Five Ways to Get the Most from a Christian College Education
- Take advantage of the faith-based curriculum
- Build a network of friends and colleagues
- Find a mentor
- Participate in extra-curricular activities
- Volunteer
A Christian college experience offers many options for enriching and demonstrating your faith. While the first priority should be academics, students can choose to use their free time to meet like-minded peers, participate in faith-based extracurricular activities and build a network to benefit your future career. Students at a Christian college can make the most of their college years by following a few strategic tips.
Resource: 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2018
1. Take Advantage of the Faith-Based College Curriculum
The prime focus of students in college should be academics. However, smart choices within the curriculum will broaden perspectives. Students should aim to experience as much diversity as possible, and evaluate classes offering alternative world views in both social and religious studies. Learning as much as possible about how others across the globe worship is a wonderfully informative way to strengthen one’s own faith.
2. Build a Network of Friends and Colleagues
Having a network of friends and colleagues is indispensable when entering the workforce. Network peers can provide job leads, professional references and a ready-made support system. Typically, the most successful people plant the seeds of a lifelong network while they are in college. The shared values experienced in a faith-based university ensure that these network continues to thrive and flourish far beyond the college years. To build a strong foundation, however, students have to get out and interact with other students, professors and the community at large.
3. Find a Mentor
A mentor can be pivotal for students in transition, according to Psychology Today. A college mentor can provide critical career guidance, moral support and knowledge. Mentors may be academic advisors, trusted professors within the major, athletic coaches or even older students. A Christian mentor also helps ground you in your studies and your faith, while providing an essential link to the academic network strategies for life after graduation.
4. Participate in Extra-Curricular Activities
The Christian university environment extends beyond the classroom with plenty of opportunities for personal growth. While students can expect much of the same extracurricular athletics that you would find at any college, from league football to intramural softball, they will also have some unique opportunities that support and enrich their faith. From gathering with students and faculty for evening worship to pitching in with a community outreach project, students can make the college years more meaningful by opting in.
5. Volunteer
While at college, students likely have many chances to volunteer during free time. Some examples include raking leaves for neighborhood seniors, tutoring children in public schools, or serving students on campus. There may also be an opportunity to participate in programs that send students abroad on service projects. No matter how you volunteer, chances are that you will enjoy just as many benefits as those groups or individuals you are serving, both in terms of spiritual and social growth.
Making the most of a faith-based college education means interacting with those around you, reaching out to those who mentor and contributing to the well-being of the greater community. From academics to networking, making the most of the Christian college experience reinforces a strong foundation for all aspects of life.