Sports Medicine Rooted in Faith

Makayla Jackson, a freshman biology major on the pre-med track at the University of South Florida. With dreams of becoming a sports medicine physician, Makayla’s journey is guided by both faith and a lifelong love for basketball. Growing up in a family where both faith and sports were central, Makayla learned early on that her passion for science and her desire to serve others could intersect.

“I’ve always loved science — especially biology,” Makayla shared. “But I didn’t really understand how much until I started playing basketball. I began to see how amazing our bodies are — how intricately designed they are. Everyone is built differently, yet each body performs in such incredible ways. That’s when I realized, this is all God’s design. It fascinated me how powerful and yet fragile our bodies can be. That curiosity pushed me deeper into biology and eventually into sports medicine.”

Makayla’s love for basketball began with her father — watching games together, cheering from the stands, and bonding over the sport they both loved. But her basketball journey hasn’t always been easy. “When I transferred schools in fourth grade, I wanted to join the basketball team,” she recalled. “They didn’t have a girls’ team, but I knew two girls who had joined the boys’ team — so I decided to try.  It was the scariest thing of my life but I love basketball a lot but then it was scary because I was on a boys team and they were mean because they are boys.” That same year, Makayla broke her shoulder. Still, she refused to give up. When she returned to the court in sixth grade, her team went on to win a championship — a moment that cemented her resilience and her love for the game.

As basketball had its highs and lows, so did Makayla’s spiritual journey. While faith was always part of her upbringing, her personal relationship with God deepened during one of the hardest seasons of her life. “I grew up in church, but I didn’t really get close to God until quarantine,” she said. “When my cousin Greg passed away, I went through a really hard period of isolation. I lost friends, gained weight, and just felt stuck. But that’s when I decided to truly follow God. He helped me through such a tough time, and I came to know his power and love in a real way.”

That season of transformation helped Makayla see purpose in her pain — and sparked a heart for serving others. “My faith showed me how important it is to serve,” she explained. “I always ask myself, ‘How can I please God with this?’ I think He gave me a gift for serving because I genuinely love helping people — even in small ways. Just seeing the joy on someone’s face when you can be there for them means everything.”

Makayla says pursuing higher education wasn’t just about career preparation — it was also about structure and personal growth. “Honestly, college was never not really a choice for me — it was expected,” she said with a laugh. “But I also wanted it. High school has structure — you always know what’s next. College felt like the next step to mature, to grow, and to figure out who I am. It’s like a safety net that gives me time to learn before stepping fully into the real world.”

The academic transition came naturally for Makayla, but socially, she admits it’s been more of a challenge. “The hardest part about going to college is the social side,” she said. “I thought all my high school friendships would stay the same, but they didn’t. I’m still learning how to find my people here.” Being away from my mom has also been hard — I love my mom and family — but having my uncle here in Florida has helped. His home feels like a piece of home for me.”

One of the most memorable experiences for Makayla so far has been the Pursue Scholars retreat. “Honestly, I appreciate everything about Pursue Scholars,” she said. “The retreat was amazing — being disconnected, surrounded by nature, and just feeling God’s presence. I remember hanging out on the lake, going on a hike, watching the sunset. It was peaceful and refreshing. Even though I didn’t connect deeply with everyone, I still left with such gratitude. Plus, the food was great — those chicken Caesar wraps were my favorite!”

Looking ahead, Makayla hopes to use her passion for medicine to give back to her community. “There are so many issues I see around me, and I just want to help however I can,” she said. “That might look like volunteering at pro-bono clinics one day, giving back financially, or volunteering my time. I especially care about taking care of our environment and improving conditions in under-resourced neighborhoods. We can’t wait for others to fix things for us — we have to take care of our communities ourselves.”

For Makayla, faith is what fuels her purpose, her studies, and her service. “Everything I do, I want it to please God,” she said. “If I can use my gifts to help others — through medicine, service, or just kindness — then I’m walking in the right direction.”

Stories like Makayla's are the reason we are grateful for partners like you. Your gift to Pursue Scholars today will be actively investing in young Chicago leaders and helping them embark on a journey that will truly lead to change.