My sister, Lauren, has most inspired me to pursue a career in the medical field. She has been in and out of hospitals, struggling with health problems her whole life. I have never met a person so strong, tough, and determined to reach her goals, no matter the obstacle. She’s inspirational, selfless, and loving. Though her body demands so much attention, she always makes time for others.
She wants to be a nurse, and I think she will be an amazing one. If I go into the medical field, I hope to be as compassionate and loving as she is.
My faith has grown and been tested a lot here at SPU. It is absolutely amazing to be surrounded by so many people of faith. It’s inspirational. I’ve never had a professor talk openly about faith before, and it is such a cool thing to experience. Specifically, I loved listening to Dr. Eric Long talk about evolution and the Bible. He shared his beliefs, as well as other sides to the argument, and he left it open for us to decide for ourselves. It wasn’t a “this is right and this is wrong” kind of presentation.
My favorite experience in the Biology Department so far was the Blakely Island Field Station trip we went on for “Plant Biology.” It was more exciting than a normal lab because we collected the organisms we were looking at ourselves, and I enjoyed learning outside of the classroom. We also got to go out in the canoes and spend time with classmates, which was a great opportunity to get to know the people I will have classes with and spend a lot of time with during my time at SPU.
In addition to classwork, I play for the SPU women’s basketball team, and that experience has been incredible, too. I couldn’t ask for better coaches, and I love every single one of my teammates. This season was the most fun I have had on a basketball team, because each player truly cares deeply about the others and is incredibly passionate about the team’s success.
It has been amazing having coaches and teammates that are so strong in their faith. It brings us closer as a team and helps us to pick one another up when we’re down and to love one another even more. I couldn’t imagine being on any other team; I love this team so much! This season pushed me hard and made me step out of my comfort zone. I grew a lot as a player, teammate, and person. Having great older teammates and coaches has made it possible to balance basketball with my faith, relationships, and classes. It would be impossible to find healthy balance without them.