Faith and academics are the promise of Christian colleges and universities. Students across America attending these schools share in the opportunity to strengthen their beliefs and gain a solid education, both of which prepare them for life in the modern world.
STEPHANIE "CULBY" CULBERSON
A pianist, a scholar, a Miss America finalist, and a dedicated Christian, Culby has always been an achiever.
Growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, she was involved in everything from cheerleading to classical music to sports to reading great literature.
Culby decided to attend Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee after hearing university president Dr. Paul Conn speak. "[Dr. Conn] has a passion for learning as well as for making Lee an excellent university," she explains.
At Lee, Culby continued her piano studies and also played violin in the chamber orchestra. "But one of my favorite activities at college was playing intramural football," she says. "We won two championships!"
Double-majoring in music and business, Culby also found time to be involved in the social service clubs Nu Sigma and Alpha Gamma Chi. While still a student at Lee, Culby was recruited to take part in a local beauty pageant. Less than a year later, she found herself at the Miss America pageant, hearing her name called as second runner-up, supported by her many friends at Lee.
Culby says, "One of my favorite things about Lee is that I have friends all over America and the world. I began to realize during my time at Lee that it's okay for people to believe different things, or to be grounded in different cultures or faiths. I learned to appreciate people for who they are and not try to change them."
Culby's fondest college memory? "Having the opportunity to speak at graduation. I felt so proud to be asked, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to thank the professors who had influenced and inspired me." Culby graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA and received the prestigious F. J. Lee Award as the outstanding graduate.
Since college, she notes, she's become more open-minded and accepting. "I suppose I'm still the independent, opinionated person I was in college," she laughs. "But I strive to understand others' worldview and beliefs."
Now a pharmaceutical sales representative with Pfizer, Culby has plenty of plans for the future. She wants to have a family, continue her education, and perhaps become a teacher. "Besides my family, teachers have made the biggest impact on my life, and I'd like the opportunity to do the same for other students."
EMMANUEL "LEO" LEGBETI
A native of Nigeria, Leo has family in Africa, Germany, England, Canada, France--and now the United States. "We all stay very engaged. We are in constant touch, and travel for visits."
Leo's private high school involved a regimented schedule with long hours of study and martial arts training. At the same time, he met students from all over the world, caught glimpses of leaders in the making, and had time to travel.
"I enjoyed reading, studying philosophy, history, and math," he says. "From works on Socrates to Alexander the Great and Greek myths, I began to fall in love with ideas. I had an appetite for all kinds of knowledge."
At 17, Leo came alone to the United States to enroll in Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although there were some adjustments to make, it didn't take him long to feel at home.
Majoring in mechanical engineering and business/mathematics, Leo was also active in Tae Kwon Do, writing poetry, a cappella singing, organizing concerts, and serving with faculty on governing boards. At the same time, he worked almost full-time to help cover tuition and expenses.
"Calvin provided a safe, intellectually solid, diverse college experience for me while enriching my belief system, my relationship with God, and our purpose in the world," he says.
Leo has many fond memories of Calvin. "If I had to pick one favorite, I would say it was meeting my host family, the Dejongs," he says. "It was one of those experiences where you realize some people are just good, down-to-earth people. They were caring, giving, and loving, seeking only to do God's will. They were a breath of fresh air for me."
Graduating in 2004 with a B.S. in engineering and minors in business and math, Leo is now a graduate student at the University of Michigan Business School and a senior financial analyst at Johnson Controls, Inc., in Michigan.
In the future, he plans to continue his entrepreneurial ventures as a financial officer with a landscaping business and a fashion line, while also managing a service consulting firm based in Detroit.
"People say college is a place to learn how to learn," Leo says, "and graduate school is a place where people 'form opinions on specific subject matter.' Calvin College prepared me for both, as well as for my role in the world of work."
SARAH FORTT
Growing up in Tolland, Connecticut, Sarah says she stood out in the community and in school because of her biracial ethnicity. "I used my studies to compensate for the fact I was an outsider. I loved to learn."
In high school Sarah was active in student government, women's choir, drama club, and cheerleading, but her studies always came first.
Gordon College was always on the top of her list of college choices because of its strong academic program, but when she was offered the A.J. Gordon scholarship, the decision was easy. "The scholarship included a mentorship program that I knew would help guide and enrich me. My mentor became one of the most influential people in my college career."
While Sarah had intended to major in biology, she also wanted an outlet for her writing. During her sophomore year, she switched her major to English literature and language and added a second major in business administration. She wrote for Gordon's newspaper and poetry magazine and worked as a writing tutor in the academic support department. As a senior, she participated in an honors independent study program for student writers.
