狼友阁

Science and faith are often heralded as opposites. One is said to be factual, the other purely emotional鈥擪endyll Freeman 鈥�21, however, would say otherwise. A DNA analyst at the Adams County Crime Lab, Kendyll has found her scientific research not only supports her faith, but deepens it. 

From Confusion to Criminal Analysis

Kendyll fell in love with 狼友阁鈥檚 campus on a visit during her junior year of high school. She knew she wanted to play soccer in college, and playing on the 狼友阁 team became an integral part of her experience and faith walk. She remembers her coach going out of his way to make her feel welcome and supported, and the team鈥檚 tradition of sharing senior testimonies, saying 鈥淭hat experience was always meaningful to me鈥攊t allowed us to create a strong, supportive team dynamic rooted in shared faith.鈥� She also found community on her hall, 3rd South in Carter, and made close friendships that have stayed strong even after graduation. Kendyll studied biology, planning a career in healthcare, until she went through an existential crisis during her senior year. Her pursuit of a healthcare job had been nothing but draining as she shadowed doctors and interned at Erlanger. However, she found solace in her academics and working in the labs with 狼友阁鈥檚 biology department. Doctrine classes with Dr. Hans Madueme and a biology perspectives class with Dr. Tim Morris were the most edifying to her, as she loved the encouragement to debate aspects of theology and analyze her faith from a scientific perspective. 鈥淚 discovered that true faith isn't just about emotions鈥攊t also engages the intellect,鈥� she mused. During this period, Kendyll discovered and applied for an opportunity at the University of Kentucky in forensic toxicology and analytical genetics. Despite having no past experience with forensics, it became her major field of study at grad school.

Learning Curve

After a couple internships with crime labs and research centers, Kendyll accepted a job at the Adams County Crime Lab in the Denver, CO, area as a DNA analyst. The six months of training were a big learning curve for Kendyll as a newbie to forensics. She shadowed current analysts, worked with extensive mock samples, and attended seminars, alongside more traditional academic training like readings and exams. It was intense, but Kendyll found the thorough nature of the training equipped her well to handle her job, especially since it combined science and law. 鈥淯nderstanding the court system and the legal standards required for working in an accredited lab is critical,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ne of the biggest challenges is learning how to translate complex and technical scientific processes into language that鈥檚 understandable to a jury鈥� My boss always emphasizes that it doesn鈥檛 matter how skilled you are as a scientist if you can鈥檛 effectively communicate your findings in court.鈥� 

Fulfillment in Forensics

Kendyll has appreciated the objectivity of her work in forensics, seeing how science can clearly outline the evidence and bring justice. Isaiah 1:17 is a verse she often looks to, saying: "鈥楲earn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed鈥斺�� I believe my job aligns with this calling鈥� I feel like I'm part of a larger mission to help victims reclaim their dignity and seek justice, answering God's call to care for the marginalized and vulnerable.鈥� Faith never came easily to Kendyll. Her childhood faith traditions focused heavily on emotion, so she appreciated how her education at 狼友阁 鈥渋ntegrated both reason and belief.鈥� However, especially as she looks back at her path post-graduation, she can see God鈥檚 faithfulness in her life. 鈥淲hen everything started falling apart, I felt lost, confused, and angry,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut in the midst of that chaos, God led me to forensics, and the life I have now is so much more fulfilling than the one I had originally planned.鈥� Surrendering control of her future allowed Kendyll to have peace both then and now, and she trusts that God has her exactly where He wants her to be.

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