Why I love Friends!

My primary major may determine what I do, but the CSF program will continue to develop how I do it and the kind of person I become.

I think the positive Christian environment and role models at Friends University make for a great educational experience and exhibit a family and caring atmosphere that have helped me throughout my career.

The format of the classes and the faculty is the perfect mix. Most faculty have real-world experience that helps them to understand the actual needs of the students.

As an Eagle Scout, I learned to give back. So becoming a student at Friends became an opportunity for me to not only become better educated, but also to lead others in the community as I have been so blessed to receive.

Friends University is a place where a person can gain an understanding of people from different backgrounds, and I felt that was important for my studies and to help me grow as a person.

I am a big believer that we are our environment. Friends University provided a perfect environment with all of the necessities to promote growth and ensure success.

I teach kids important life and academic lessons, and I’m lucky that I’m able to do that through music.

I wanted to study under instructors who cared about my artistic and intellectual development, and I felt I had found that at Friends.

While at Friends University, I participated in a major research project, where I synthesized chloroquine, the drug most commonly used to treat malaria. I also have great memories of winning the homecoming float contest and performing with the drama club. I even met the woman I would marry and proposed to her on campus.

I feel that my education from Friends meets or exceeds the standards set by bigger universities. The small class sizes enabled professors to move at a comfortable pace and allowed me to learn in an environment where I could ask questions. The mentorships that I have found in the professors at Friends are what made my education truly memorable. These mentors have spent countless hours outside the classroom giving career advice, sharing their own experiences and preparing me for the real world.

You have the opportunity to be so much more than a teacher. For instance, I’m often a stand-in mother, a nurse, a disciplinarian, a counselor, a clown, a librarian, a referee and a coach.

I am thankful for the CSF program for giving me good and beautiful images of God, enabling me to live more fully into my vocation, providing opportunities to serve and ultimately teaching me how to love God and my neighbor with more of my heart, soul, mind and strength.

Faculty made it a point to provide numerous opportunities for students to be successful outside of the classroom – via internships, volunteer opportunities and job offerings.

You learn to look beyond what you see in front of you. You learn to draw conclusions based on what you have and to continue to search for answers. While attending Friends University, I especially enjoyed the lab work, which was usually outdoors and off campus and allowed me to get my hands dirty.

The Friends Ballet program is fostering my growth as an artist while propelling me toward my dreams.

And, now that I have worked in higher education, I believe Friends University employs well-respected scholars and attracts some of the best students around.

It was amazing. I got to work with a number of zoos in South Africa. I had the privilege of learning how African zoos are operated. I got to learn from them as well as share my knowledge of zoos and animal husbandry that I learned from my experiences in U.S. zoos and at Friends University.

My best college memories were the camaraderie of being a fellow science student and winning our first conference golf title.

From studying abroad to making tamales in community centers, the Spanish program at Friends University provided me with some wonderful opportunities that have broadened my perspective, nurtured my curiosity, and have given me a confidence to step into something that is bigger than myself.

The Music program at Friends University has equipped me with the connections and resources to propel my career into the future. The faculty, staff and students have provided a nurturing community in which I have grown as a musician, educator and follower of Christ.