People person
Grace has always had a passion for people, but it wasn’t until she took a cultural anthropology course that she realized she could earn a degree studying people, their cultures and the environments they live in. Most of Grace’s family attended Northwestern, including her dad, who is Northwestern’s head wrestling coach. Listening to her family’s experiences as Raiders convinced her that Northwestern would be a place where she could grow too.
Family affair
I grew up hearing stories about my parents’ time at Northwestern and watched my siblings form their own memories here. My dad met the Lord while he was a student here, and God completely transformed his life as a result. I knew that I, too, would be encouraged and lovingly challenged in my faith at NWC. That said, I was also afraid I wouldn’t experience new things if I went to college just a mile down the road from my childhood home. But if anything, being close to home has given me the freedom to participate in off-campus opportunities—like Spring Service Partnerships— without feeling the need to return home to visit family on breaks.
Thinking out loud
Sociology courses are always heavily based on discussion, which is great for helping students develop the ability to articulate what they believe and interact with others who think differently than they do. Some of the sociology classes are electives, which means other majors take the classes too. Not everyone thinks sociologically, but Dr. Hausmann and Dr. Monsma teach the basic principles of the field and then are able to apply those principles to other majors as well.
Passionate profs
I have really enjoyed all my professors at Northwestern. They have a lot of knowledge and passion for their respective fields, and it is much more enjoyable to learn from people who like what they are teaching. Professors also choose to be at Northwestern because they value having relationships with their students. I know I can stop by my professors’ offices anytime and they will help me.
Spiritual impact
The most obvious way God has used Northwestern to deepen my faith is through relationships on campus. I have had so many people—my resident director, soccer coach and upperclassmen—pour into me throughout my time as a Raider. Going on Spring Service Partnerships has allowed me to hear testimonies of how God has been working in the lives of other students, which is always so powerful. My soccer team is also very intentional about doing devotions together and getting to know one another’s stories. It is encouraging to learn together what it means to glorify God in sports.
