NUrturing Faith

Sharing Stories from LCMNU: Fall 2026

Finding Support in Community: Nandipa Siluma

Nandipa Siluma (’23) became connected with Pastor Deanna Langle and Lutheran Campus Ministry at Northwestern while she was living in Zimbabwe.

“I grew up in Zimbabwe, and church was a big part of my childhood,” Nandipa said. “I was raised by a single mom [with] an older brother and grandparents on my mom's side.”

Nandipa first attended a Methodist church with her grandmother. When she was about 12, she started attending a Lutheran church by herself.

“One of our friends recommended the Lutheran church close to our house because they had a very engaged Sunday School community,” she recalled. “I was very involved with the church there.”

In high school, Nandipa started thinking about attending college in the United States. Representatives from Northwestern and other universities visited her school, and she decided to apply.

Nandipa was accepted at Northwestern and received a scholarship. On her application, she mentioned her affiliation with the Lutheran church, and Northwestern forwarded her contact information to LCMNU.

“Pastor Deanna sent an email introducing herself and LCM, and it was very interesting to me, so I responded,” Nandipa said.

When she got to campus, Nandipa met Pastor Deanna and LCMNU students at the student organization fair.

“They invited me for the first Sunday service for that quarter,” Nandipa said. “And ever since then, I was involved with LCM. I was very happy because church was a big part of my life growing up. It was very comforting to find that again, especially [where] everything was so new in Evanston. LCM was one of the things that was very familiar.”

As a first-year engineering student, Nandipa found her courses to be extremely challenging: “LCM helped me a lot with that transition, because unfortunately, I had a very tough quarter adjusting to Northwestern. Up until Northwestern, my academic journey had been pretty easy. Northwestern was challenging me in a different way. That wasn’t familiar to me, so it was really hard, and then at the same time, you're missing your family.”

“I had a conversation with Pastor Deanna, and she was very helpful, letting me know that a lot of students go through that. She was very supportive during that time.”

Nandipa joined the Pan-African Students’ Union, which became another favorite community. She also decided to change her major from biomedical engineering to computer science.

In March of her first year, the COVID pandemic halted campus life. Nandipa stayed in her dorm with a few students, many from Africa, because their countries were on lockdown, and they couldn’t travel back home.

She talked occasionally to her dad, who had moved to the United States when she was very young and lived in Boise, Idaho. “We talked here and there, but then during COVID, he offered me a place to stay.” She ended up staying with her dad for a year.

After Nandipa returned to campus, she started volunteering again for LCMNU’s service projects and became the Service Leader on the Student Leadership Board. She also enjoyed the 21theo discussion group and the real issues they addressed.

After graduation, Nandipa moved to Dallas, Texas, to work as a systems analyst for Bank of America.

“The first year was challenging,” she said. “It was a big adjustment trying to meet people, finding community. Eventually, I found a church to become really planted in.”

Nandipa is busy working and completing a master’s degree in computer science but finds time to serve at church and help families in need. “Whenever there are opportunities at church, I become involved,” she said.

Thank you for your support of students like Nandipa, who find strength through church communities and look for ways to serve others wherever they live.