Megan Davidson is heading back to her alma mater.

Davidson, TCU Wesley’s campus minister, is leaving for a new job at Southwestern University. She has been at TCU for four and a half years.

Davidson will become Southwestern’s new Chaplain, as well as the university’s director of spiritual and religious life.

Davidson said her job will include overseeing religious life programming, working with student groups and being a spokesperson for religious life on campus. She will also be a pastoral presence in times of crisis.

Davidson said she felt no dissatisfaction about her job here, and she was not actively seeking out other jobs.

“When I heard that the position was going to become open, I started praying about it and really felt like God was calling me to go back to Southwestern and serve in ministry there,” Davidson said.

Davidson went on to say it was sort of a “roundabout” search process. She ended up withdrawing her application at one point for personal reasons, only to resubmit it later when she was re-approached by the search committee to reconsider the job.

She was eventually offered the position and happily accepted it.

But it wasn’t all happiness when she realized she would be leaving something that means so much to her.

“There’s a bittersweet aspect to it because I love it here,” Davidson said. “I have invested so much of myself into these last four and a half years, so it’s really difficult for me to leave.”

When asked about what she is most looking forward to in her new job at her alma mater, Davidson said that it was being able to reconnect with her roots.

“Going back to a place that I love so much and that has had such a huge impact on my development and formation is a really special opportunity,” Davidson said.

Davidson said she was also excited to be able to have a larger impact on campus than she had at TCU.

“The impact I’ve had here at TCU has been primarily confined to within the Wesley, so having a greater ability to have a broader impact in my role at Southwestern is exciting,” Davidson said.

Davidson’s last day is Dec. 14. Until then, she said she’s just trying to “soak up” all she can.

Many of the Wesley members have mixed emotions about the change in leadership. Isaac Dunn, a member of the TCU Wesley, said he is both happy and sad about Davidson leaving.

“I’m happy for her. I think it will be a good move for her… So I wish her the best of luck,” said Dunn, who will be the Wesley president next semester. “I’m also sad to see her go. She’s done a lot of good things for the Wesley.”

Dunn is also excited about the new interim.

“I’m also excited to see the new person come and I’m excited to see what they could do for us,” Dunn said.

Davidson said the new interim will be Molly Simpson, a United Methodist minister who is currently living in Fort Worth. She will be starting in January as the interim director of the Wesley and serve throughout the spring semester.

A more permanent director will be hired for the summer.

Dunn said he wants to help remind the members of the Wesley that change is OK and that sometimes you just need to let go and move on.

“Change can be hard, but it also helps us grow,” Dunn said. “Sometimes that can be really beneficial.”