Tina A.A. Ayeni '01 stood up yesterday in front of a crowd of about 100 students in front of the Science Center, surrounded by sky blue t-shirts declaring, "I agree with Tina," to tell her story of finding Jesus at Harvard.

Ayeni's speech served as the finale to the Veritas Forum, a week-long conference on Christianity.

Ayeni spoke about the depression that engulfed her during her first two years at Harvard when she found herself failing to achieve the academic, athletic and extracurricular success that she had in high school.

"It was really the first time in my life when things didn't go the way I had planned, and I didn't know how to deal with it," Ayeni said.

"I had always defined myself by my talents as an academic, a leader and an athlete," Ayeni said. "But without those titles, who was I?"

But when Ayeni began studying the Bible, she said her life changed.

"I came to know Jesus for myself," she said. "Activities, awards, recognition...these are just temporary things that could never offer the same fulfillment that I have today in my relationship with Jesus."

After her speech, Ayeni was greeted with hugs and congratulations from fellow Christians.