The Impact of an ONU Advocate

s a high school math teacher, Abby Fischer ’19 facilitates meaningful connections with her students on a daily basis.A Forming those relationships has laid the provide conversation starters with foundation for Abby to share about her her students. collegiate experiences and to recommend “I love connecting stories with her students to consider furthering their students to remind them that they education following high school graduation. are not alone. No matter where we Abby knew about Olivet through her are, we all have hurts and experience older sister who transferred to the University life similarly,” Abby says. after a few years at Kankakee Community Each semester, Abby gives her College. When Abby sat in on a chapel students the option to fill out an ONU service during a campus visit, she had interest form in exchange for a free a defining moment of purpose. “I felt so t-shirt. Encouraging her students to overwhelmed and thought, ‘Yes, this is where think about their post-high school I want to be,’” she remembers. plans sparks conversations about At Olivet, Abby took full advantage their hopes and dreams for the future. of opportunities to expand her So many of her students have filled worldview while preparing for a out the form that Abby has received career in education. She was actively her own set of Olivet swag. involved in Olivet’s Student Education “I love Olivet and I love sharing Association chapter and she travelled my stories,” she reflects. “I chose to South Africa and Costa Rica to study education to change to collaborate with local school the stereotypes about learning 14 groups to teach English and address universal social issues like bullying within a critical age group – and to hopefully make some sort of an and building self-confidence. Now, impact. When students hear about photos and flags from the countries someone’s positive, real experience, she visited on volunteer trips decorate they start to see the possibility the walls of her classroom and for themselves.” ■

Abby Fischer

▲ Abby

graduated from Olivet with a degree in secondary math education with a middle school endorsement. Following graduation, she accepted a job at Iroquois West High School, teaching geometry, statistics and technical math.

JOIN THE NETWORK OF ONU ADVOCATES by speaking about Olivet in your workplaces, classrooms, neighborhoods and churches to help recruit and support students whose lives will be transformed by the Olivet experience.

As an ONU Advocate, you can use your words, actions and resources to create an eternal impact in the lives of future Olivet students — and in the lives of all they go on to touch.

OLIVET ADVOCATES:

Encourage high school students to schedule a visit, and help make arrangements to come to campus.

Recommend students for our admissions staff to contact.

Connect Olivet students with local job and internships opportunities through the career portal.

Make a financial contribution to continue furthering the mission of “Education With a Christian Purpose.”

Promote upcoming Olivet events and programs through the local church and community.

Share their copy of Olivet The Magazine with someone in their circle of influence.