Malvin Sanders, a 2013 graduate of Faulkner University, has devoted his life to serving young people and their families through ministry. After earning his degree in Youth and Family Ministry from Faulkner University, Sanders stepped straight into full-time youth ministry—a calling he has now followed for nearly 12 years. He returned to campus in 2025 and was honored as the Distinguished Alumnus for the V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies during the Marketplace Faith Friday Forums. Today, he serves as the Youth and Family Minister at Riverchase Church of Christ in Hoover, Alabama, where he has ministered for the past five years.
Sanders describes his work as both challenging and deeply rewarding. He walks alongside teens and their families during some of the most formative, and often complicated years of their lives. From the joys of baptisms and graduations to the challenges of family transitions, illness, and personal struggles, Sanders sees his ministry as an opportunity to help families navigate life with faith and resilience. “I truly believe it’s the best job in the world,” he shared.
His time at Faulkner played a major role in shaping both his faith and his professional path. Sanders fondly recalls forming lifelong friendships, meeting his wife, and being pushed academically and spiritually by professors who genuinely cared. “My education at Faulkner didn’t just prepare me for my career—it helped me grow into a better version of myself,” he said. Several of his professors became mentors, and even today he continues to stay in touch, exchanging book recommendations and life updates.
Through their example, Sanders learned to lead with both truth and love, setting high expectations while making sure students know they are supported and cared for. This balance, modeled by the faculty at Faulkner, has become a defining part of his ministry.
In addition to his church work, Sanders has completed all coursework toward a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and is now working toward his required clinical hours. He and his wife, Jan, are raising three children—Owen, Blakely, and Parker Lynn—and remain committed to serving families both personally and professionally.