For Jonah Dawes, his time at Faulkner University was about more than earning a degree. It was where he developed lifelong friendships, met his wife and gained experiences that helped prepare him for a career in ministry.
Dawes graduated from Faulkner in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. Today, he serves as the youth minister at the Arab Church of Christ, where his role extends beyond working with middle and high school students. He was honored at the 2026 Marketplace Faith Friday Forums as the V.P. Black Collee of Biblical Studies’ Accomplished Alumnus for his work in family ministry.
“I work more as a Youth and Family Minister,” Dawes said. “I work with our youngest children up to young adult ages.”
For Dawes, one of the greatest joys of his work is the opportunity to build relationships with members of the church alongside his family.
“My favorite thing about this is the connections that my family is able to naturally make with so many others of our church family,” he said. “Many of the strongest relationships that we have made with other Christians have been made through avenues like this.”
Dawes said his experience at Faulkner helped equip him for the responsibilities and challenges of ministry. In addition to his coursework, internships provided practical experiences that prepared him for the day-to-day work of serving a congregation.
“My experience at Faulkner was very positive,” Dawes said. “I built some of the most important friendships of my life, met my wife at Faulkner and received an education and experience through internships that helped equip me for some of the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges that come with stepping into a minister role.”
His Faulkner experience also introduced him to people involved in church work who became examples of faithful and effective ministry.
“Many of the individuals I met doing church work through Faulkner are ones that I learned from and set as examples on how to operate in the day-to-day work of ministry,” Dawes said.
Those lessons continue to influence his work today. Whether navigating personal situations, preparing Bible classes or getting ready to preach, Dawes often draws on what he learned as a Faulkner student. Beyond the classroom, Dawes also values the network of relationships he developed during his time at Faulkner.
“I often find myself thinking back on things I learned through my coursework and internships to help me navigate personal situations and prepare for Bible classes and preaching opportunities,” he said.
