Augustana University Top Questions

The most significant thing that I have gotten out of my college experience so far has definately been the opportunity to do research over the summer. This opportunity has been overwhelmingly valuable because it has given me the skills, cofidence, and inspiration to go into a career in research to solve our world's most interesting and difficult biological problems, and I haven't even graduated yet. With two and a half years left, I eagerly look forward to what else my college experience has in store for me.

The experiences that I have gained and the people that have come into my life are what I have gotten out of my college experience and why it has been valuable for me to attend. By working my way up to a leadership spot on my on-campus job I have gained the experience that gives me the confidence to be in charge of others and working through different situations that occur. The people that have come into my life such as the positive role models I have found in my advisor and other professors have such a positive influence in my life and help me with deciding what classes I should take and reinforce that the faculty at college really cares about who I am as a person. My friends, co-workers and other peers are highly valued to me. They have inspired me to be a better person and to try my hardest in everything that I do in life. There are also there when I need someone to talk to or hang out to take a break from school. Getting these two things out of my college experience is why is has been valuable to attend.

Through attending Augustana College, I have been presented with opportunities vast. I have gotten the chance to do research in the chemistry lab with our NMR instrument, something that if I were going to a different school, I would not even be able to dream of having the chance to do. I have gotten to know my professors and vice versa – something that I thought was virtually impossible. Being at a small college, the professor’s doors are always open and you can just walk in, you don’t need an appointment. This way, the professors can get to know you as an individual, not just as a number. Being at Augie, I have made connections that I had no idea even existed. I’ve been opened to the world and have had opportunity upon opportunity thrown at me. There is definitely no time to be bored at school, there is so much to do and so much to experience! I am so privileged to be able to attend Augie, the people and the professors are absolutely amazing and want nothing more than to see you succeed and being in an environment like that is a recipe for success.

At Augustana, I'm more connected with people. My friends became my second family. I learned to rely on them at the same time I learned to independently take care of myself. I formed my own religious family and my theatre family. College connects me with people and gives my life meaning. In classes, I have improved my writing skills and opened my mind to new ways of thinking. I am building contacts with my peers and professors and learning to network. College is making my dreams a reality and my future dreams of being a professional writer are within reach. Augustana College will do its best to make sure I succeed in my career path. Augustana affirms that I am a special individual. I can't walk across campus without smiling and waving at friends, professors, and aquaintances. The custodial and cafeteria staff know who I am and my professors know my name and my likes and dislikes. The people at Augustana want me to succeed. With my connections of professors and friends, I will suceed in my career path. With my friends, I will have fun and relationships that will last me a lifetime.

The most valued parts of my college experience was the education and the networking. The education and classes I had as an art major were very thorough and inforrmative. I already had the a good bit of experience with drawing and a little knowledge of art history, but the schools I attended (Savannah College of Art & Design & Trident Technical College) , I believe, propelled me further into my career goals. College networking is very beneficial in any career. The some of the people I've met have called me regarding job opportunities where they thought of me specifically, and it would help me build more much needed expericence for my resume. If I did not have any college experience, I wouldn't be where I am now nor on my current path to a higher education.

With only a limited amount of words to express my thoughts, I would have to say that I've gotten many things out of my college experience. First of all, I've gotten the opportunity to have professors who are experts in their field of study and genuinely care about the success of their students. All of my professors are so dedicated to their work. You can tell it is more of a passion of theirs than just a job. Secondly, I've gained many new friends and have been exposed to so many different people. I've met people from my hometown that I've never come in contact with before, and I've met people from foreign countries. Lastly, because of transferring to Augustana College, I was able to get a part-time job at an elementary school after-school program that I absolutely adore! It is such an essential part of my day, going to work and seeing all of my students! I feel that attending college has been valuable because of the experiences I've encountered and because it is preparing me and getting me ready for my future as an elementary school teacher.

I have attended college for a year and a half now. In this time I have not only received a well-rounded education, but a better sense of who I am. Augustana has given me the education that I believe will help me achieve my future career. It has great professors, challenging courses, and topics that I find truly intriguing. Along with my phenomenal education, I have received a better understanding of who I am. College is the first time away from your parents where you can be who you truly want to be. College gave me an outlet to express who I am in my class, extra-curricular activities, and social life. I was able to join a number of extra-curricular activities that helped me realize what is truly important. I joined two organizations: Augie-Green, an organization aimed at making the campus more eco-friendly, and the Gay Straight alliance which is an organization aimed at promoting diversity and understanding on Augie’s campus. This work helped me realize that I want to be a lawyer so I can help the less fortunate and oppressed in life. Overall, Augustana has given me a better understanding of myself.

College is not just about the studies, it's about life. Who knew that there was more to history than just facts and figures or that the Lutheran Reformation was so interesting? Besides sparking an interest in these subjects I am fascinated how a government course can be connected to a religion course, which can be related to a history course, and so on. I found out that tackling people in a rugby game is fun and that jumping out of a plane is amazing. I found my best friend, learned how much my family means to me (especially when I don't see them for months at a time), and realized how much life costs. In short, college has been valuable to me because it taught me about life. There is so much more than just getting a degree so I can get a job. I would have never gained the knowledge or experienced the things that I have without college. When I am old and decrepit, I will be remember the people I met, the places I had gone, the experiences I had, and how I grew as a person. In short, college taught me to live.

I have matured into a young man throughout my college experience. Learning to balance a rigorous academic regimen (double major, business, and psychology) and a competitive Division II wrestling schedule was not easy. This busy schedule made me work that much harder in the classroom and on the wrestling mats. I am a four time academic All-American, and a two time national qualifier. I am confident that I am ready for post-graduate life. Throughout my college experience, I have had the chance to travel the country with the wrestling team, and compete on an NCAA National Runner-up team in 2010. Along with wrestling, I also had the experience of being a first time home buyer and a landlord. By the time I graduate college, I will already have three years of house payments completed on my mortgage. I have also had the opportunity to listen to very influential people talk on our campus such as: Madeline Albright, Al Gore, Jane Goodall and Maya Angelou. I also had a great experience with my internship at BrightPlanet where I got to meet one of our board of directors, Admiral John Poindexter (national security advisor for the Reagan administration).

I've learned so much in this past year and half in my community college. I've met people from all over the globe, I've seen so many different perspectives and values; values which I've come to respect. I have gotten the chance to express my ideas and beliefs in ways I didn't even know I could. But most importantly, what I've gotten was this: knowledge. To me, this was my most powerful tool given to me.