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THE PARENT GUIDE Four Authors Offer Advice
THE PARENT GUIDE
There is no shortage of options when you’re trying to help your child choose a place to pursue higher education. The real challenge is finding the right place — the college or university where your student will thrive.
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Our Parent Guide serves as a handy guidebook, providing some niceto-know specifics about Olivet Nazarene University.
THE PARENT GUIDE
DAVID VAN HEEMST
DEEP FAITH AND THE FINEST SCHOLARSHIP
DR. DAVID VAN HEEMST ’96 M.P.C./’98 M.A. is a leading political scientist, historian, author, researcher and professor. In a 10-year period, he has authored five books, including Empowering the Poor: Why Justice Requires School Choice; Herman Dooyeweerd and Eric Voegelin: A Comparative Study; Hope in Troubled Times: A New Vision for Confronting Global Crises; Splashing in Puddles: How to Be a Father to Your Daughter; and College: What's the Point? Embracing the Mystery of the Kingdom in a Postmodern World. In 2013, he received Olivetʼs Samuel L. Mayhugh Award for Scholarly Excellence. His other Olivet awards include the Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence and the Second Mile Award.
Politics can be brutal. Battles between Democrats and Republicans can be every bit as contentious as the Packers’ defensive line going up against the Bears’ offensive line or as intense as Ariarne Titmus competing against Katie Ledecky in the 2020 Olympics. And yet, Olivet is consistently sending young women and men into politics dedicated to advancing God’s Kingdom and bringing a little Biblical justice to the battlefield of Washington, D.C., and beyond. Consider these four examples. Daryl went to Mexico to work with a large human rights organization that frees young women and girls from human trafficking. Scott started a nonprofit that created a local currency (a food token) to feed the hungry in D.C. and Baltimore. Natalie works for a nonprofit that advances democracy and good governance throughout Africa and Asia. Amanda is studying law at Wake Forest, where she has a goal of using her law degree to serve communities facing socioeconomic barriers. How did these four young adults begin to make a difference in politics? They got it. Each of these young women and men immersed themselves in Christian higher education and caught wind of a different way — the way of Jesus. Christian higher education captured their hearts, transformed their minds and captivated their imaginations. Each wanted to make a difference for Christ in the world and each asked how to be used by God for His purposes. Why Christian higher education? Allow me to answer that question with a question: What if you could get a degree plus? What if you could not only get the finest scholarship, but you could also have the space to determine God’s direction for your life? What if you could discover how God might use you to transform the world for Christ?
This is what Olivet offers you: the opportunity to discover and lean into the path God has for you. What if faith and scholarship could shape an entire university’s curriculum? One crucial question about higher education in today’s postmodern world: Which worldview is shaping higher education? Education is not neutral, according to many educational theorists. Some type of perspective or ideology shapes all educational inquiry. In Christian higher education, Jesus Christ and His Kingdom are preeminent. Christian faith shapes higher education at Olivet. Classes begin with prayer, and the Christian faith is integrated into each discipline — from accounting to zoology. Who you become is closely connected to the paradigm that shapes your education. A Biblical or some other perspective will shape the person you will be and the way you will live for decades to come. At Olivet, you’ll have the opportunity to deepen your faith, build your perspective and develop a servant’s heart. What type of person would you like to be when you graduate? So much of the answer to that question falls upon the 18-to-22-yearolds’ shoulders. In Christian higher education, you are nurtured — in community and with Godly mentors — into becoming a disciple of Jesus who follows His Spirit into a broken and dying world. At Olivet, you can catch a glimpse of the way of Jesus — or what Duke University ethicist Dr. Stanley Hauerwas calls the “in-breaking Kingdom of God.” You will be challenged to become a part of His reconciling work. You will join other late teens and 20-somethings being shaped into young women and men who will not only see things differently in their future vocations, but who will also become passionate about Biblical justice where there is no justice and healing where there is great suffering. Christian higher education nurtures students into becoming Kingdom people — reconciling agents — who ask, “How can I live with open palms, seeking to share the blessings that God has given me with those who are hurting?” At its finest, Christian higher education deepens students’ insights and equips them with the skills to engage the culture for Christ. Students are challenged to be countercultural in so many ways and then inspired to transform the culture for Christ.
