From leading Birdhouse (FPU’s student spirit section) and serving as a resident assistant (R.A.) to pursuing a future in social work, Natalie Santana’s journey at Fresno Pacific University has been shaped by growth, faith and community.
What started as a search for a Christ-centered college became a place she now calls home.
Along the way, she discovered greater confidence in herself, built lasting friendships and found a deeper connection to her faith and future career goals.
Meet Natalie:
Hi, my name is Natalie Santana. Most people know me as Nat. I'm a social work major and a senior. I'm an R.A. on campus for the Jost apartments. Shoutout Jost! I also run Birdhouse and have been running Birdhouse for the past two years.
Q: When did you first hear about FPU?
A: I think it was probably my senior year of high school. I was in AVID, and it was time to apply to college. I looked up which colleges were Christ-centered and FPU popped up, and I was like, hey, why not? I applied and was accepted.
Q: When you first arrived, what were you expecting and were there any surprises?
A: When I first arrived, I noticed how small the campus was. I think my high school is maybe the same size or even a little bit bigger. So, I thought that was pretty cool. That was the first thing that stood out to me. I know where everything is now, and it doesn’t feel new anymore. It's home.
Q: What's an obstacle or a challenge you had to face during your time here?
A: Honestly, just my first semester here adjusting to college life in general and the academic rigor. I was also a student-athlete at the time, so just balancing everything was my first big obstacle.
Q: Looking back on your younger freshman self, who were you when you started and how would you describe yourself now?
A: I think I was kind of the same as I am now. I was still outgoing. I was still low-key and kind of loud. Still short and still very talkative. So, what has changed from then until now is me and my confidence within myself and knowing myself a little bit more.
Q: Have you seen your faith grow and change during your time here?
A: Oh my gosh, yes! That's why I wanted to go to a Christ-centered college in the first place. I went to a K-8 Catholic school growing up. Then I went to a public high school, and I lost my faith there. So, I was like, okay, going into adulthood, I should probably get back to that. Yes, my faith has grown exponentially here!
Q: How do you feel like the FPU community has influenced that?
A: Just being surrounded by people that view Jesus the same way I do, as a friend and Lord and Savior. Then also how they live their lives has influenced how I live mine. So, it's very important, you know, who you surround yourself with.
Q: How would you say that the FPU community has helped shape you as a person?
A: The community here and how Christ-centered everyone truly is has helped me. Whether we like to admit it or not, we're all on our own journey, and that alone helps us grow closer to God.
Q: Who were the people that made the biggest impact on you while you were here?
A: I've got a couple shoutouts here, can I name drop? The first person that comes to mind would probably be Brian Whaley. He's been my supervisor for the past two years. He's been a big part of helping me grow and helping me through some tough times. I have a bunch of friends on campus that have helped as well. There’s Lauren, Molly and Grace...sorry if I didn't mention you! There are so many people here that have helped me.
Q: What does graduating mean to you personally?
A: I want to be a school social worker, and getting a bachelor's degree is one step closer to achieving my goal. I’m going to get another degree after this at FPU, so it means I’m almost done with the first step!
Q: What's one thing you'll take with you from FPU forever?
A: I want to maintain the friendships that I’ve made here. God has placed them in my life to help me get closer to Him.
Q: Tell us more about Birdhouse.
A: Birdhouse is basically FPU’s student section. They help promote home games on campus, post on social media about when and what time games are and create themes for the games.
Q: If you could leave a message to your Birdhouse friends, what would you say?
A: Just remember to have fun and go Birds!
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