S14:E23 | Gabriel Payne: Designing Solutions That Serve People

From Cedarville Stories by Cedarville University

June 10, 2026 · 32 min · Season 14

About this episode

Gabriel Payne shares his journey from aspiring engineer to discovering the value of a Christian education at Cedarville University.

Designing Solutions That Serve People Gabriel Payne thought he knew what his future should look like. After an aptitude test in high school pointed him toward engineering, the path seemed straightforward: attend a large, nationally recognized university and earn the kind of degree serious engineers were expected to pursue. Schools like Purdue, Northwestern, Harvard, and MIT stood at the top of his list. In Gabriel’s mind, Christian universities simply could not offer the same level of engineering education. That mindset made his eventual decision even more surprising. As a homeschooled student, Gabriel always enjoyed learning and creating. He loved building with Legos and blocks in his family’s Chicago home, asking questions, and exploring new ideas, but he never fit the future engineer stereotype of the kid constantly dismantling gadgets in the garage. Instead, his interest in engineering emerged gradually, growing through the realization that he loved solving problems and thinking analytically. Once he recognized that direction, he pursued it with determination and began searching for a program that would prepare him well for the future. Along the way, Cedarville University…

People in this episode

Guest: Gabriel Payne

Topics covered

engineering education
Christian universities
problem solving
personal growth
career paths

Keywords

engineering
Christian education
Cedarville University
career decision
problem solving

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cedarville University, Purdue, Northwestern, Harvard, MIT