Katie Couch, a biochemistry major from Ione, Washington, never hesitated to jump into service and a full plate of activities.
But first she had to get here. “I knew I’d have to pay for college myself,” she says. “And I thought I’d never be at SPU because of the cost. But applying for scholarships paid off!”
In fact, she was awarded no fewer than 16 scholarships to cover her first year’s tuition. She believes her volunteer experiences in high school made part of the difference.
During her time at SPU, she volunteered at the Union Gospel Mission in Rainier Valley, helping elementary-age kids with their homework and playing games with them.
“I’ve been challenged here, in a good way,” she says. “The diversity of different cultures, religions, beliefs, and seeing how other people see the world has challenged what I believe. The SPU community is not too big and not too small; it’s the perfect size.”