In so doing, students begin to live out God’s will for their lives. At a Christian college, you can not only discover your purpose, but you can also wrestle with connecting that purpose to the world’s needs. Frederick Buechner, writer and theologian, eloquently stated, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Christian higher education prepares students to be agents of reconciliation by nurturing their hearts and minds to become salt and light in a broken and dying world. Dr. John Bernbaum, founding president of the Russian-American Christian University, captured this insight: “Christian higher education ought not be an effort in cocoonbuilding, seeking to hide us from the harsh realities of the present world. Rather, Christian higher education should be an effort in raising up peacemakers, those whose task is a harvest of righteousness.” The letters B.A. or B.S. will be attached to your name for decades to come. The experience of being saturated in a Christian environment for four years can deepen you into becoming a transforming influence in your job, a listening ear to those who are suffering and a willing servant committed to bringing God’s Kingdom to this world. Much of higher education today is dedicated to self-interest, having a good time or strategizing to monetize your skill sets. What if your education could transform you so that you could become the person God knit you together to be when you were in your mother’s womb? Daryl, Scott, Natalie and Amanda found their callings at Olivet. Now, it’s your turn. Are you open to the transformative possibilities of a Christian higher education?
A group of theatre professionals from around the world sat in a small theatre with an emerging playwright from New York City. Our task was to help workshop a new script. The facilitator guided the group with wisdom — ensuring that our focus was on the story that was being told rather than on the storytellers in the room who wanted to be heard. It was this same group that was asked the question, “Are you familiar with Aristotle’s Poetics and how it applies to theatre arts?”
I looked around the room assuming everyone could also recite Aristotle’s definition of a tragedy. The question was asked again: “What are the elements of a story on stage according to Aristotle?” In my mind, I repeated what professor Jerry Cohagan taught me years before at Olivet: “A tragedy is the imitation of an action. …” And then I continued with the chanting from class, replaying over and over again in my mind: “plot, character, theme, diction, music, spectacle.”
I looked around the room, and everyone was shaking their heads, unaware of these foundational elements. I raised my hand and answered what had been embedded in my mind.
My colleagues were knowledgeable and had professional training I didn’t at that point. But I gained confidence realizing that, at Olivet, I had been given everything I needed. The difference was my liberal arts education had prioritized faith and viewed theatre as more than an extracurricular but as a rigorous academic venture.
Olivet’s theatre program equips students by giving them well-rounded curriculum. And with faith as our priority, students have what they need to be set apart, both personally and professionally, in the world.
It’s because of my Western civilization class I was able to write a play about women pilots in World War II. It’s because of my music appreciation, jazz combo and literature courses I was able to compose a jazz adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It’s because of my scriptwriting class I was able to hone my writing skills as a playwright. It was because of my education at Olivet I was able to make connections with fellow students that would later, as alumni, help me bring to life Olivet’s first original musical. And it’s because of my biology courses and the standard of professionalism that was enhanced in me at Olivet I would be invited to meet Alan Alda and introduce him at a colloquium where he spoke on the art of communicating science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
At the colloquium, Alan discussed the content of his book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating. In an interview with The Atlantic, he summed it up: “I could see that when scientists were in conversation, they could make science in a personal way. ... But if they did not have someone like me pulling it out of them in a personal way, there was a tendency to slip into lecture mode. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be an interesting idea to train scientists to be good communicators while we train them to be scientists?’”
This inspired an idea for ONU Theatre.
This fall, ONU Theatre and the ONU School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics will bring the idea to life. With Dr. José Manjarrés, a robotics professor, and Dr. Nicole Vander Schaaf, a biology professor, we dreamed up an experience for children to be inspired to learn more about science and technology. Our original play, Detective Holmes, is the collaboration of the three academic areas. Our lead character must solve a crime and, while doing so, she will learn about DNA, fingerprinting and basic coding for robots. As a part of ONU Theatre’s New Works Program, Detective Holmes is a movement for cross-departmental projects that emphasize our strengths as a liberal arts institution and our priority to be mission-focused.
