Today we’re sitting down with Stephanie and Stacy, student leaders here at Grace Christian University and hosts of the Rooted in Real podcast. Throughout this conversation with Danny, they share honest insights about faith, leadership, authenticity, community, and what it looks like to follow Christ in the middle of college life and young adulthood.
Danny:
For people who may not know you guys yet, can you introduce yourselves, share your majors, your roles on campus, and some of the things you’re passionate about?
Stephanie:
My name is Stephanie Mendel, and I’m a senior here at Grace. I’m studying communications and Christian studies, and I’m blessed to be one of the ministry and leadership interns as well as an RA. I’ve always said I’m passionate about Jesus and people. I’m a huge people person, and I love talking about the Lord, reading about Him, and spending time with Him. I also love being outside and staying active. I’m engaged to my best friend, Ben, and we’re getting married later this year. Right now I’m just enjoying these last few weeks of college and getting excited for what’s next.
Stacy:
I’m Stacy, and I’m also a senior here at Grace. I’m majoring in business management with a focus in human resources. Human resources is really my passion because I love advocating for people and empowering people. At Grace, I’m a community advocate, so I work closely with commuters and help create opportunities for them to feel connected on campus. I’m also a co-founder of the Multi-Unity Committee, which focuses on bringing more cultural recognition and appreciation to campus. A lot of what I care about is helping students grow and feel empowered.
How Rooted in Real Started
Danny:
You guys are leaders on campus, you stay busy, and somehow you also decided to start a podcast. I want to hear how Rooted in Real started.
Stephanie:
Stacy and I became friends through the community life team. One of the RDs here joked that I had golden retriever energy and Stacy had black cat energy. A lot of our interactions were basically me goofing off while Stacy gave me the side eye. Somewhere during an RA meeting, the idea of us starting a podcast came up. Honestly, I don’t even fully remember how it happened, but we started brainstorming. We were asking questions like, “Who are we going to have on?’ and ‘What’s the vibe?” Eventually we landed on Rooted in Real.
Stacy:
We had never done a podcast before, so we spent the last month of the semester brainstorming topics, ideas, guests, and names. We had so many names. Then we decided that next semester we were just going to go for it. I remember us constantly saying, ‘I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.’ Then next thing you know, we bought microphones.
Why Authenticity Matters to Gen Z
Danny:
One thing I hear constantly when people talk about Gen Z is authenticity. Why do you think authenticity matters so much to younger generations?
Stephanie:
A huge marker of our generation is social media and how people present themselves online. Everything is curated. Everything is edited to create this perfect picture. I think a lot of people in our generation are tired of people caring more about how they’re perceived than who they actually are. We see so much fake stuff online that people are craving something real. My dad always used to say nobody notices hypocrisy or inauthenticity more than teenagers, and I think that’s especially true now. People can spot fake behavior immediately.
Stacy:
I think our generation seeks authenticity because we’re looking for a sense of belonging and community. People say Gen Z is really connected, but honestly I think we’re just trying to figure out where we belong. A lot of people are scared to stand out or be vulnerable, but at the same time they want to feel accepted somewhere. That’s why authenticity matters so much. If you’re not being real, people can tell.
Walking Through Real Struggles
Danny:
You both spend a lot of time walking alongside students. What are some of the struggles students are bringing to you?
Stacy:
One of the biggest things students come to me with is uncertainty about what they’re supposed to do with their lives. People will say, “I don’t know what I’m doing,” and honestly, half of us feel that way sometimes. As believers, especially when you’re younger in your faith, you can find yourself asking, “Okay, I’m following God, but what exactly am I supposed to do next?” That’s why community matters so much. We need people around us who can walk alongside us while we figure things out. Real-life experiences, conversations, friendships, and mentorship teach you things books alone never can. I encourage people all the time to put themselves out there, find community, and stop feeling like they need to have everything figured out immediately.
Stephanie:
A lot of girls this year have come to me struggling with shame and sexual sin, and that’s been a growing point for me because I’ve had to learn how to walk alongside someone through something heavy without condemning them. One of the first things I usually say is, “Thank you for telling me,” because I know how hard that is to admit. There’s so much shame surrounding those struggles, especially for women, because a lot of the conversation has historically centered around men. That only makes women feel more isolated, like they’re the only ones struggling, and that discourages them from speaking up. But healing starts when people realize they’re not alone.