"My relationships with my professors, by far, produced some of the most memorable, inspiring, challenging, and encouraging moments in my life," Sarah says. "I felt honored that men and women with their knowledge and experience would invest their time in me. My professors were not only teachers but friends as well. When I graduated and as I moved into the next stage of my life, I felt that the faculty at Gordon was cheering me on."
Sarah feels that the best life preparation a college can give is to ask students who don't think alike to work together. "College can be a stretching experience--but only if you are willing to stretch," she says.
Graduating summa cum laude in 2004, Sarah went to work as a paralegal at a law firm in Hartford, Connecticut. That experience convinced her that law school should be her next step. She firmly believes that working in a field can be important in deciding on long-term career goals.
A first-year law student at Yale University, Sarah is focused on her studies. At the same time, she sees her future as open-ended. "When I was in college, I never would have guessed I'd end up at Yale Law School. Now my dreams haven't really changed--they're just enlarged."
BEYAMIN "BENJI" MELLISH
Benji grew up Caldwell, Idaho, the son of an American father and a Mexican mother. "My Dad met Mom during a trip to Mexico. My brothers and sisters and I all grew up speaking Spanish as well as English."
Tragically, Benji's father, a pilot, died in an airplane accident when Benji was just 16. "I felt I had to set an example for my younger sisters and brother. It was important to me to finish school, go to college, and graduate."
In high school, Benji was active in community service projects, played varsity basketball, and enjoyed hobbies such as making movies and fixing computers.
Benji chose to attend Walla Walla College (WWC) for its strong theology program. However, he ended up studying graphic arts after reflecting on the level of commitment involved in the ministry. "I wanted a career that would let me spend as much time as possible with my family," he explains.
Outside the classroom, he was active in campus ministries, the WWC newspaper, and working on The Mask, a campus directory that listed every student, faculty, and staff member at WWC.
Benji says one of the most important things he learned at WWC is how important it is to have a strong foundation of core leaders to run a successful program. His college experience also helped him build a strong base for his personal beliefs and lifestyle choices. "WWC is a great place to meet talented people who help you learn and grow spiritually. WWC's focus is in ministering to young people. However, the environment is such that the young people are the ones doing the ministering."
Graduating with a B.S. in graphic design in 2006, Benji now works as a principal graphic designer at a real estate firm in Boise, Idaho. "My dreams have changed since graduation. I have my degree; I married my girlfriend Kirsten. Now I'm focused on my career and business opportunities."
MANDEEP SIDHU
College wasn't a part of Mandeep's future when he was in high school. However, he felt had to set an example for his brothers and cousins. "If I didn't do it," he explains, "they wouldn't either."
This sense of family--and family obligation--is very strong for Mandeep, who, although he was born and raised in Olathe, Kansas, is the son of immigrants from India.
"I want to be a role model for my brother and family and for the Indian community," he says. "Volunteering makes me feel good. I'm taking advantage of those things my family came here for."
His high school years largely revolved around his family and the family business, a chain of sub and pasta shops in Olathe. During high school, he generally worked in one of the family shops every day after school. Though this kept him very busy, Mandeep feels that in the long run this involvement gave him an advantage many other kids didn't have: learning how a company works.
Attending MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) in Olathe was partly the result of the family business: because faculty and staff often visited his family's sandwich shops, he and his parents got to know them, and MNU became a logical choice. "Attending MNU was actually the second-best decision of my life," he says, adding with a smile, "The best decision was marrying my wife Ripu!"
Majoring in business administration, Mandeep found MNU a profound and welcome change after high school. "I liked the friendliness and community feeling there. Faculty and staff cared and spent time helping students with homework, preparing for job interviews, and praying with them."
Although Mandeep is a Sikh, he respects Christianity and says Sikhs in Olathe do a lot with Christian churches in town. Family, faith, and caring are fundamental to both Sikhism and Christianity, he adds, so there are many shared values.
Some of his fondest memories of MNU are of sitting in the business administration department and talking with the faculty. "The faculty members were always there for students," he says.
"MNU prepared me in many areas. It made me stronger; made me believe that I can reach my dreams. It also prepared me for networking and communicating with others. This gave me an advantage over many other students in building relationships. Now I'm able to be involved in the community and take an active part in meetings. I know that what I say has an impact."
Currently employed as a business banker in Olathe, Mandeep proudly explains that he began as a teller and worked his way up. He attributes his success to the sound business training he received at MNU. His future goals include growing with his bank, helping his wife achieve her B.S.N. degree from MNU, and helping his brother and cousins with their education.
In his spare time, Mandeep serves on the Parks and Recreation Foundation Board, does volunteer work, and enjoys skiing. Most of all, he loves spending time with his wife, son, and extended family.
These profiles show the important role that faith and service play in the lives of graduates of Christian colleges and universities, and remind us how we can touch the hand of God by reaching out to those here on earth.
Article by, David Asgard and courtesy of www.careersandcolleges.com
