A story of one of our many students who have benefited from the generosity of our SEU donors. Learn more about Giving Day 2026 here.
Before SEU, Ramon Wence (‘26) often found his identity in sports. However, Ramon eventually made a decision that transformed his relationship with God, and ultimately changed his life forever.
Plans Unexpectedly Change
Ramon was raised in a Christian family where faith was part of life, but not central. He was passionate about soccer, and people expected him to play in college. “I always focused my attention and energy in athletics and in sports,” Ramon said. He graduated from high school and went to play soccer for a university in his home state, Wisconsin, where he succumbed to the peer pressures and difficulties of being a student-athlete. After freshman year, Ramon got a soccer scholarship at a public university in Central Florida. He visited the college, but got the idea to visit SEU. This is where God began redirecting his path.
“I toured it. I fell in love with it,” Ramon said. He decided to attend SEU instead of the public college he originally came to Florida to visit. However, during the transfer process, Ramon found out that he wasn’t going to be able to be on the soccer team. He decided to stay at SEU anyway.
“I wasn’t in soccer anymore. I thought my whole world had collapsed,” Ramon reflected. This unexpected change and Ramon’s unwavering resolution to attend SEU eventually became the perfect push for his spiritual transformation.
Finding God at SEU
This was the first time Ramon was away from his family, and he was still trying to build connections at SEU. Ramon also considered his faith to be lukewarm because he had relied on his parents’ faith. During this season of his life, Ramon found himself struggling with loneliness, missing soccer, and spiritual questions. He often prayed, “God, why did I choose this?”
SEU Chapel services soon became a light in this dark season of Ramon’s life. Ramon began to love the previously unfamiliar, Pentecostal-style chapels as they drew him closer to finding God for himself. “I felt the presence of God there and immediately started to just want to gain more understanding of why is it that certain things happen. And this God that I serve, who are You?” Ramon reflected.
From there, Ramon bought his first Bible. He began building relationships on campus and growing in his faith. “For the first time, I felt like I had my own relationship with the Lord,” Ramon expressed.
Walking in a New Identity
As Ramon discovered God for himself, he saw his path begin to transform. He wasn’t going to work toward a life in professional soccer, but his life in Jesus was just beginning. “I remember there was just a wave of feeling, that peace and knowing that God has a higher calling for me than just being a soccer player…my identity is found in Him.”
Ramon continued to walk in this new connection to Christ, finding ways to serve at SEU. He went on to be the volunteer coordinator for SEU Chapel and also got involved with SEU Missions. He traveled to Jamaica on a mission trip, and in the spring of 2025, Ramon served as a geoleader on a mission trip to Cuba. “Just the impact God has had on my life, why would I not want to continue to serve Him?” Ramon expressed.
Ramon was able to develop relationships through these opportunities. During his time at SEU, Ramon also received financial provision. With the help of the Eleanor S. Thompson Senior Emergency Fund scholarship, Ramon will be graduating in the spring of 2026 with a BA in Sport Management and a Minor in Biblical Studies.
Despite the challenges Ramon encountered during his beginnings at SEU, he found that there was more to life than sports. Most importantly, he found God at SEU and is now walking in his calling. Ramon made a difficult choice that changed his life forever. “Just knowing I can grow myself individually, and if that meant stepping away from soccer, I was willing to do that,” Ramon said.
Through the generosity of donors, students like Ramon can persevere through both personal and financial challenges while continuing to pursue their God-given callings. His journey is a testament to how scholarship support opens doors of opportunity. Ramon’s story reflects the powerful impact of a Christ-centered education made possible by a community that believes in investing in the next generation of creative leaders.
SEU Giving Day 2026
Giving Day 2026 is an opportunity for Southeastern University’s community of alumni, donors, and friends to come together and make a lasting impact. Contributions made on Giving Day support students through scholarship provision and campus-wide initiatives, including new program opportunities, all to empower students to pursue learning, answer God’s call, and make a difference in the world. Your generosity helps shape the leaders of tomorrow by fostering faith and expanding access to education at SEU.
Learn More
Bachelor of Science in Sport Management
By Emily Carver, SEU Student Writer
Edited by Raevn Richie, SEU Student Writer
