Rhett Hayes
UTA Assistant Director

I first encountered the power of one-on-one discipleship at UT Dallas in 2013, and I immediately fell in love. I was a freshman marketing major who grew up in church, but had struggled to live in the light and live with the kind of boldness that following Jesus calls for. When students only a few years older than me began to see me, love me, and challenge me to live like Jesus, their efforts hit my dormant spiritual life like a defibrillator to the chest. I had no idea, however, that God would call me to spend the rest of my life doing the same for others.

After a year of pastoring at UNT and several years of pastoring at UTD (not including time as a student leader), God sent me westward! I've been helping direct FOCUS at UT Arlington for the last few years while working with Lindsey Royal to spearhead the planting of FOCUS at TCU. All in all, I'm entering my 9th year as a full-time college pastor.

When I'm not with students, you can find me with my nose in a book, finishing the last few classes of a Master of Arts in Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. When I'm not in a book, I'm probably producing music, roasting coffee, playing basketball, or hanging out with my wife Kaylee and our two cats. Kaylee helped plant FOCUS at UT Arlington in 2015, and she now works as a theater teacher, hospital clown, and playwright, in addition to being the lead worship pastor at Arlington Central Church.