It seems like only yesterday that I first heard about Welch College. Quite honestly, it was never my intention to attend the school. I had only been attending a Free Will Baptist Church for a year and there were Christian colleges much closer to my home in Arkansas, but it seems the Lord had a different plan. With only a few short weeks until classes began, I enrolled at Welch and arrived at Goen Hall with my acceptance letter waiting on my bed.
As I moved into the dorm that day nearly six years ago, I had no idea what Welch would become to me. I had moved frequently as a child and the longest I had ever lived in one place was six years. Having not participated in ETEAM, Truth & Peace, or any of the other major denominational events apart from NYC, I knew no one on campus when I arrived. However, having spent six years here now, I have made friends and found mentors that will last a lifetime. It is this community and these friends that truly make Welch College special to both myself and I believe all those who enter its halls.
The community at Welch is unlike almost any other. During my time at Welch, my last two remaining grandparents passed away. Yet, in each case, the community supported me and helped me through it. Even when medical diagnoses rocked the life of my family, I found friends and professors who prayed with me, talked with me, and supported myself, my sister, and my parents. I am still in regular contact with these friends and mentors, some of whom no longer live in the same state but who still continue to support and encourage me.
I am truly thankful to the Welch community, one that not only fosters a community of faith and learning, but of personal discipleship and care. Students are not just a number, not just a name, but a person made in the image of God. Education is not just giving facts and knowledge, but it is living theology. It is all pointed to God’s glory and how believers can use it in their livesto further the kingdom of God. It was because of this that I chose to pursue my master’s at Welch following my bachelor’s there. In truth, it was because of the passion instilled in me by my professors that I chose to pursue a graduate degree at all. It was because of the professors who taught me that theology is not just to impress people at church, but to learn more about the God who loves us.
If I were to try and thank the individuals who truly impacted me during my time at Welch, this testimonial would be far too long. Each faculty and staff member I had impacted my life in some way, and I am truly thankful to all of them. From this point, I hope to continue my education by pursuing a graduate degree in Archaeology. Yet, I will not forget my alma mater that introduced me to this passion for learning nor will I forget the community that has supported, and continues to support, me all along the way. Thank you so much.