Leading Together: Semiramies Hastain

Commissioned to Serve

Semi Hastain’s life has been defined by the unexpected. Born in Los Angeles, she was primarily raised by her grandmother. By the second semester of her senior year in high school, tenacity and discipline delivered an early acceptance letter from the University of Arizona. Hastain is driven. 

Captain Semi Hastain
2015 Saratoga Fellow

Even with accelerated course work and college scholarship offers, she enlisted in the Army—a move that surprised friends, and to some degree herself. Even with her mom’s four years of military service, her family was not at all defined by military culture. Her step-father predicted early failure, saying she would not make it past basic training. 

Though Semi’s mother and step-father did not support her endeavors, positive influence would soon be part of her life.  Family circumstance dictated the necessity to move under the roof of a foundational family who Hastain would later call “Mima and Daddy O”; a powerhouse couple that would instill religious principles and help develop her into a leader.  Seventeen years after her commissioning as an officer, the newly minted Captain Hastain laughs, “Yeah, I think I showed my step-father.”

During those formative years, she watched her mother struggle to raise children while balancing three jobs. The military path, however surprising, was calculated to avoid the predictable shackles of college debt and dead-end jobs. Semi Hastain wanted a different life.
Hastain joined the Army upon graduating and accepted the scholarship to the University of Arizona’s ROTC program. She would graduate in 2015 and become a commissioned officer—an achievement that would only be the first of many personal and professional achievements. 

The commission came with another opportunity few might have written into the Hastain story—acceptance in the John Jay Institute’s Saratoga Fellowship—an opportunity she said she had always been missing. 

“I’ve always felt like I had a lot of control in what’s going on, but when it came to my spiritual side—as I got older in the military— it fell by the wayside.” She wanted to be a different kind of leader, one propelled by Christian conviction and principles. John Jay, she believed, would allow her to develop into that kind of leader. 

While Hastain describes feeling somewhat intimidated by the program and the academic pedigrees of the other fellows, she never felt unwelcomed. She now sees the relaxed time in between voluminous readings and writing as formational in her spiritual journey. Christian community is where she learned the most. On John Jay’s front porch, she didn’t worry about being judged when asking questions or attempting to see from a new perspective. She was truly at home.

Hastain’s understanding of principled Christian leadership is one who is approachable, selfless, humble, personable, and carries themselves well. In her words, they must be good followers, interacting with equality and mutual respect. It’s the model she sees in the life of Jesus Christ and the one she hopes to emulate during and beyond her military service. “At the end of the day, I’m going to be out of this uniform,” she says. Adding, “I want to be able to use the tools I have learned for my personal life and my professional life.”

Hastain and her husband live in North Carolina with their two children. Being a dual military parent is not an easy task, she acknowledges. Balancing deployments with parental responsibilities amid an international pandemic has tested and refined her. It’s precisely the kind of trial she knows will bear much fruit.

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Leading Together: Stephen Siao

Interpreting the Call 

Literary giants C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are acclaimed for their giftings as spellbinding storytellers, but for many Christians, their work goes beyond entertainment. The truths they conveyed often shape a reader’s worldview. Such is the journey for Stephen Siao. 

Stephen Siao, Fall 2013 John Jay Fellow

Having attended public schools and a secular university, his exposure to philosophy and history was limited, but he traces his understanding of foundational Christian principles in part to the works of Lewis and Tolkien. Stephen even summarizes his view of the earthly mission with a Tolkien quote: “It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.”

His philosophical interpretation of these literary masters was encouraged by his time at John Jay in the Fall of 2013, where his understanding of the role of the Christian duty in a fallen world flourished—especially the call to leadership. He says, “Our charge is then for principled Christian leadership in the public square to fight courageously and ceaselessly for truth, for freedom, for justice, and for mercy, despite the challenges and hopelessness that may appear to be before us.”

A Challenge to Think 

Stephen says that at John Jay he felt challenged to explore the Christian worldview with new intensity, particularly in the way Christians engage in the public square—the realm of ideas and values. Exposure to Christian thinkers, writers, and philosophers of the past is crucial, he believes, in establishing a foundation for the individual to stand upon in confronting the challenges of life. “The John Jay Fellowship gave me that foundation and taught me the importance of fighting for our culture and society.”

Perhaps more importantly, his time at the John Jay Institute taught him both the “what” and the “why” of this cultural war, including the God-given value of each individual that Christian leaders encounter in the struggle. It is this inherent value that makes even seemingly futile causes worth the fight. Siao points to William Wilberforce’s campaign against slavery and Chuck Colson’s efforts within the prison system as his inspiration to never give up in the battle for freedom, rights, and the souls of men. 

