It is a common feeling expressed by almost every person experiencing a major life transition: the need for deep connection with other human beings. In many ways, leaving Houghton amplifies this feeling because of the profound and life-changing relationships that develop here. The close-knit nature and the authenticity of the Houghton community are difficult to find anywhere else, and settling in a new place can feel like having the rug pulled out from under you.

In those times of missing interpersonal connections, we often find we have two choices: wait for community to find us or set out to build it ourselves.

Ryan Ozzello ’21 is a builder.

“Leaving the connection of Houghton was hard, but I prayed about how I could bring what Houghton taught me about community and build that where I am now. There are ways we can improve things wherever we go. I decided to take the good things I learned at Houghton and build on them.”

He uses metaphors like repairing leaky faucets and securing creaky stairs to describe the small tasks he is taking on to build an authentic community of Christ-followers, even when he feels disconnected.

Ryan graduated from Houghton in May 2021, facing a strange job market in the midst of the pandemic. He had just completed dual degrees in data science and computer science with a minor in mathematics. Ryan knew he loved analytics, but the complicating factors of the job market and the high barriers of entry to data science work caused him to question if God was calling him into something else.

After a semester in Houghton’s distinctive Emmanuel Scholars program, Ryan was deeply committed to seeking out not just a job but God’s vocational calling on his life. He spent time asking himself, “What do I see about God’s world that is beautiful that others don’t see?”

Emmanuel Scholars is designed to cultivate students like Ryan who are uniquely equipped for spiritual leadership by first developing in them a sense of calling and a firm foundation of spiritual disciplines. It also provides them with the tools necessary to serve their brothers and sisters both on campus and through their future vocations. In the context of a supportive cohort, students grow in their understanding of God’s vocational calling on their lives and the ways in which they can serve as spiritual leaders wherever God places them. Students pursuing either formal ministry or personal ministry are fully equipped to have a Kingdom impact on their communities and spheres of influence.

Through the vocational searching built into Emmanuel Scholars and a keenly developed habit of prayer, Ryan came to see that God had gifted him with the ability to interpret, analyze and understand data that allow him to serve the world in a unique way.

When Ryan was offered two positions outside of data science—one in business analytics and one in performance engineering—at Rochester-based Paychex, Inc., the largest HR company for small to medium-sized businesses, he was courageous enough to be patient and respectfully turn them down.

It was a bold move, one that most career advisors wouldn’t suggest. When declining the job offers, Ryan spoke—as he often does—with humble confidence. He told the team at Paychex he felt he was best suited to data science and analytics and that he could bring the greatest value to this Fortune 500 company in that type of role.

Ryan’s outstanding resumé—complete with internships with the City of Rochester and Land O’Lakes—and the incredible communication and interpersonal skills he’d developed through Houghton’s liberal arts education left an impression on the Paychex team. When a data science position opened up, they called Ryan to ask him to apply.

Although, on paper, Ryan wasn’t qualified for the position because of experience, Paychex hired him anyway. The courage to pursue God’s vocational calling led Ryan to his dream job as a data scientist in his preferred city.

As he’s settling into Rochester, he’s building community—just as Houghton taught him to do. He created a group chat called “Hungry for More,” a faithful gathering of Jesus followers who meet regularly to encourage each other. Through Hungry for More, Ryan brings Houghton’s lessons of intentional investment in others and personal connections with people to his new community.

Ryan has a heart for mentoring others who are getting ready to graduate from college and head for the job market. He possesses the gift of a shepherd, an encourager and a truth-speaker. “Don’t act out of fear; I wouldn’t be where I am if I had acted out of fear. It’s much better to move forward with fearlessness. Fear doesn’t control you, so you can live in the will of God.”

Article by Karl Sisson and Amanda (Shine ’05) Zambrano