Sophomore Lana Logan has devoted her time to being involved on campus. She’s a SMART mentor, the community outreach chair for Black Student Union, a member of the National Council of Negro Women, and an LGBTQIA ally.

But last spring, unexpected to her, she was given a leadership position — director of Elon’s Gospel Choir.

“I’d heard nothing about it and I look around at the other people and I’m like, 'Oh, okay,'" Logan said. "And so I began being the sole director in September.”

As a freshman walking into gospel choir, she felt a positive energy and vibrant atmosphere that enticed her to join. Now, her leadership impacts the choir even more than the notes she sings.

“I love watching my kids — well, they’re not my kids, but, my kids grow and seeing how spectacular they are at music,” Logan says.

She uses her musical ministry to touch the lives in her choir, including freshman Mikisha Davis. It has brought her both empowerment and a sense of clarity.

“She loves the choir and is always including everyone and bringing people to get out of their comfort zone, to sing and just praise the Lord,” Davis said. “At times everyone struggles in college. Everyone has their downfalls, but coming to gospel choir is my relief.”

Logan finds peace in leading gospel choir. For her, it brings strength on both high and low days.

Because her mom is a pastor, she’s been singing since she was 5 years old. Because of this, her talent was noticed at a young age.

“I tell people all the time singing is my only gift — it’s the only thing I’m good at,” Logan said. “Music is like being at home to me."

When she was 16 she was diagnosed with endometriosis, a disorder where tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. Doctors found that her ovaries make too many eggs, so she cannot conceive a child..

She said it was very difficult for her to face.

“Because I was grown up in such a traditional religious society, if women couldn’t have babies then they couldn’t be considered the matriarch,” Logan said.

But when she got to college her thoughts changed.

“One of my best friends looked at me and said, 'No, no, girl. You’re a woman. You’re doing this and just because you can’t have a baby, doesn’t meant that you’re not strong and can’t be a mother to other people,'” Logan said.

Though Logan’s passion is singing with others at Numen Lumen Pavilion, she studies political science and hopes to one day help families by being an adoption attorney and helping others who are unable to have children — like her. 

"I’ve never let it stop me from doing what I think I’m called to do," Logan said. "And that is to be a student and go to school, to be a lawyer and change lives and to lead ministry here."

It’s her singing and gospel choir that continues to give her strength through her struggles.

“I believe that a real singer has to have a story behind what they sing and they have to be able to feel what they sing,” Logan said.