A Fight for Hope

When it comes to vocation, Siao adheres to the John Jay concept that a life calling goes beyond a career and a day-to-day job. “We are called to be salt and light in every aspect of life, not just in our careers.” It was a lesson he credits to the daily dinners, teas, and prayer times alongside his fellows at John Jay—learning to love, serve, and lead in everyday moments. Every moment and every action, no matter how seemingly insignificant, points to a greater purpose that Stephen Siao again relates back to his favorite thinkers: “The world in which we are laboring today is indeed bleak, yet we know, as Tolkien and Lewis both did, that we are here for a reason, and that there is a greater purpose and a greater hope.”

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Leading Together: Dan Ajamian

Dan Ajamian, Fall 2012 John Jay Fellow

A Passion Defined in Calling  

As Zoom-based classes and homeschooling have become normal to millions of American families, the phenomenon highlights an old reality: self-teaching can be a struggle. For Dan Ajamian, the challenge wasn’t a revelation. As a child raised in a Christian home, he recalls a life-long fire for public life and politics but found it difficult to connect political convictions to faith. 

In the Fall of 2011, Dan was introduced to a current John Jay Fellow by a mutual friend, who saw the fellowship as possible path to an elusive connection. After auditing one of the classes the following spring, he was “blown away” by the experience. He discovered a new world of Christian literature and philosophy that finally helped reconcile what seemed like competing passions—the ones that touched the inner mind, not just the surface. When he was accepted as a full-fledged John Jay Fellow in the Fall of 2012, his was transformed. Without the experience Dan says, “I think I would still be searching.”

Principled Leadership to Where? 

“I would say probably the biggest impact that the John Jay experience had was that it gave me clarity in the direction of being a principled Christian leader,” he recalls. Though he had previously understood the general notion of principled leadership, the practical implications were more complex. Reconciling passion with belief could be a dead end without practical application. “I think you can be principled in many directions but to what end? That’s where the Christian piece comes in,” he argues. The role of the individual in God’s ultimate plan to restore a fallen world is a noble one and understanding the importance of that role grants a sense of unwavering commitment. Dan’s passion now had focus—seeking God’s glory.  

Redeeming the Argument

In addition to this clarity, Dan’s time at John Jay helped him understand the reality of nuance in public debate, citing environmental stewardship as an example. While frequently viewed by many Christians in the culture wars as an outgrowth of flawed liberal philosophy, caring for Creation should be a unifying call. And while much of the environmental movement is disconnected from biblical notions of Creation care, he’s been able to redeem many of the best arguments. John Jay cautioned Dan to examine every side of an issue—between the black and white. “In this world that is broken,” he says, “there are at least elements of what is good—or at least good intentions—behind everything,” says Dan. 

 “John Jay really provided the foundation of a more general view of vocation,” he says. Though his personal calling has been to education, he believes a God-appointed calling can run in any direction as long as it ultimately aims to glorify God and restore the fallen world. While he enjoys the challenge of leading a burgeoning charter school in Colorado Springs through the trials of a pandemic, he knows the assignment is fused with meaning far beyond this global moment of trial.  “I am hopeful because I believe that Christ died and rose not only for our souls but also for the restoration of the world.”

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Leading Together: Victoria Cobb

Victoria (Marple) Cobb, Witherspoon ‘99 alumna and President of the Virginia Family Foundation, speaking at a rally against a legislation permitting abortion at the moment of birth.

Decisive Not Disruptive 

A heart for leadership and desire to create change were signs Victoria (Marple) Cobb’s early life was heading into political winds. As early as the sixth grade, her interest in pro-life issues began to set her eyes on Washington, DC—the epicenter of the public policy battles surrounding abortion. In college, she majored in political science and leadership studies. In the summer of 1999, between her Junior and Senior year of college, she secured a place with the Witherspoon Fellowship (now the John Jay Institute). To Victoria, the intellectual rigors of the program and practical, hands-on interaction would shape aspirations into a reality. Living out those ideas in Christian community and adopting new daily rhythms and rituals became foundational to her future postings. 

But like most young activists, time and experience would chart a different path—away from the center of national power.  

As Cobb now reflects, her time at Witherspoon exposed a deeper reality: Christian leadership is a calling in every arena. The same passions she held could be played out in any number of fields— from journalism to business. The same knowledge base could launch leaders in any direction. It was a realization that came from many hours of discussion—engaging with ideas and combining perspectives. “You get a much richer experience than just sitting in a classroom,” she says of her Witherspoon experience. “There’s a richness there you just can’t get another way.” Friendships built through an intense, perpetual exchange of ideas developed Victoria’s own approach to leadership. “I’m an extremely collaborative leader, and I’m convinced that the Witherspoon/John Jay experience is part of why I’m such a collaborative leader.”

Her time in the fellowship and its intellectual grounding equipped her to deal with the culture in unique ways. In an era where “chunk-sized tweets” form the basis of most populist opinion, Victoria believes Christian leaders must be more thorough and thoughtful in their responses to cultural issues. For her, research, multiple sources, and understanding the arguments of the other side form a solid alternative to the kind of reactive comments that harden hearts. Reading, analyzing, and discussing issues before they’re posted or Tweeted is a far better approach. 