Gen Z and the Search for Belonging
Danny:
When it comes to Gen Z and younger generations, what do you think people misunderstand most about them?
Stacy:
I honestly think our generation is misunderstood because people see us being open and accepting about different things, and they assume we don’t care about truth or values. But I don’t think that’s the issue. I think our generation is searching for belonging. We want community. We want to feel accepted somewhere. People say Gen Z is the most connected generation, but I don’t think we are. I think a lot of us are scared to stand out or be vulnerable. We’re trying to find our place while also trying not to bother anybody. At the end of the day, people just want to belong somewhere.
Stephanie:
I read something recently about how technology can never replace real community. The example was the incarnation, Jesus physically coming and dwelling among people. There’s no substitute for real, in-person relationships. I think a lot of our generation is trying to find belonging online, but online community can’t fully replace real-life friendships and relationships.
Accountability vs. Judgment
Danny:
I think that leads into another question. A lot of people confuse accountability with judgment. How do we actually build healthy community without people feeling attacked?
Stephanie:
I think part of it starts with having conversations with your friends and saying, “I want this friendship to be more than just us having fun together. I want us to call each other higher.” Scripture talks about building one another up. Sometimes loving someone means saying, “Hey, I know who you want to be, and this decision isn’t leading you toward that.” But people need to know your heart before those conversations happen.
Stacy:
I think delivery matters a lot. You can have the best intentions, but if you say something the wrong way, people immediately feel judged. One of the biggest things I learned in communication classes is that people tend to fill in the blanks and assume the worst about situations. So when you approach accountability, you have to make it clear that it’s coming from love and not condemnation. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying, I’m not trying to judge you. I care about you, and I know this isn’t who you want to be.
Authenticity in the Workplace
Danny:
There’s also tension right now between authenticity and professionalism, especially for Gen Z entering the workplace. Have you guys experienced that?
Stacy:
That was honestly one of the biggest things I struggled with entering the professional world. I had people tell me things like, “Be more serious” or “Tone down your personality” I actually took that advice for a while, and when I went into networking events or internships acting like someone else, I realized, “This isn’t me.” I was still professional, but I didn’t feel confident because I was trying to play a role instead of being authentic. Being professional and being authentic can absolutely go hand in hand. You should care about your job and respect the environment you’re in, but you also shouldn’t lose yourself in the process.
Stephanie:
When it comes to evangelizing in the workplace or being a light for Jesus, I think most of the time it simply looks like being yourself. It’s not about preaching sermons in the office every day. It’s about being joyful in the Lord, having a grateful heart, speaking kindly about others, and taking opportunities as they come. Your character speaks volumes.
Advice to Their Younger Selves
Danny:
If you could go back and give advice to your younger selves walking onto campus for the first time, what would you say?
Stephanie:
What younger me needed to hear is that everything is downstream from your walk with the Lord. If you want to lead people, mentor people, or pour into others, all of that has to overflow from genuine intimacy with Jesus. If your relationship with God becomes performative, eventually everything else will too. Honestly, if I could talk to younger Stephanie, I’d say, ‘Go talk to Jesus. Get off the stage. Go to your room, shut the door, and pray.
Stacy:
I would tell younger me to be open to learning and to stop believing everybody was out to get me. Coming into college, I was scared. I was nervous about fitting in, nervous about my background, and nervous about how people would see me. Because of past experiences, I became defensive and hesitant to let people in. But over time, God brought people into my life who genuinely cared about me. Professors, mentors, and friends helped me realize that community is a gift and that people really do want to support you. I wish I would have known earlier that I didn’t need to carry all that fear alone.
Closing Thoughts
Danny:
Thank you guys so much. This was such a great conversation. Before we wrap up, where can people listen to Rooted in Real?
Stephanie and Stacy:
“Spotify!” Thank you guys so much for listening and supporting Rooted in Real. We honestly started this podcast just wanting to have real conversations that point people back to Jesus, and it’s been so encouraging seeing how many people relate to the topics we talk about.
