From banking to preaching, Alcorn State University’s (ASU) Assistant Director of Religious and Spiritual Life, Austin Warren, has a story of faith and finding purpose.
In 2019, Warren graduated from Jackson State University (JSU) with a degree in Finance. After graduation, he worked in the banking industry at a local credit union in Flowood, Mississippi. Warren then transitioned to the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) from 2020 to 2023.
During his time at the FDIC, Warren felt that he was being called to the ministry. He stated, “It was at this point [Spring of 2022] I was discovering who I was and what I was called to do.” Warren decided to enroll at Candler School of Theology located at Emory University for the Fall 2022 semester.
This was a challenging change in Warren’s life, which he described as “chaotic.” Working a full-time job unrelated to ministry while studying it caused self-doubt and sleepless nights. Through this life shift, he leaned on the support of his loved ones, his parents, his fiancé at the time, whom he would go on to marry, and his pastor.
One of his courses required Warren to have a job showing that he was practicing ministry. In September, he found a job opening for an Assistant Director of Religious and Spiritual Life and applied. After a good interview, Warren received a job offer from Alcorn. Despite the opportunity, he was still torn between leaving a life of security in banking and finance for ministry. He also had to account for his engagement to his now-wife and the purchase of his first home. Warren notes how his fiancée did not push him in a certain direction but encouraged him to make a sound decision and do it for the right reason.
Ultimately, he became ASU’s Assistant Director of Religious and Spiritual Life in January 2023. Warren states, “I honestly can say this is probably the best decision that I’ve made in my life.” Alcorn has allowed him to live out his purpose by helping college students’ lives on academic and personal levels.
