Growth does not always begin with confidence.

Sometimes, it begins with hesitation. With trying again after not being selected. With stepping into something that feels just beyond what we think we can do.

At Southern Nazarene University, we have seen time and again that the most meaningful growth often starts in moments that stretch us.

That was certainly true for alumnus Tom Hoskins ’83.

Stepping Into Something More

Tom remembers his journey into the Collegians not as an easy success, but as a process.

“It seems like I auditioned for the Collegians at least three times before I was finally selected.”

And even then, it was not effortless.

“I enjoyed the pace, service and ministry while singing with the Collegians but still found it to be a significant challenge.”

That is the kind of experience that shapes a person. Not because it is easy, but because it requires perseverance, humility, and a willingness to grow.

At SNU, these are the moments where seeds begin to take root.

The Impact You Do Not See Right Away

Years later—after a 30-year career with the Department of the Army—Tom began to look back.

And what stood out was not just the work he had done, but what had formed him along the way.

“While reflecting back across my career, the influence, lessons and growth my time with the Collegians provided became very clear.”

That is the nature of what we plant. We do not always see the impact in the moment. We do not always recognize how deeply something is shaping us. But over time, it becomes undeniable.

Investing in the Next Story

That reflection led Tom to a decision to give back.

“I felt God leading me to ‘invest’ in a program that had made a major difference in my life and career, called and learned how to focus my giving to support travel groups.”

At SNU, programs like the Collegians do not just create performances. They create confidence where there was hesitation, calling where there was uncertainty, and growth that lasts far beyond the stage.

Today, those experiences are made possible because of those who choose to invest in them.

Faith That Leads Forward

For Tom, the Collegians represented more than music or travel. They represented a moment of stepping into something bigger than himself.

“My time with the Collegians was a major experience that offered a glimpse of what is possible if I have the faith to follow God's calling and leading into experiences that seem beyond my personality, comfort, and current abilities.”

That is the kind of transformation we believe in, and it is the kind of opportunity we want every student to have.

Planting for Someone Else’s Future

Tom now gives with a specific hope in mind:

“I’m trusting my small, consistent gifts will offer another young person the opportunity to discover themselves and the story God is offering if they have faith and are willing to follow where God leads them.”

That is what spring planting looks like. Not just investing in a program, but investing in a person we may never meet, like a student who is unsure but willing, stretched but growing, and standing at the edge of something new.

Part of a Greater Harvest

Tom’s story shows us what planted seeds can become: confidence, calling, and a life shaped over decades.

And now, a new seed is planted again for someone else.