As we started the new school year at Emmanuel University, I asked faculty and staff to offer their suggestions to students. I’m including their words here.
No matter your age or educational experience, read these thoughts. They apply to each of us. Whatever season in life we are enduring, we are all students. This insight can inspire us:
My encouragement is to find and surround yourself with three important people in your life: an older student or a staff/faculty member you can reach out to for help or with questions, a friend you can talk to about pretty much anything, and another student you can be there for to encourage and positively impact every day.
—Trés Ward, Assistant Professor and Director of Ministry Teams
Be flexible. Be patient. Be kind.
This is a new academic year & inevitably many changes come along with it. Do the best you can do – be mindful that many others are also trying to do that, too, as we seek God’s will – that means His best plans for us – all of us.
No need to grumble to the masses, even though that is a popular choice by so many these days.
If you have a need or suggestion, find out who the right person is to contact. Then have a respectful conversation with that person AND offer to help. How can you help? Just complaining is not very helpful or encouraging.
Treat others the way you would appreciate being treated (Matthew 7:12).
We are Team Emmanuel – let’s choose to be the best version of ourselves and ask the Lord to help us to do that.
—Paula Dixon, Associate Professor of Communication
Remember that you are part of a supportive community that values faith, growth, and learning. Stay steadfast in your journey, knowing that challenges are opportunities for personal and spiritual development. With your faith as a foundation, you have the strength to overcome obstacles and achieve great things. Keep your hearts open to learning, embrace each other’s differences, and continue to shine your light in the world. You are capable of making a positive impact as you pursue both your academic and spiritual goals. Keep moving forward with courage and grace!
—Mandrake T. Miller, Vice President, Student Life
ENGAGE THE EMMANUEL EXPERIENCE.
There is much to do and more to be a part of than you may realize. Spend time with people not on your team, get to know others that are not so much like you, build a community where you live.
The Emmanuel Experience is everywhere, in the classroom, residence halls, competition venues, the CAF, and Chapel. Be a part of every experience possible, do not let your own expectations or personality limit what God may do in your life.
You are not here by accident, so spend the next years discovering what the Emmanuel Experience is all about. It will change your life!
—Kirk D. McConnell, Ed. D, Associate Vice President- Campus Life
Opportunities for growth may appear in many ways. Sometimes as a challenge or setback, sometimes as simple as a disappointment. Just as a diamond is refined under pressure, your faith and character can be strengthened and renewed through adversity. Embrace the hard things and trust in God’s plan for your life. Let your light shine brightly on campus. Your actions, words, and attitude can be a testament to the HOPE and JOY that comes from Christ. “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
—Dr. Cynthia (Cyndee) Phillips, Vice President for Academics
Christ paid the price for you to receive God’s love, not God’s wrath. Your sin is paid for! God is always with you and for you through Christ! So live!
—Kyle Garrett, Foundations Director, English Associate Professor
I would encourage students to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30); to see their study especially as an act of worship to God and one means of growing in their relationship to God. Amen.
—John Henzel, Professor of Business Administration
Mr. Miller’s comment is exactly why I came here. This University’s values align with my own and I love the community here. I love the ministry here and the people. So many great people I just got encouragement from. I look forward to seeing how God uses me here at Emmanuel and how I grow as a part of being here. I am so blessed to be here. This what every university should be like
I love Pastor Tres comment about surrounding yourself with three important people: one older, one your age, and one younger. Now each of these friendships look different, but they all play a vital role in who you are and will become. I prioritize friends my age, but do not promise having someone older than me to talk to. Reading this encouraged me to find someone older that I can go to and talk to! I loved reading all the different advice!
I think it is incredibly important to remember that we as students are not the only people learning at Emmanuel. Every single day is an opportunity for learning for every single person, so we should treat people with the same respect. I also agree that complaining and wallowing is not a beneficial way to move through life. Some days are better than others, and if they were all good, we wouldn’t know how to appreciate them anyways.
I have had some tough experiences being in college and sometimes have wanted to give up and transfer, but I have been realizing day after day, and by reading this blog I have gone through these challenges and hard times so that I can grow to trust God more. I have realized being here, that I have not trusted God fully. Now, I have been trusting God more and more because of what He has done for me in the past, going through other difficult things. I have constantly been reminded being here of how God has blessed me in the hardest times. He can do it again! I can hold on to those things because He has done it before. God called me here and I am confident in that. For what? Maybe to grow me more in trusting Him, maybe to have lifelong relationships, maybe to get an education, or something else. I don’t know, but I know that I am finally putting my trust in Him, and it has been the most peaceful thing I have ever done!
Each of these comments are a perfect representation of why Emmanuel has always been home for me – the people. These comments are made up of genuine encouragement as well as challenges to help us grow. These things show the heart of the faculty and staff, and more importantly the heart of Emmanuel.
Upon my arrival to Emmanuel I had no idea what to expect, and all I knew was that I was going to play baseball for two maybe three years. Little did I know I would be able to learn so much and even build a stronger relationship with God. Much like Dr. McConnell said I am here for more than athletics and these past three years have shown that the Emmanuel experience has shown me exactly what God can do and it’s amazing.
I really love all these encouragements from these good words and words of wisdom. The faculty and staff here Emmanuel truly do care for the students and hearing these just encouragements makes me joyful and understanding the wisdom that they come from makes me want to dig into them that much more and lean on these words when I need them most throughout this semester. Thank you so much!
Taking a consensus from all mentioned above, I would say the key piece of advice is to not miss a moment. I would agree in this full heartedly. It’s no secret that I do a lot at the school. I serve on many different ministry teams and also help with just about every event on campus. Not to mention I am a ministry major with a minor so my workload is not necessarily easy. Many would say that I do too much and they might be right. However, I only get 4 years here. Four years to make memories. Four years to cultivate relationships. Four years to figure out my future. Four years to grow spiritually, academically, and personally. Four years. I choose to make the most of my four years. Live every second. Choose to sleep and rest in order to be able to live more fully when I am not. Do I do too much at times? Probably. But I am living.