When we realize that mathematicians, scientists, philosophers, artists and theatre professionals look to the same scholar, Aristotle, for knowledge and insight, we may see how our different departments can complement one another. And when we see these same professionals looking to one Savior, Jesus Christ, for wisdom and direction, we realize that our mission is the same.
ASHLEY ELIZABETH SARVER
THE PARENT GUIDE
KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT. WISDOM AND DIRECTION.
ASHLEY ELIZABETH SARVER ’15/’18 MBA is a Dove Award-nominated director and playwright. She earned the terminal Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in directing at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she was the recipient of the 2020 Graduate Faculty Performance Award. Her thesis production explored the Aristotelian element of music to help a 21st-century audience better understand Shakespeareʼs The Tempest. She composed all the jazz music for the production in addition to directing the production. She was assistant director for an industry reading of a new musical for Broadway producers at Playwrights Horizons in New York City. In 2018, professor Sarver wrote two full-length plays and one full-length musical, which originated from an Atlantic World Research Network grant that funded travel and research for writing and producing. The musical will be fully mounted as a local production in spring 2022 with her new production company, ThirtyTwo 7 Studios.
THE PARENT GUIDE
CYNTHIA V. TAYLOR
SUCCESS IMAGINED
DR. CYNTHIA V. TAYLOR �06 M.A. is a licensed professional counselor. She specializes in mood disorders, anxiety, self-esteem, grief and adjustment issues. In 2013, Dr. Taylor was asked to lead the Multiethnic Student Services group for Olivet. In this role, she gives leadership to events and activities that highlight cultural uniqueness while encouraging unity in the body of Christ. Dr. Taylor is married to Dr. Joel D. Taylor, who pastors two churches in the Chicagoland area. She takes pride in being a mother of two adult children, a mother-in-love and a grandmother of one.
Developing academic, emotional, spiritual and social students is the goal of Olivet as a higher-learning institution.
This complete educational experience or success happens not in one area of the classroom but throughout the campus and in the community. To achieve this type of success, students must become involved and engaged. They must lean and jump in as well as take risks and seek opportunities. These actions enhance education, develop competence, define character and create leadership opportunities for a diverse and ever-changing world.
As your student dreams beyond the high school graduation stage, imagine for a moment what a successful transition to higher education looks like. Dreams can become a reality with intentionality, hard work and seizing opportunities. Let’s intellectually and constructively imagine life for your student.
IMAGINE having effective organization skills. What works for one student may not work for another, so trial and error is OK. Once an organizational system is found, stay organized and balance responsibilities. Get in a routine of keeping close tabs on due dates for assignments and projects to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Having a planner system dedicated to schoolwork can be useful and assist in planning ahead so that you have enough time to study for quizzes and exams and complete larger projects.
IMAGINE success with time-management skills that can help you stay on top of your workload without feeling overwhelmed or defeated. Time management will allow you the ability to complete as many assignments as possible with the least amount of stress. You don’t have to study all day, but chip away at assignments — even if it’s only 20 minutes. Remember to organize your thoughts, make an outline and review vocabulary terms to help your writing sessions go a little smoother.
IMAGINE the ability to work with others by collaborating with classmates and peers. This actually prepares you for the realities of the real world and the workplace. It’s not always easy working in groups, but working on your collaboration skills can make the process go more smoothly.
Adversity is inevitable, but figuring out ways to effectively work against it helps to get the job completed.
IMAGINE making friends within your degree program so that you will have support and accountability — whether it’s studying for tests or swapping stories about the highs and lows of college life. You’ll have someone to rely on for help when needed and possibly make coursework more enjoyable when you have someone you can relate to — and maybe, just maybe, you will find someone that will be a friend for life.
IMAGINE a curiosity to learn more, gaining more knowledge and skills. Be thirsty and curious to learn as much as possible. Try new things and ask questions whenever you can. Take risks and step outside your comfort zone to do as much as possible to grow and learn.
IMAGINE being intentional in having a positive mindset. It’s OK to feel a bit nervous before starting school and even during the school year, but if you give too much attention to those negative thoughts, they can overwhelm you, preventing you from reaching your potential. Negative thought patterns can increase stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health problems. Re-framing your worries and negative thoughts and embracing a more positive mindset can increase resilience and help you bring your best effort to your education.
