This story first appeared in the April 2018 edition of The Hilltop.
With graduation looming, the class of 2018 is in the process of preparing and finalizing plans. From attending graduate school to teaching, students share both excitement and worry about the next phase of their lives.
Kyrie Schroeder, a pre-counseling psychology major, was accepted into the School Counseling Graduate program at George
Fox University.
“I am especially indebted to Tim Anderson (ministry professor),” Schroeder said, “for being like a campus dad to me and to Corey
Gilbert (psychology professor) for being a personal mentor during my last two years here. Both are caring, wise and godly men who invested in me and my education in a way I will forever be grateful for. Corban gave me life skills, not just academic knowledge.”
Lauren Richter, an accounting major, secured a job following graduation as a staff accountant at Grove, Mueller, & Swank, P.C, in Salem. Richter showed appreciation for Bryce Bernard, professor of accounting.
“Accounting is hard no matter how much training you get,” Richter said. “But Dr. Bernard told me once that accounting is simply
a means to live out the gospel, and that is what I plan to do.”
Kimberly Ruiz will be graduating with a major in elementary education and an endorsement in Bilingual and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
“Dr. Jesse Payne and professor Jen Kleiber (education)] are the kind of teachers I want to be for my kiddos,” Ruiz said. “They personally
know us, they know and see the kind of teachers we can be in the classroom and the kind of impact we can have with our kids.”
Ruiz will be staying in Salem to work for the Salem Keizer School district as a bilingual elementary school teacher.
“[Corban’s professors] bring us back to earth and remind us over and over again that we are just starting,” Ruiz said. “We are
not supposed to have all the answers.”
Ashlyn Rollins, a political science major, plans to attend Stanford to get a master’s in journalism following graduation.
“I have wanted to go to Stanford since I was little,” Rollins said. “When I got my acceptance letter, I cried. My mom cried. My dad cried. It was pretty surreal, and it still kind of is.”
Rollins mentioned some of the struggles she faced in finding the confidence to apply to Stanford. “I thought maybe I would not be accepted
because I was a Christian or because my school was not very prestigious,” Rollins said. “But I hope my experience can inspire others and show students that they are not limited because they chose to come to a Christian university. If students are willing to put in the hard work necessary and trust God, they can achieve great things.”
Graduating from college is no small feat, and this year’s seniors, especially, recognize that.
“I had to learn to trust God when my life was swallowing me, and the stress got the best of me,” Rollins said. “I just hope that Corban students dream big and are not afraid of failure. That’s how I want to live my life.”
Sabrina Boyd, an accounting major with a criminal justice minor, plans to be working for Moss Adams Accounting Firm in Eugene
by October.
“It is a little deceiving how hard it is to get a job,” Boyd said. “I have learned it is a process and a process we have to stay determined
through to the hire. I learned you have to work really hard to sell yourself and your abilities.”
Boyd showed an appreciation for Alan Scharn, assistant professor of criminal justice. “He goes above and beyond, and he is always doing what’s best for his students,” Boyd said. “He has inspired me and has shown me what a giver looks like. He is always giving, giving, giving.”
Senior Leah Shuholm will be attending Azusa Pacific University in its Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
“The most frustrating/difficult part of figuring out post-graduation plans has been the waiting,” Shuholm said. “I started filling out applications to PT school in June, turned them in starting the first of October, and did not hear about my acceptance until Thursday of spring break. So, the process is very long, and it definitely builds patience.”
Shuholm shared some of her struggles during her time at Corban and left some advice for Corban students.
“We have been fed that life after graduating college kind of stops or settles down,” Shuholm said. “God keeps us on our toes and wants to challenge us continually. Often this means not staying in one place or job or life situation for very long.”
With commencement taking place May 5, the class of 2018 continues to prepare for life following graduation.
“My hopes from here on out after graduation,” Boyd said, “are to take the influence and impact that the Corban community has given me and build that wherever I go.”