Samford University journalism alumnus Rand Jenkins ’95 has built a career in communications, business leadership and Christian ministry. Now serving as president and CEO of On Mission Network and a leader with Texans on Mission, Jenkins helps connect churches, volunteers and organizations to provide disaster relief and support communities in need. 

His journey from journalism to nonprofit leadership has been anything but conventional, but Jenkins believes each chapter of his career has prepared him for the next. 

“My career path has been anything but a straight line, and I think that's one of the more valuable lessons I can share with students today,” Jenkins said. “A degree provides a foundation, but it doesn't necessarily dictate your destination.” 

After graduating from Samford, Jenkins began his career in broadcast communications before transitioning into public relations. His journalism background helped him understand how reporters and news organizations identify compelling stories and communicate information accurately. 

His career expanded into advertising, marketing, business development and organizational leadership. Along the way, he started businesses and nonprofit organizations, earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Dallas Baptist University and served as an adjunct professor. 

Each opportunity built upon the last, eventually leading him toward a career centered on connecting people and resources to serve communities in need. 

“Communications led to strategy, strategy led to leadership and leadership increasingly became about bringing people and resources together to accomplish something meaningful,” Jenkins said. 

Today, Jenkins connects churches, nonprofit organizations, businesses, volunteers and government leaders to assistpeople experiencing some of life's most difficult circumstances. 

Texans on Mission, which has served communities since 1967, provides disaster response, clean water, rebuilding assistance and other ministries around the world. On Mission Network builds upon that foundation by connecting and equipping churches across denominational and geographic boundaries to respond when disasters strike. 

Through both organizations, Jenkins seeks to strengthen local communities by preparing churches and volunteers to respond to emergencies and provide lasting support. 

“Disasters begin and end locally,” Jenkins said. “National organizations and large-scale response efforts are important, but local churches and community leaders are often there before outside assistance arrives and remain long after it leaves.” 

For Jenkins, the mission extends beyond immediate disaster relief. It is about equipping individuals and organizations to make service a meaningful and lasting expression of their faith. 

Although his professional responsibilities have evolved considerably since his college years, Jenkins credits his journalism education with providing skills he continues to rely on daily. 

“Journalism taught me to ask good questions, listen carefully, identify what matters, separate facts from assumptions and communicate complex information in ways people can understand,” Jenkins said. 

Those abilities remain essential whether he is meeting with government officials, developing organizational strategy, addressing church leaders or communicating the impact of disaster relief efforts. 

Perhaps most importantly, Jenkins believes journalism taught him the power of storytelling. 

In nonprofit leadership, measurable results such as meals served, homes repaired, clean water provided and volunteers deployed demonstrate an organization's impact. However, Jenkins recognizes that the stories behind those numbers often inspire others to become involved. 

“The numbers tell us the scale of the work. The stories tell us why it matters,” Jenkins said. 

He believes communicating those experiences truthfully helps organizations build partnerships, inspire volunteers and secure resources while keeping the people they serve at the center of their mission. 

Beyond his professional preparation, Jenkins remembers the faculty members who shaped his intellectual, personal and spiritual development at Samford. 

He credits professors Jon Clemmensen and David Shipley with teaching him the fundamentals of effective communication and the responsibility journalists have to pursue truth, accuracy and fairness. He also recalls the late nights spent working with Ed Landers to develop his editing and video storytelling abilities. 

Faculty members Bill Leonard and Dennis Sansom challenged him to examine difficult ethical and theological questions, while Nancy Whitt, through his English minor, helped him become a more versatile writer and thinker. 

“Looking back, what stands out is that these professors did much more than teach their respective subjects,” Jenkins said. “They invested in their students as people. They challenged us intellectually, developed our abilities, and helped shape our character.” 

His time at Samford also brought a lasting personal connection. He met his wife, Denise (Spackey) Jenkins, during their college years, and the couple married following graduation in 1995. 

Jenkins believes the combination of communication, critical thinking, ethics and Christian theology that defined his Samford education continues to influence how he approaches leadership and service. 

As he looks toward the future, Jenkins hopes to expand the reach of Texans on Mission and On Mission Network by strengthening partnerships, developing future leaders and preparing more churches to respond to disasters. 

His vision centers on equipping people to make a difference in their own communities while working alongside others who share a commitment to serving those in need. 

“We live in a time that often feels tumultuous and deeply divided,” Jenkins said. “Yet we're less divided than the headlines suggest.” 

Through his work, he has witnessed Christians from different denominations, theological traditions and backgrounds unite to help families rebuild after disasters. Those experiences have reinforced his belief that service can bring people together around a shared purpose. 

Ultimately, Jenkins hopes the impact of the organizations he leads will be measured not only by the disasters they respond to but also by the individuals they prepare to serve and the communities they help transform. 

“It's a complex undertaking, but the underlying principle is remarkably simple: We're called to love and serve our neighbors,” Jenkins said. “Our responsibility is to, as we go, find meaningful ways to do exactly that.”