| Alumni
When Jeremiah Carlton gave a commencement speech as chaplain of Trevecca’s Class of 2026, it marked the end of one experience, and the beginning of another.
Graduating with a religion degree and a focus in pastoral ministry, Carlton is now stepping into full-time ministry as a youth pastor in Portland, Tennessee, serving students in grades 6-12, after years of practice on Trevecca’s campus.
“As much as it can seem like starting small again, I remind myself that this is the Super Bowl now,” he laughed. “This is exactly what we've been working for. And it's awesome.”
Carlton is from Eagleville, Tennessee, where he grew up and first began developing leadership skills. He had been involved in student government in high school and assumed that part of his life was behind him when he arrived at Trevecca.
That is, until he heard about the opportunity to serve as a chaplain through the Student Government Association.
“Honestly, I thought I was done with it,” Carlton said, referring to student government. “I was coming for ministry. I was like, ‘Okay, I’m in college. I don’t have to do this anymore. Thank God.’”
But that all changed when he learned more about chaplaincy.
“It sounded like a good opportunity to get to know and love people,” Carlton said.
He served as freshman chaplain, sophomore chaplain and later as Associated Student Body chaplain. Through those roles, Carlton had opportunities to encourage students, build relationships and even preach in chapel.
All of this became closely connected to what he was learning in the classroom.
“As I was studying ministry, I wanted to be able to do ministry,” Carlton said. “And just like in ministry, you walk in life with people.”
Carlton said Trevecca’s religion program shaped him on a number of levels. His professors brought ministry experience into the classroom, praying with students and helping him think deeply about what it means to steward God’s Word.
“It’s both personal and educational,” Carlton said. “You can’t really separate the two.”
This was especially important for Carlton, as his Trevecca years included moments of joy as well as deep loss. During his sophomore year, Carlton lost his father to unexpected health complications. The following year, during the same week of the semester, he lost a close friend in a motorcycle accident.
“As you’re going to college and trying to achieve things, that doesn’t mean that everything else stops,” Carlton said.
In those seasons, Carlton said Trevecca faculty and staff cared for him beyond his academic performance. Dr. Tim Green was especially meaningful to Carlton because he had also lost his father during his sophomore year of college.
“He was someone that I could look up to as he walked beside me in that, especially because we could relate,” Carlton said. “He knew what it was like.”
Carlton said the grace he received from professors during that season was incredibly impactful.
“Even if I was failing in the class or was late on my assignments, I could still see that that wasn't a reason for them to stop believing in me or to stop pushing me to be better,” Carlton said. “They saw beyond that.”
Of all the takeaways he could carry with him from Trevecca, those kinds of relationships with professors mean the most to Carlton.
“I’m just so appreciative that our professors actually care,” Carlton said. “They actually do take the time to try and know you as an actual person rather than you just being a number in a huge class.”
For Carlton, that’s the kind of mentoring that prepared him for ministry because it modeled the kind of pastor he hopes to be.
“They aren’t just professors, they’re mentors,” he said.
Carlton’s Trevecca experience came full circle when his classmates voted for him to speak at Commencement. It was not the first time he had given a graduation speech. He had also spoken at his high school graduation. This time, though, he was addressing the community that had shaped him through seasons of extreme ups and downs.
“It was amazing that they even voted for me to do something like that,” Carlton said. “I wanted to encourage and send people off well.”
As Carlton begins ministry in Portland, he does so with gratitude for the smaller campus environment that allowed him to be known.
“I’d much rather be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond,” Carlton said. “Being able to actually make a difference and connect with people is so important.”
In his speech, Carlton reflected on what Trevecca had given the Class of 2026 and what they were being called to carry forward.
“Trevecca has shaped us to think critically, to act in genuine love, and most importantly, to live faithfully to God. It has taught us that being rooted does not mean just sitting still; it means standing firm. It means carrying the love and light of Christ no matter where we go in this life.”