At North Central University, students are shaped not just by academics, but by a Christ-centered community that equips them to impact the world. For Samdi Williams, a Clinical Psychology major and Act Six scholar, that impact is deeply personal and deeply rooted in her calling to serve.
Originally drawn to NCU by the leadership scholarship and the warmth of the community, Samdi has found far more than a place to study. She’s found a home where her relationship with God has grown stronger and her vision for the future has become clearer.
“I enjoy Tuesday Life Cores with my floormates,” she says. “Fellowshipping with others has helped me grow in my relationship with Christ, and it’s taught me that to know someone is to love them.”
Samdi’s dream is to become a child and adolescent psychologist, and she’s already making strides toward that goal. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school to continue preparing for this vital work. Her passion for helping others has been shaped by personal experience and a community of mentors who walked with her through some of life’s hardest seasons.
“There were mentors for different seasons of my life,” she explains. From professors who prayed with her during a difficult change in major, to those who supported her after the passing of a friend, Samdi has seen how devotion and care can transform lives. “Dr. Jeffrey Leighton encouraged me to be the best scholar and to never give up. He’s had the greatest impact on my life.”
Leighton says he has enjoyed watching Samdi evolve as a student and scholarly thinker: “Her work continues to improve in depth and quality, and her consistent, positive engagement has become a model for future students at NCU,” he says. “Samdi has the drive and the discipline to succeed in graduate school and beyond.”
College hasn’t been without its challenges. Balancing work and school, navigating grief, and adapting to the academic rigor of college all tested her. But through it all, Samdi focused on her goals and leaned on her support system.
When asked for advice she’d give future students, her answer is clear: “Put God first in everything you do. Get involved. Just don’t forget—put God first.”
Samdi believes NCU is a place filled with “beautiful and powerful testimonies.” Her own story is a testimony to the strength of faith, the power of community, and the lifelong impact of a Christ-centered education.
Prayer request:
Samdi asks the NCU community to pray for strength to serve with joy, to cast down weariness, and to continue cultivating the gifts God has placed in her and her peers—for His Kingdom.