IMAGINE confidence in yourself. Believe in yourself and say to yourself, “I’ve got this!” and “I can do this!” You don’t have to be perfect to have a successful college experience. You have to believe that you can persevere with determination and confidence that you have what it takes to earn your degree. You do belong here, and be sure to convince yourself of that.
IMAGINE a community that is diverse and rich with fascinating classmates, where differences are honored as well as embraced, and our humanity is celebrated in unity. Being open to getting to know people as individuals, you break down your barriers and debunk your misconceptions. This can help our students become better global Kingdom citizens, where we all experience a little bit of Heaven here on Earth.
Finally, IMAGINE praying for the success of your college experience as you face obstacles and work to overcome them. When you embrace the importance of prayer in your life, you can overcome anything and be successful. Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Booker T. Washington once said, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”
Unlock the key to successful college living by praying, planning and participating at Olivet.
Can you IMAGINE that?
In the early 1880s, evangelist and professor Henry Drummond began his famous sermon “The Greatest Thing in The World” by asking a disarmingly simple question: “You have life before you. Once only you can live it. What is the noblest object of desire, the supreme gift to covet?”
The rhetorical question required no reply. Everyone knew the answer: Love. Self-giving love is the ultimate good. It lifts us outside ourselves. It helps us see beyond the normal range of human vision — and over walls of resentment and barriers of betrayal. Love rises above the petty demands and conflicts of life and inspires our spirit to give without getting. As the famous “love chapter” of the Bible says, “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ...”
When you set out on a consciously chosen course of action that accents the good of others, a deep change occurs in your soul. Pretentious egoism fades and your days are punctuated with spontaneous breathings of compassion and generosity. Your life is given to the summum bonum — the supreme good. The noblest of human qualities becomes your new compass on this “most excellent way” (I Corinthians 12:31b).
Sound sappy? Science doesn’t think so. Recent studies find that the ability to practice appreciation and love is the defining mark of the happiest of humans. When people engage in self-giving love by doing something for others, they use higher-level brain functions and set off a series of neurochemical reactions that shower their system in positive emotions.
Perhaps you’re wondering if this kind of happiness is triggered just as readily by having fun as it is by an act of love. Dr. Martin Seligman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, wondered the same thing. Dr. Seligman gave his students an assignment: to engage in one pleasurable activity and one philanthropic activity and then write about both. Turns out, the “pleasurable” activity of talking with friends, watching a movie or eating a delicious dessert paled in comparison with the effects of a loving action. Time stops when we lend a helping hand, nurture a hurting soul or offer a listening ear.
We love the story Mary Ann Bird tells in her article for Guideposts titled “The Whisper Test.” It’s about a little girl who was different ... and hated it. She was born with a cleft palate and, when she started school, her classmates made it clear to her how she looked: “a little girl with a misshapen lip, crooked nose, lopsided teeth, and garbled speech.”
She was convinced that no one outside her family could love her. When her classmates asked, “What happened to your lip?” she would tell them she had fallen and cut it on a piece of glass. “Somehow,” she writes, “it seemed more acceptable to have suffered an accident than to have been born different.”
Mrs. Leonard, a second grade teacher, administered a hearing test to everyone in the class each year. Here’s what happened when it was Mary Ann’s turn:
I knew from past years that as we stood against the door and covered one ear, the teacher sitting at her desk would whisper something, and we would have to repeat it back — things like,
“The sky is blue” or “Do you have new shoes?” I waited there for those words that God must have put into her mouth — those seven words that changed my life. Mrs. Leonard said, in her whisper, “I wish you were my little girl.” Mrs. Leonard had a lock on love. You can be confident that she enjoyed the deepest levels of emotional satisfaction and connection in her life. Her tender care clearly embodied the summum bonum, the supreme good, the most excellent way.
DR. LES PARROTT ’84, is a psychologist and No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including his latest book with his wife, Dr. Leslie Parrott ’84, Healthy Me, Healthy Us. For more information, visit HealthyMeHealthyUs.com.
LES PARROTT
THE PARENT GUIDE
COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY
WORSHIP & WONDER
Twice-weekly chapel gatherings add significant meaning to campus life and spiritual development. Student musicians lead a focused time of worship, and prominent Christian speakers present challenging and inspiring messages. In this setting, many have accepted Christ and committed to serving Him.
