Passions can lead a person far and wide to accomplish their dreams. For senior Coltyn Hunter, she continued her passions only a few miles from home.

A native from Milo, Hunter moved to Indianola with her family during elementary school, where she eventually graduated from Indianola High School. When considering colleges, Hunter said Simpson College was not on her list. In the end, Simpson was the one place she could continue and fulfill her passions.

“I was looking for an area where there was a good education program, that I could play golf and be involved in a smaller community,” Hunter said. “Simpson fit those perfectly. When I came here, I felt very welcomed and right at home.”

Hunter knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was in kindergarten. She is now on that path majoring in elementary education with endorsements in writing, reading, language arts and special education.

She helps kids at Norwalk in the special education department. Hunter hopes she can continue her studies in Norwalk during student teaching but also applied in Des Moines and West Des Moines.

Simpson allowed her to continue to play golf, which was important to her. Hunter played on the women’s golf team until her junior year. When senior year approached, a heartbreaking decision halted her golf career.

“The doctor decided for me I needed to rest my shoulder. I tore my labrum and had surgery a while back. It was very hard for me to make this decision to stop playing golf,” Hunter said.

Hunter said she joined the team during the preseason, but that was as far as she could go. She keeps in contact with friends to chat and know how the team did during meets.

Coming to Simpson, this was her mission, and she succeeded at her goals. Little did Hunter know, her passions changed for the better by growing in her faith and the way she wanted to help kids.

Along with her current activities, Hunter grows her passions participating in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Light Company, Dance Marathon, Best Buddies and Simpson Athlete Advisory Committee.

Hunter said one of her biggest accomplishments at Simpson was growing in her faith.

Hunter is a leader in FCA, and she said she is grateful for FCA to lead her in her faith, become closer with friends and see people come out and join them on a Tuesday night.

“It’s a time for people share their thoughts about Christ, whether it’s people they know on their team or other sports,” Hunter said. “But I love seeing people choosing to come out on a Tuesday night to FCA than doing a lot of other things that can be time-consuming with college.”

Hunter continues her passion for helping others and kids in Dance Marathon. She has been with the team since creating the Dance Marathon chapter at Simpson. This is her second year as the family relations leader.

Through all the hard work leading up to the event, Hunter couldn’t imagine a better way to help kids in need. Hunter will never forget looking around the room to see kids happy and knowing it benefited local kids.

“At midnight, I saw everyone’s hard work and realizing all the work is paid off. The families worked hard to get here, too, and I can see they felt loved. Taking in all of the love and support was surreal,” Hunter said.

Hunter’s journey wouldn’t be complete without the support from her friends and her adviser, Linda Jermeland. Without their support, she doesn’t know where she would be without them.

“Surround yourself with people who are supporting,” Hunter said. “Simpson helped me find the people who support me, and I am grateful for that.”