith steps would be," Jones added.
In a time when many denominations are asking where the next generation of pastors, theologians, and faith leaders will come from, the work unfolding at Howard offers an important answer: leaders are formed where young adults are given space to encounter God authentically and discern their calling in community.
Campus ministry often operates quietly, away from large stages or public attention, but its impact can shape both individual lives and the future of the church itself. Theological education rarely begins with a seminary application. More often, it begins with late-night conversations after Bible study, moments of prayer, difficult questions, and communities that encourage students to ask what God might be calling them to do with everything they have been given.
The Wesley Foundation at Howard University continues to cultivate that kind of environment, one where students are learning to become attentive to the voice of God.
And in a world filled with uncertainty and noise, that work may be more important than ever.
To learn more about campus ministries, visit: https://www.bwcumc.org/cm/.