Haley Pattison is a junior at Waynesburg University studying marine biology. She joined a student group who worked with Bob Sluka, A Rocha’s Lead Scientist for Marine Conservation, in Titusville, Florida, in January 2026. Haley describes how the trip was part of her larger faith and vocational journey.
Photo caption: Haley snorkels with a manatee around Silver Glen Springs, Florida. Photo by John Richert.
I was raised Roman Catholic, and so I grew up immersed in the routines of church and Sunday school. However, outside of that, my faith was never something that felt extremely personal or grounded. It never really felt like my personal conviction; it was something I followed out of respect for my family and tradition. Truthfully, it’s always been something I’ve been skeptical of. I trusted science because it was observable, tangible, and honest, and I often felt there was a deep divide between what I studied and what religion seemed to ask of me, and what I saw in the world.
Does God Even Care?
For a long time, I was battling with the idea of God because I didn’t understand why things happened the way they did. What I was seeing happen in the world didn’t align with the image of an all-loving, all-powerful creator that I was taught. Sometimes, it seemed like everywhere I looked, I was seeing suffering that felt unnecessary and deeply unfair. I struggled with why bad things happened to good people, like why children were allowed to go hungry, and why seemingly innocent lives are often the ones most affected by hardship. I questioned why the animals and environments I loved are constantly threatened and pushed towards extinction, and why the natural world is so easily destroyed by human greed and neglect.
There were so many things that I just couldn’t grasp, and I was left battling with the idea that this all-powerful creator just didn’t care like people said he did, especially because so much of it seemed so easily preventable. It wasn’t just natural disasters or forces beyond our control; it was us, the people. It was people exploiting others, people exploiting the environment, people prioritizing profit over life and creation, people turning away when they had opportunities to help. If God was all-knowing and all-powerful, I struggled to understand why he would let people cause so much harm without any intervention.
Experiencing all of these thoughts growing up led to a great sense of distrust, not because I didn’t have faith, but because the reality I was witnessing didn’t match what I was being told and taught about God. It made me question whether or not God truly cared, or whether caring was something that we, as people, projected to make sense of things. This is something that my education (and especially my connection with the people) at Waynesburg University has helped.
I didn’t choose Waynesburg University because of its religion. Truthfully, I chose it for my program, and because of the financial aid I was offered. When I first came to Waynesburg, I didn’t think that I would get involved or interested in any true faith-based organizations, clubs, or even people, and I was not interested in integrating faith in my studies. When I started learning about the intricacies of things, like the precise structures of atoms, the inner workings of our cells, and the way countless microscopic processes work together to sustain life, it became harder for me to believe that these things happened purely by chance.
Creation Opens a Window to Faith
When I started learning about Christian environmentalism and connecting with the people here at Waynesburg University, it made me want to pursue my faith and get closer to God again. For the first time in my life, I started having open discussions about my faith, my viewpoints, and why I thought and felt the things I did. I used to be scared away from my faith by people who were overbearing. I feared that I would be judged because, put simply, I wasn’t as much of a believer or a follower as they were. But at Waynesburg, I met people who took the time to listen, to understand, and to encourage me in the ways I needed. I really owe it to my professors and to two individuals who have become my closest friends. Because of them, I now feel comfortable being honest about my past distrust of faith and God, and I feel like I’m back on the right path.
In January, I joined a group of Waynesburg students visiting A Rocha’s Florida Marine Conservation project. We went to assist with ongoing research on Atlantic Mole Crab populations in Titusville. This trip has been an incredible step in my personal journey. Through my work in creation care and seeing conservation framed as an act of stewardship, I began to realize that faith and science don’t have to be in opposition. Instead, this experience helped me see conservation as both a scientific responsibility and a spiritual practice, and make sense of what I’ve always felt was my calling. More than professional growth, this trip felt like something my soul needed. An invitation to integrate my love for the natural world with a renewed understanding of calling, care, and purpose.
One part of the experience that impacted me the most actually happened on our very first day. The night prior, we had had a long day full of traveling. Bob and his family welcomed us, a van full of mostly strangers, into his home with such compassion. That morning, we went out to Playalinda Beach for the first time, where Bob introduced us to an activity he called Church with the Beach. Part of this experience was something called Wandering with the Ocean. Bob asked us to walk with intention, to wander around la Playa with purpose, to wonder and ask questions, and to allow our curiosity to be genuine. He encouraged us to listen not just with our ears but also with our attention for what God might be speaking through the ocean.
Even though this activity sounds simple and even maybe a little silly at first, it was extremely transformative for me and allowed me to follow and grow throughout the remainder of the trip. For the first time, faith didn’t feel abstract or forced, it felt tangible, present, and deeply connected to the natural world – creation – I’ve always loved. It was extremely grounding, and I felt truly open and mindful in a way that I never have before. I really think that marked the first time I truly felt connected to creation, to God, and to something that had long felt out of reach.
Research and education experience
Overall, the opportunity to work with A Rocha in Titusville helped me grow in so many different ways. Professionally, contributing to ongoing research was deeply fulfilling. As someone who grew up visiting beaches in Maryland, where Atlantic mole crabs are abundant, I’m incredibly grateful for the different perspective that I had during this experience working with mole crab populations and learning about the challenges facing the species in Florida.
Equally impactful was the opportunity to present this research to local schools. Engaging with students of different ages and witnessing their curiosity and passion not only reminded me of what I was like at their age, but it also reminded me of the power of education. It helped me seriously consider teaching as part of my future vocation.
Specifically, what really stuck out to me was when we had the opportunity to present to Bob’s daughter’s class. After we talked to these fifth graders, they all immediately went outside and started to pick up the plastic around their school grounds. It was something so extremely touching to see, and it was a reminder that education really can inspire real change. It left me with a deep sense of hope that continues to shape how I think about my role in conservation, education, and creation care moving forward.
Click here to check out the reflections of Sydney Houck, a 2024-25 Conservation Intern, about a past Waynesburg service trip with A Rocha in Florida!