The Launch Mission

The transition from high school to college brings new responsibilities, relationships, and opportunities to grow, both academically and spiritually. Dr. Brian Harrell, professor at Liberty University, joins Tommy to offer a professor's perspective on what students can expect and how they can prepare for this next chapter. He shares practical advice on managing your time, communicating with professors, taking advantage of office hours, and learning to take responsibility for your education. Drawing on more than two decades of ministry experience in Africa, Dr. Harrell also discusses the importance of developing a personal relationship with Christ, thinking critically about what you're taught, and finding Christian community while building relationships with people who believe differently. His encouragement to high school seniors is to begin developing intentional habits now so they can enter college prepared to grow in their faith, pursue meaningful relationships, and make the most of every opportunity.

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College brings new opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges that can test even the strongest foundations. University of Richmond senior and student-athlete Parker Moellinger joins Tommy to reflect on his transition from high school to college and the lessons he's learned along the way. He shares how balancing competitive golf, demanding academics, and friendships challenged his priorities and taught him the importance of finding his identity in Christ rather than his accomplishments. Through seasons of disappointment, loneliness, and overwhelming schedules, Parker discovered the value of consistent time in God's Word and surrounding himself with a supportive Christian community. His story encourages high school seniors to establish their priorities, develop intentional spiritual habits, and prepare to keep Christ at the center of their lives as they enter college.

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The transition from high school to college brings new freedoms, responsibilities, and challenges, but preparing for them doesn't have to wait until move-in day. Dr. Jenica Alvarez, college professor and author of Crushing Your Freshman Year, joins Tommy to share practical strategies for navigating your first year with confidence. Drawing on 15 years of experience in higher education, she explains the importance of taking ownership of your schedule, building relationships with professors, and creating a support network before you need help. She also discusses how healthy routines, intentional friendships, and simple habits like a weekly planning session can make a difference in your academic success and overall well-being. Whether you're a junior beginning to think about college or a senior preparing for your next chapter, this conversation will help you take practical steps toward greater independence and a successful freshman year.

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The Impact 360 Fellows Program is a nine-month Christian gap year experience designed to help students grow in their faith, develop as leaders, and prepare for life after high school. In this episode, seven recent Fellows join Tommy to reflect on the experiences, relationships, and lessons that shaped their year. They share how intentional Christian community and discipleship helped them navigate challenges, ask deeper questions, develop spiritual habits, and understand what it means to have a personal relationship with God. From international service opportunities and conversations about faith to everyday moments of friendship, the Fellows explain how they learned to put what they believed into practice. Their stories offer high school seniors a look at what it can mean to invest intentionally in spiritual growth before taking their next step.

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Leaving home for college brings new opportunities to grow, but it also means encountering new ideas and cultural pressures that may challenge what you believe. Brett Kunkle, founder of Maven, explains why a faith built only on what your parents or church have taught you isn’t enough—you need to understand your own reasons for believing and develop a biblical worldview that helps you make sense of life. He encourages students to start with Scripture, read thoughtfully, and use trusted resources to explore their questions rather than avoiding difficult topics. Brett also challenges seniors to move beyond their comfort zones by engaging in honest conversations with people who hold different beliefs, allowing those conversations to reveal what they know and where they can keep growing. His message is that college can be more than a place to earn a degree: it can be an opportunity to live out your faith, love others, and become a thoughtful, confident leader.

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What does it look like to carry your faith with you when the routines and people you’ve always relied on are no longer right down the hall? Annabel Baker, a chemical engineering student at the University of Alabama, shares what she learned navigating college, from finding Christian community to working through loneliness and growing in her relationship with God. She explains why building habits like prayer and Bible reading before college matters, especially when your schedule becomes less structured and there are more opportunities competing for your time. Annabel also shares how mentors, small groups, and a gratitude journal have helped her grow in her faith and recognize God’s presence in everyday moments. Her advice for seniors: start building those habits now, be intentional about finding community, and remember that you can make plans while trusting God to direct your steps.

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What happens when you leave the routines, people, and structure you’ve known for most of your life? Austin Gentry talks about what he learned when he went from a Christian school to a state university and found himself navigating new ideas, new experiences, and new responsibilities. Together, Tommy and Austin talk about making your faith your own, working through doubt, choosing your community, finding a church, and remembering that your identity doesn’t have to come from your major, your friend group, or what other people think of you. Most importantly, Austin encourages seniors to make some of those decisions before they get to college, so they aren’t simply reacting to whatever comes their way.

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Russell encourages seniors to look beyond graduation and start taking ownership of the areas of life they will soon be responsible for on their own. Rather than coasting through senior year, students can be intentional with their faith, family, friendships, future, finances, and time. He also challenges seniors to recognize the influence they have as the oldest students in their school or youth group and use that platform to connect with and invest in younger students. The conversation also covers preparing for changing friendships, finding Christian community in college, serving others, and addressing challenges before assuming everything will automatically change after graduation. Ultimately, Russell's advice for seniors is simple: count your days, be intentional with them, and be present in the year you're living right now.

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Matt Douglas, author of Unlocking College Admissions: Your Step-By-Step Workbook For Finding The Right College And Getting In, joins Tommy to unpack the college admissions process and help students and families approach it with less stress and more intentionality. He explains how to identify the best-fit college by considering academics, location, campus life, cost, and other factors. Matt also shares practical advice on extracurriculars, recommendation letters, college essays, standardized testing, AI, financial aid, and campus visits. Throughout the conversation, he reminds students that there is no single perfect college and that the goal is to find an experience that fits who they are and where they want to go.

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Senior year can feel like a race to make sure students know everything they need before they leave home, but Tommy emphasizes that being ready and being prepared are not always the same thing. Students may be excited for independence while still needing to develop practical skills like managing money and time, communicating with professors, building healthy community, and taking ownership of their faith. The Launch Mission Podcast aims to help parents introduce these conversations before challenges arise, giving students a framework for navigating them rather than trying to prevent every problem. Throughout Season 5, parents will hear from college experts, professors, ministry leaders, admissions professionals, authors, and actual college students about the transition into adulthood. Most importantly, Tommy encourages parents to use the podcast as a starting point for meaningful conversations and to gradually move from managing their student's life toward becoming a trusted advisor.

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