Luther College Top Questions

During my four years at Luther College I learned many valuable lessons. The most important piece of information I took away from Luther was a different view of the world and the people outside of the United States. I gained this new view of the world after traveling to Scandinavia and Ireland during January 2008. This trip taught me that we live in a beautiful world which is made up of more than just what we see in the United States. Before this trip I was not very observant of events occurring in other countries. After returning to campus I became more interested in the political and social events of various countries. Another life lesson I gained from my experience in college was my interaction with the various ethnic students I became friends with. I was lucky enough to become close friends with students from Ghana, Ethiopia and India, to name a few. The friendships I gained with them helped me understand that despite our dramatic differences we could get along because we all were striving to be better people in the classroom, on campus and in the world.

College has been the most thrilling time of my life! I grew up in a large town with many who did not graduate. All the teachers had given up on us kids! I decided from a young age that i was better then this. All the gangs and violence brought me down. Everyday, I walked though the metal detector and wondered why people had not thought it imprtant to further their knowledge! Why just give up? I thought about it long and hard one night. That night i committed to open a savings account for myself at the age of 9, and began saving for my college career! I picked myself up and i am now putting myself through college to be a Pharmacist! It has been a difficult road, and there are still challenges ahead of me. Once i achieve my goal i made for myself so long ago, my life will not be meaningless. I will have completed what i set out to do! But I won't stop there; there is always something new to learn out there. You just got to learn how to see it!

After attending and completing two years of college, I have greatly grown both as a scholar as well as a human being. I truly feel that the higher education that college courses provide is a means of expanding one's knowledge and appreciation of the world in which he or she lives. Since completing two years of college courses, my eyes have been greatly opened as a result of taking courses from biology to critical thinking. Not only have my eyes been opened, but my mind has been expanded and my appreciation of the world has increased in leaps and bounds. In addition to the benefit of attending college for the purpose of obtaining a higher education, my college experienc has provided me with the pre-requisite courses needed to attend a four-year school of nursing. I have been able to cultivate a preparation for my education as a nurse through the courses I have taken and with this knowledge, I will be able to continue fulfilling my goal of becoming a Registered Nurse.

During my time at Luther College, I have found that freedom has been the most valuable luxury I have gotten out of my college experience. Of course, students all over the globe will agree that finding freedom is one of the greatest joys of college life. However, it isn't soley because students are able to play video games or hang out with friends anytime they want. I believe the best part about freedom is that it allows students the opportunity to think for themselves, rather than having parents think for them. In high school, it was not uncommon for students to be angry that their parents made decisions for them. It was the parents that nagged my classmates to work on homework on a specific time, or, in my case, it was my mother that nagged me to practice my bassoon or find people to play tennis with. I felt pressured to constantly follow the thoughts, or "orders", of my parent. In college, however, the pressure has been lifted off my shoulders. I get to make my own decisions here, and although I love my mother, I am quite glad to finally be the master of my own destiny.

I developed confidence and great capability in my critical thinking skills, which I believe gives me a solid basis for any career I choose to pursue. My written and oral communication skills also improved drastically, thanks to my coursework heavy in social sciences, English, and Spanish. I also formed lasting friendships and contacts, both personal and professionally, in my classmates and professors. I feel that there is a great alumni network behind me, and the campus always feels like home when I return. I love the geographical setting -- its location in the serene Oneota Valley was the ideal place for me to focus on my studies. A degree from Luther College is good for anyone!

I have loved my first year at Luther and anxiously await the start of my second year back at this place that has become like a second home to me. I have met many amazing people already and I know that I will continue to do so as I continue my education. The classes I have taken thus far have been very interesting and engaging and several of them have caused me to really stop and reflect on my own personal beliefs. I have also had the opportunity to share my individual gifts and grow as a leader as I have become more involved with college ministries. This is not only a great way to spend my time and make some lifelong friendships, but it also serves as a great foundation and preparation for the career in youth ministry that I hope to pursue once I graduate. Luther's sense of community and emphasis on vocation and self-reflection have been very beneficial for me as I grow and learn with others and work to discover my place in this world.

My first two years of college have started to shape my life in ways I never imagined possible. Receiving a four year degree from a respectable college has been my dream and plan ever since I was a a little girl. Education is a passion of mine, which is why I apsire to be a future elementary educator when I graduate from college.

Looking back at the confused, scattered first year student I once was, I wonder how I ever got to be where I am now. Starting college with a learning disability added an extra stress to an already stressful situation. Unsure of what to do with this new found independence and how I was going to succeed in a competitive academic environment, I found myself frazzled. However, the support I received at Luther has helped me overcome my academic struggles and embrace the meaning of a holistic education. I have been able to succeed in the classroom as well as hold leadership roles and be involved in various organizations. Through being involved, I have met people who have had a large impact on my life. Whether it be a professor, a team mate, a faculty member, or simply a friend everyone at Luther has helped me grow and change as an individual. Today, I am an academically driven and involved junior in the Luther community. I can confidentially say I have grown greatly because of the support and experiences I have had a Luther, making it one of the most valuable times in my life.

In school, I became involve in several organizations, and even ran leadership position. I?ve learned to become a team player since everyone?s work reflects the organization as a whole. I am dedicated to my work and I don?t settle for anything less than my best. As a leader, one needs to be approachable and willing to give a helping hand as well as keep a level head through all of his or her responsibilities. I believe learned this qualities through my college experiene. I believe that my experience in college will not only help me personally grow but the information that I learned I can take with to help improve my future endevours.

Graduating from Luther College, I expected to get a diploma, and a job. I did, but I've gotten so much more. I started out in a large state university, a nameless face in the crowd, no connections, just going through the motions. I dropped out of college for two years. Trying to live on minimum wage was the impetus for going back to college, but I needed a place where I could make a connection to what I was doing there. So, I chose Luther College. I found opportunities to volunteer and serve, teaching English on the Navajo Reservation, tutoring college students who spoke English as a second language, and writing reviews for a magazine among other things. These were opportunities I never would have found at a huge school. I felt I'd made a difference, and made a connection with my future. The joy I found in serving prompted me to choose a job teaching at-risk youth. The patience, tolerance, and understanding I acquired through volunteering are necessities in my job. The desire to make a difference has kept me going even when people around me burn out. I like to think I'm still serving.