Faith Hampton was destined to be a Polar Bear from the day she was born.
That may seem like a bold statement, but you haven’t seen the baby photo of Faith in an Ohio Northern onesie holding orange and black pom-poms. Her mother is a proud alumnus of the university and raised Faith on stories from her college days. With the conversations surrounding ONU growing up, it only was natural that Faith would follow in her mother’s footsteps and attend the university herself.
But what if you were told Faith Hampton almost never enrolled at Ohio Northern? Years of her leadership to the student body were nearly missed.
Little did Faith realize, her fateful decision to become a Polar Bear transformed not only her life, but the college experiences of numerous others.
Faith’s search for a deeper purpose began during high school as she applied to different universities. She was determined to pursue a fresh start in college, and that didn’t seem possible with her family’s ties at Ohio Northern.
“When I was a little bit older and I was…starting to actually, like, look at colleges, I wanted to go anywhere but Ohio Northern because I was like, ‘I don’t want to just go where my mom went,’” she shared. “What’s the fun in that?”
Faith visited a variety of schools in hopes of finding a place that satisfied her need for independence. She applied to Ohio Northern as a back-up, but something kept bringing Faith back to campus no matter how hard she tried to get away. Between two campus tours and an Orange and Black Day, there was no denying that ONU was meant to be her home.
“I was at my Orange and Black Day that…I was talking to a couple of the students, Bear Ambassadors, and they were just so friendly,” said Faith, “and they just…had so much…joy when it came to talking about their school, and they just had this amazing passion for Ohio Northern.”
Finally, after dedicating so much time searching for the right university, Faith found where she belonged. The Polar Bear spirit she once resisted was being fully embraced.
Amidst her new adventures was one campus organization that caught her by surprise: Student Senate.1
Faith never intended to join Senate. In fact, she had little experience in student government and had a list of other extracurriculars she wanted to get involved in. After some persuasion from a sitting senator, Faith ran for office as a first-year student and was elected as a housing representative.
Whatever doubts Faith was feeling about her place on Senate quickly disappeared after she helped organize a holiday party for her housing community. The event had a bigger turnout than she was expecting and showed her how impactful being a senator can truly be.
“It was actually really rewarding,” said Faith. “I felt like I was actually getting to, you know, put my efforts into something that was making a positive change for the people around me.”
Everything began falling into place from there. Faith grew as a leader while serving as a senator, for she learned the importance of community and selfless service. By the time she was a third-year student, she was ready to take the next step and become Senate president. Faith has strived for administrative transparency and student advocacy since being elected in Spring 2025.
“I think at the end of the day, the biggest purpose of Student Senate is to be there for the students…” said Faith. “…to be this group of advocacy for them, and then also to be a group that’s like going to not only advocate for them, but then also support them.”
Faith’s dedication on Student Senate has not only affected the student body, but her personal aspirations as well. The skills she developed as Student Senate president translated into her professional career.
For example, one of Faith’s responsibilities is to have discussions with ONU administrators, trustees, and distinguished alumni — individuals who hold greater authority within the university landscape. Her strategy for maintaining confidence in these situations is by “walking into each space like you belong there.” Faith carried a similar mindset as she began her pre-med summer internship at a hospital, where she interacted with doctors, nurses, and technicians who had more expertise.
“I felt the exact same walking into the hospital on the first day like, ‘I don’t know any of you, but I do belong here, and I’m super super happy to be here with all of you.’”
What started out as following in her mother’s footsteps has manifested into Faith leaving a legacy of her own. Her adventure in Student Senate led Faith to a path of self-discovery and public service. Each step Faith takes as a student leader leaves a mark on the history of Ohio Northern and forges new opportunities for the career that awaits her.
This article is part of Northern Review‘s Student Highlight series, which features students who are forming new paths and making a difference in the ONU community. Stay tuned as we profile more students who are going above and beyond on campus.
- The author is a senator under the Hampton-Lloyd Student Senate administration. ↩︎