ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

ROB COYLE

Alumni Spotlight: Authors lead us to dream, provoke thought, and forever challenge our beliefs. In celebration of National Authors’ Day, we would like to honor one of Ohio Valley University’s very own, Rob Coyle. 

Rob graduated from OVC in 1999 receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Bible with an emphasis in textual studies. Originally from the Mid-Ohio Valley area, Rob grew up in Caldwell, Ohio. He now resides in Chula Vista, California, with his lovely wife Alejandra and three children, where he serves as the Senior Minister at the Chula Vista Church of Christ. 

Coyle noted his inspiration for writing came from “one of my closest friends, Matthew J. Wilson (’98)” a fellow OVC alumnus, who has authored several books. 

Since the release of Coyle’s first published work on October 1, 2015, he has written a total of seven books. The latest is entitled, Elusive God: Learning to Walk by Faith & Not by Sight (and why this is so hard to do). Coyle’s hope is that readers see just how fascinating, difficult, beautiful, inspiring, and sometimes problematic scripture can be. He seeks to encourage believers to be faithful in their pursuit of God and to be humble moving forward. 

Of his favorite OVC memory, Coyle responded, “There are so many it is hard to say. Everything I did and everyone I met, filled my years with good memories. Probably, if I had to choose, I would go with my last year in Expressions where I played the part of the good-but-very-dumb sheriff and Tom Lodato (’00) played my evil-long-lost brother. We did a duet of Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” that I still think about and laugh.” 

Rob also stated, “what I learned at OVC that has stuck with me is this: I learned how to learn. This has been the best gift and experience that any school could ever give a student. I am grateful for my professors who would not just teach us material, but teach us how to ask good questions and how to find good sources in our pursuit for the answer. I can also say that the love of Christ permeated my time at OVC. Being surrounded by friends who were walking the same path, albeit at different stages along the way, helped me to be who I am today. I am grateful to them and to the professors who poured out their lives and hearts.”

"I can also say that the love of Christ permeated my time at OVC.”

— ROB COYLE, ON HIS TIME HERE AT OHIO VALLEY UNIVERSITY