Missouri State University’s Student Union is loud in an unobtrusive way. It’s the sort of volume that flitters through the white space of your consciousness, barely leaving an impression but there nonetheless. It’s the noise of varied gaits, the huffs of navigating stairs, the chatter of friends catching up, the cling-clanging of food preparation, and a million other little things that would be impossible to isolate and name. In the heart of MSU’s sprawling campus, it can be a bit hard to find for the first time. But, once you’re there, it’s hard to want to leave the light ambience of life housed there.

      Kyleigh Hendrix fits in remarkably there. She wore her hair in two braids. Her hair wasn’t quite dark, and it wasn’t quite light. She smiled like she wanted you to smile too. Her outfit seemed to combine nonchalant college style with her own distinct flairs. She wore a black long-sleeved shirt that matched her black belt as well as a pair of jeans. But, her checkered sneakers had hints of floral, and her jewelry—a gold necklace and black bracelet—sported the acronym WWJD. Her dark geometrical glasses framed conversational eyes. Her appearance said everything it needed to: she was relaxed, she was willing to put in a little bit of effort, and she was looking for an excuse to smile.

      Kyleigh is a junior at MSU this year. She’s been studying vocal performance as well as a little psychology, and life seems to be molding into the fulfillment of a passion she has had since before she even hit double digits. At four years old, Kyleigh began her first dance class. But, it wasn’t until she was eight that the arts—music, theater, and everything in between and beyond—truly began to grip her heart. “It was exciting,” she said, pausing her Chick-Fil-A meal in order to speak. “I was a really extroverted kid, so music was a great outlet for that. It was amazing. And then, my older brother, he played some instruments, and so I was exposed at a young age anyway. So, it was just a lot of fun to learn something new.” 

      Kyleigh went on to tackle a whole arsenal of instruments of her own: viola, piano, guitar, and ukulele. But, vocal performance ensnared her most of all. It’s the words she enjoys, the poetry in every song. Kyleigh is a happy person, yet she is drawn to songs of hardship. There’s a light in difficult times, and Kyleigh wants to bring the expression of that to her audiences. Kyleigh never wants herself to forget that either. She paints memory boxes for each school year in order to aid her intentionality in treasuring each and every moment of her life. She’s involved in MSU’s Chorale as well as MSU’s opera. She helps lead worship at Christian Campus House, which holds meetings to encourage believers at a secular school. “They all have different aspects of community,” she explained, “and I think that’s why I like these organizations so much: because it’s all about community and, like, building each other up.”

      With how community-centered Kyleigh is, it really isn’t a surprise that she heard of First & Calvary’s Scholar’s Program through a friend, Addie. Addie knew we were looking for a soprano scholar and made sure to pass along the information to Kyleigh. “I went in for the interview with Pastor Don and Tyler,” Kyleigh said, “and they were just so lovely, and they talked so highly of the community and wanting to, like, build up artists. That’s, like, I feel, so rare nowadays.” As discussed during our monthly lunches, artistry and creativity are so important to all of the scholars, Kyleigh included. She said, “If there wasn’t creativity, we’d be really boring, and life would be kind of sad a little bit.” Melancholy: life would be melancholy without the creative spark. Beige and grey at the edges. Survivable, but not a landscape anyone could truly live in. Kyleigh, with all her reading and painting and singing and playing, is not one to succumb to the dull.

      We’ve been so pleased to have Kyleigh with us this year. When she’s singing for us, it isn’t as simple as notes produced by her throat. Kyleigh understands the weight of the lyrics, the weight of worship. She wants to express that to everyone who listens. Life can be hard sometimes, but there is a light. God is good. Joy will come.

      If you have an inexplicable joy or hope that you want to share, whether it be through music or poetry or some other venture of worship, we would love to have you next year. Make sure to apply soon: https://www.firstandcalvary.org/scholars-application

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Written by Jocelyn Squires, 2024-2025 Scholar