PHOTO BY JOE MANTARIAN
AFFORDABILITY
UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL AID
The college choice will be heavily influenced by how you and your student perceive cost and the financial aid process. Be sure to make decisions based on accurate information. You don’t want to rule out schools based on sticker shock when financial aid could bring those schools within reach.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE COLLEGE AFFORDABLE?
File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and file it as early as possible. The FAFSA is the gateway to state and federal financial aid, and universities use this information to determine your student’s awards. The FAFSA can give access to grants as well as loans that tend to have lower interest rates with the most advantageous payback schedules. Some state grants have limited resources. It’s important to file as soon as possible
WHEN CAN WE FILE THE FAFSA?
You can now file the FAFSA at fafsa.gov beginning Oct. 1 for the following school year. You previously had to wait until Jan. 1, but the government moved up the filing date so you can have your financial aid picture sooner and longer to best prepare for the start of school. Another improvement: You’re able to pull financial information directly from electronic tax documents into your FAFSA form.
AFTER FILING THE FAFSA, WHAT COMES NEXT?
The FAFSA allows your student to select up to 10 schools to automatically receive your family’s FAFSA information. Each school that has accepted your student for admission will then send a financial award letter outlining the federal, state and institutional aid for which your student is eligible.
WHAT ROLE DO STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES PLAY?
It’s important to find out how each admissions office handles test scores, as each school is different.
If your student takes the ACT or SAT more than once (not required but permitted by both testing organizations), some universities take the highest score, while others take an average. A higher test score could improve an academic scholarship by thousands of dollars per year.
ARE THERE OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE?
Some schools offer only academic scholarships. Most have additional opportunities. Like academic scholarships, most others are provided on the basis of merit and/or participation. At Olivet, there are scholarships for athletics, music (including Tiger Marching Band and University Orchestra), art, ministry and ROTC.
IS MONEY AVAILABLE FROM SOURCES OTHER THAN THE UNIVERSITY?
YES! Students should seek out local and national scholarships. Consider organizations your student has been a part of, businesses you frequent and your employer. Many offer scholarships. For national scholarships, register at reputable websites such as scholarships.com, bigfuture.collegeboard.org or fastweb.com and begin applying as soon as possible. Never pay for scholarship searches. The reputable sources are always free.
WHAT IF WE HAVE A REMAINING BALANCE?
The reality for most college students is that scholarships and government assistance alone do not fully cover tuition expenses. The remaining portion can be covered by parent loans, student loans or payment plans. There are many federal and private loan options. You should know that student loans require a cosigner. Payment plan options are unique to each institution. Financial aid isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” process, so work with your financial aid adviser to explore your best options.
WHAT IS A PARENT’S BEST RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION?
This process can be overwhelming, so don’t be afraid to lean on financial aid advisers. They will work with you to find financial aid solutions based on your needs. Ask the tough questions and stay informed. The more involved you are, the easier it will be.
ASK THE EXPERTS
At Olivet, the Office of Admissions is a great resource for families in every stage of the financial aid process.
KIMBERLY STRICKLAND klstrickland@olivet.edu
“It’s my pleasure each day to assist students and their families with their award packages. The options are almost limitless.”
MARK REDDY mwreddy@olivet.edu
“One of my favorite moments is when families see their students awarded for their diverse, outstanding achievements.”
LUKE FRANKLIN lfrankl1@olivet.edu
“From afar, it seems like a puzzle. But when we get into it, the facts come alive and paint a pretty clear, affordable picture.”
DEBBIE RATTIN drattin@olivet.edu
“My goal is to connect the dots for students and their parents, and to use every available resource to make Olivet affordable.”
Our amazing team is available to answer your questions. Call 800-648-1463 and ask for them by name, or reach out via email.
TRANSFERS
FINDING THEIR PATH
THREE TRANSFER STUDENTS MAKE THEIR WAY TO OLIVET
Each year, more than 175 students transfer to Olivet to complete their college education. This fall, the diverse group of incoming transfer students represented 17 states and seven countries. The Office of Admissions has a dedicated team of professionals who work exclusively with prospective transfer students to provide a smooth transition from one college experience to the next. Olivet offers competitive transfer scholarships and, on average, 92% of students’ credits transfer to the University.
