I’m a dreamer. I always have been. Something else I’ve always been, since the age of 15, is a Christian.
Living in Boston for the first 20 years of my life, I had gone to church every Sunday and to public school every Monday through Friday. After graduating from high school, I chose a secular state university because of cost and proximity. Initially I thought this would be a great place for me to challenge my faith, cultivate my talents and develop a new community.
To my disappointment, after being enrolled for one year, I realized that this school did not have much to offer me. I wanted more out of life. I wanted to be in a place where my faith was firmed and strengthened. I wanted more community, more challenges, more mentorship and more opportunities to succeed and grow. I wanted a school that had values, conviction and integrity.
I wasn’t willing to settle for another three years, and I wasn’t willing to compromise my faith to fit in, so I transferred to the University of Mobile (UMobile) in 2010. It was an entirely different world. The faith-based university provided an incredible atmosphere to grow within an encouraging environment. The smaller classes offered a more personal, engaging experience, and the close-knit community of students and faculty alike made me feel as if I was part of one big family.
I was also amazed to find that the same people teaching me in the classroom became my mentors, challenging me not just intellectually but spiritually as well. I was provided with opportunities to serve on a local, regional and international scale, whether it was a service project at a local shelter or a youth hostel missions trip to cities all over Europe.
It’s vitally important to know what you believe and why you believe it. Christian colleges help you find that meaning and purpose in challenging ways.
Colleges like UMobile understand that the most powerful and effective way to create great leaders is to combine faith and learning.
The problem with most of my generation is that we’re wandering aimlessly for purpose and meaning and looking in all of the wrong places. We need proper guidance, a solid rock for our beliefs to stand on and mentors who sharpen our wisdom.
Every student of my generation wants a “great” college experience. We want to make friends, experience new challenges, explore our passions, develop our talents and, of course, get a diploma that helps us succeed in the real world.
At the same time, we’re not looking simply for more information; we’re looking for wisdom and discernment.
We’re not lazy; we’re just waiting for someone to challenge us to live for something larger than ourselves.
We’re not arrogant; we just want to make a difference now, not 10 years from now.
We’re looking for leaders who know what they believe and why they believe it.
Being at a Christian college teaches you to apply faith to everyday life. You learn how to be a contributor, not just a consumer. You learn how to take responsibility for your actions and have a defined moral compass that guides you through the journey of life.
In a world where thousands of advertisers, companies and people are trying to influence you every day, you must be able to discern truth and find wisdom.
UMobile helps me accomplish this in practical ways, providing me with a biblical worldview and skills I need in order to have an impact on my culture, my city and my world.
I have dreams and plans to make a positive impact in the world. Christian colleges are preparing me and other young leaders to do it.
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