Leadership, Not Popularity

But Victoria is still a realist. Even the most winsome arguments won’t diffuse every incoming attack. The positions she advocates aren’t primed to make her—or most conservatives— popular. As the president of the Family Foundation of Virginia, her issues tend to push against the cultural trends. “You will be disliked,” she says simply. In fact, she argues that if nobody dislikes your Christian leadership, then you very well might be on board with the secular agenda. That difference of opinion, however, should not translate to agitation and anger. “We want to be the light, not the aggressor.” Victoria believes that Christian leaders should use Christ’s leadership as a model, embodying humility, bravery, and sacrifice. 

Instead of provoking, the focus should be on strategically doing and saying the right things at the right times to lead others in the right way. “It’s hard,” she confesses. Being “decisive but not disruptive” is a delicate balance, and often the most effective work is not fun or glamorous. Doing the right thing may not always be on the big stage, much like Jesus ministering to twelve humble fishermen, but the small steps are often what moves mountains in the long run.

Callings for a Lifetime 

To Victoria Cobb, her convictions are a matter of callings—plural. Everyone has multiple callings that define their vocations, but Christians are not called to simply work, she argues. Each is called to be a parent, a spouse, a leader, or a member of the Body of Christ in addition to their working vocation. Each of those callings must be ordered and prioritized for maximum effect, a practice that necessitates a level of personal discipline. Victoria looks back on her time with Witherspoon/John Jay as formative in her own development of discipline. Though her background was not in the high church, she found the morning and evening prayer routines to be refreshing and beneficial, particularly using the Book of Common Prayer.

When it comes to her future, Victoria isn’t planning to retire. No matter the occupation, your callings remain unchanged—pursuing Christ and bringing glory to His kingdom. 

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Leading Together: Bryan Wandel

Fr. Bryan Wandel, Fall 2007 John Jay alumnus, preaching at his church in New York.

From DC to a City Pulpit

Few might pair a Pentecostal upbringing with the journey of a typical John Jay Institute scholar, and even fewer would connect that biographical fact to a future in the Anglican priesthood. But for Father Bryan Wandel, his inter-denominational journey was essential to understanding true Christian leadership.

Born and raised in Buffalo, Wandel graduated from the John Jay Institute in 2007—the inaugural class after the name change from Witherspoon. He’d move to Washington, DC and serve on Capitol Hill for 9 years before answering a call to pastoral ministry and returning to Western New York. His time in government was formative to his future vocation.

What is Principled Leadership?

When it comes to principled leadership, he argues, the view that America’s centers of government are temples to the raw pursuit of power isn’t quite accurate.  Most combatants are motivated to do good, but not necessarily rightly oriented in their approach to achieving those ends. Principled leadership is deeper than views of morality or even charging into battle on behalf of convictions. Most of his contemporaries in politics believed in their cause, even as the contest for those ideas divided and polarized.  “Being principled, I think, has to do with how they go about that task,” he says. It involves both the motivation and the method of working for change. Is the motive to “check boxes on an agenda” or is it to actually improve the lives of citizens? The answer lies in magnanimity—the ability to stretch beyond yourself and beyond the here-and-now. “That’s what’s so difficult,” he says of the challenge. Our call is an exercise in “stretching ourselves beyond the debate that happens today and is gone tomorrow.”

But if magnanimity defines humble, principled leadership, it’s a value that Wandel sees as lacking in the public witness of many American churches. The answer he argues is a revolution in grace-filled action. “We need people to step up, which is not common in this generation,” and step out of the comforts of the Christian subculture. The Presbyterian churchman, John Witherspoon had it right when challenging Christians to be humble in the pursuit of great things.  

How Did Spiritual Rhythms Transform His Politics?

 As to the impact of the John Jay Institute in shaping his view of life, calling, and leadership, Wandel cites the program’s holistic approach— the cycle of daily reading, community, and prayer that shapes his personal worship to this day. Prayers of confession inside the walls of true community bonds as grace is granted alongside fellow Christ followers. John Jay also aided him in developing a balanced perspective of values. He left with a refined understanding of conservative ideals but freed from needing to see them expressed in a political party or platform. He could engage ideas liberated from political stances. “John Jay is a really great introduction to deep Christian thinking that involves some thinkers you might not have heard of at this time.”

The lessons learned at John Jay have continued to shape Wendel’s understanding of vocation in daily life. As the pastor of a growing city church plant, his range of experiences spanning the casual to the liturgical are allowing him to reach a community that is reported to be one of the nation’s most secular. His calling as a pastor runs deep but it’s his core mission at home—loving his wife and their four children that is the essential thing.

 As to the future of Christian leadership, he has one summarizing thought: “Principled leadership doesn’t come from leaders who become principled, it comes from principled people who become leaders.”

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