By Kevin Johnson, junior

When Katie Mussat started at Friends University four years ago, her dream was to be a pastor. Now, as she is about to graduate, she is taking the next step into fulfilling that dream.

Mussat is about to earn her degree in Religion & Philosophy, and the next stepping stone is Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas, where she has a full-ride scholarship.

A visible presence on campus, Mussat has been involved in Campus Ministries since she arrived, helping lead worship at Cornerstone and participating in almost every activity. She has also been involved in Concert Choir and has worked countless enrollment days for the admissions office. She has been a student worker in Casado and for Faith and Learning, and has worked for the new Christian Spiritual Formation Institute on campus.

She and her husband Aaron had planned to go to Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., but after she was offered the scholarship, the two changed their minds.

“I honestly had a hard time changing my mind since I was so sure about Bethel, but I felt like God was literally holding up a banner for us at Truett,” Mussat said. “God has definitely opened and closed a lot of doors for me, and I feel like this one is wide open.”

Mussat was born in Tulsa, Okla., lived in South Coffeyville, Okla., for a period of time and moved to Augusta during her fifth grade year when her father, Dick, became youth pastor and worship pastor at Augusta First Baptist Church.

She was destined for ministry at an early age. With her father being a pastor most of her life, she grew up in the church. Her career basically started as soon as she was in high school.

“I was leading a small group at my church when I was a freshman in high school, and it was scary,” she said. “But by my junior year, when I was the same age as all of those juniors and seniors I was teaching as a freshman, I found out that I loved it, and that’s when I knew that ministry was the right choice for me.”

Her parents are Dick and Diana Smith; she has an older brother, Casey, and a younger sister, Kenzie.

Her father’s ministry has served a strong influence for her life as they have been on more than 25 mission trips to various places around North America. Her freshman year of college was her first mission trip without her family, friends or church. But it was a turning point.

“I went to Houston with Campus Ministries, and that really was a defining moment for me,” Mussat said. “It was weird to be there without my dad and almost all of my friends so I had to make new friends, but during that trip was when I really started feeling a community of believers around me.”

Mussat went on the trip without her good friend and roommate at the time, Lindsey Alexander, now a senior at Friends. The two became friends at honors registration the spring of their senior year of high school. They didn’t even know that they were roommates when they realized they were sitting right next to each other.

“Katie is such a solid girl; it’s really awesome that our relationship started on our early enrollment day and has grown to this,” Alexander said. “It was definitely after that trip when Katie really just started growing spiritually like a weed.”

Another one of the important relationships that Mussat made her freshman year was to her future husband Aaron. The two dated her sophomore year, became engaged her junior year and were married in the summer of 2009.

The two met in a class taught by Jennifer Snook during their first semester at Friends. This is ironic because Snook ended up being a mentor, a marriage counselor and the pastor at their wedding.

Mussat said that another one of her defining moments during her college career was her internship with Snook at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

“I really look up to Jen and am grateful for the opportunities that she gave Aaron and me, because we definitely wouldn’t be where we are without her,” Mussat said.

She added with a smile, “I also think that it’s really awesome that she is a successful female preacher.”

Female pastors are not as common but sophomore Haley Alloway — cousin and a close friend of Mussat’s — said that if anyone is capable, it is definitely Mussat.

“It’s hard not to be happy when I’m around her,” Alloway said. “She is always smiling, and she has such a passion for God and all people around her.”

Another big moment in Mussat’s life was this winter break, when she was at the Passion Conference in Atlanta.

“It was the first night we were there. Louie Giglio was speaking, and I just can remember having a moment when I was praying, and I literally felt the Holy Spirit’s presence and God telling me that he had big plans for my life,” Mussat said.

Alexander saw that quality in Mussat early on.

“I saw it when we first met; God definitely has something going on for Katie, and it’s so awesome to see her and Aaron work together,” Alexander said.

Mussat said that Aaron and she plan to serve as pastors of a church together after seminary.

“Katie’s passion for God and people are going to get her far in life,” Alloway said. “I can’t wait to see what happens for her.”

Mussat will give the message for Campus Ministries’ Gradstone service, a service to honor graduating seniors at Friends. She hasn’t preached a service before, so she ironically calls the sermon her “Nineveh” because she will preach about the story of Jonah.

“I owe a lot to the staff and professors here at Friends,” Mussat said. “There are so many individuals that have helped me grow and get to where I am today.”

Her life verse, as she calls it, is Isaiah 43:18-19: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Gradstone is scheduled for 8 p.m. on May 7.