For more information, visit Olivet.edu/transfer.
Garron Banas
Hometown: Chatham, Illinois Major: Criminal Justice; Minor: History
“I previously attended a state school for 2 ½ years. I loved my friends and most of my classes there, but I felt that God was pushing me in a different direction from where I was going. After the lockdown, I considered looking at other schools to transfer. My friend Josh went to Olivet, and when I visited him before, I was a big fan of the campus. Seeing other students around and getting to know the staff and others were super crucial for my choice of coming to Olivet.
“Enrolling at Olivet was a pretty simple process. The application was super-fast and easy. The JumpStart program was extremely easy and helpful for getting me to become a Tiger. And, once on campus, the best way I was able to stay connected at Olivet was to immediately get involved in extracurricular activities.
“Transferring to Olivet was one of the best decisions I have made in my early adulthood. I have made so many lifelong friends, learned so many things and have really enjoyed my time at Olivet so far. I know that everyone has a different challenge when they think about transferring, but if you feel it pressing into you, you should at least consider your options. When you find that right school, thereʼs no better feeling — trust me! I am extremely grateful for everyone that has stood by my side through the process of transferring.”
Grace Rose
Hometown: Flint, Michigan Major: Psychology; Minor: Music
“I had made my college decision by the time I was a sophomore in high school. I was set on a college in Ohio and was very interested in some of their music ministry opportunities. After I graduated from high school and two weeks before I was supposed to move into that school, God told me ‘no.’ I didn’t know why, but I didn’t have peace about attending that college.
“I enrolled at a community college near my hometown for the first semester of my freshman year. During that semester, I decided to visit Olivet. As soon as I was on campus, things clicked. I immediately felt at home, and I knew that I needed to transfer as soon as possible. The admissions staff made my experience and enrollment process so easy. My admissions counselor was so accommodating and always let me know that he was excited to have me at Olivet.
“In my first semester at Olivet, I had the opportunity to get involved with and audition for ministry teams. This summer, I had the opportunity to represent Olivet in a ministry team, leading worship at summer camps — and it has been the highlight of my Olivet experience thus far.
“To anyone who is considering a transfer to Olivet, I would recommend scheduling a visit. Upon arrival, you will immediately understand the kind of school Olivet is and why everyone speaks so highly of it. Olivet has become home to me, and I am so thankful for all of the staff and fellow students that have invested into my life spiritually and academically. Transferring to Olivet is the best decision I have ever made.”
Gabriela Maghsoudi
“Before I started my journey at Olivet, I attended two other colleges. Both of these schools had great educational programs and professors, but, for some reason, I did not feel like I belonged. When I came to Olivet for a visit, I just felt at home.
“Olivet has such a great community, and the professors that I talked to were so passionate about what they were teaching and it inspired me. Transferring to Olivet was such a smooth and easy process. Everyone helped me feel comfortable and ease into living away from home for the first time. Since I’ve been at Olivet, I have joined the Proclamation Gospel Choir, which was super fun! You make a great connection with everyone and you get to share that passion of music with others.
“Something to consider when transferring colleges is to definitely visit the college before you decide to commit. Being able to get a feel for the campus before committing to a school is something I wish I did with Olivet sooner. The one thing I loved about Olivet is that I was able to see everything and get to know some of the professors before I even got to transfer here. I absolutely love the community and the way it makes me feel at home. I love the way Olivet has the motto ‘Education With a Christian Purpose.’ That saying is displayed as soon as you enter the campus, and it couldn’t be truer.”
EXPLORING
CHOOSING A MAJOR
Not every student has a simple answer when asked the unavoidable question “What’s your major?” Welcome to the perfect place to explore all the possibilities that question presents.
SO, YOU’RE STILL EXPLORING WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE. YOU’RE NOT ALONE.
Each year, about 17% of students entering college haven’t declared or decided on a major. Around 15% of Olivet’s incoming students are unsure of their exact field of study. Considering that nearly 50% of all college students change their major (at least once), why worry?
Olivet Nazarene University is higher education focused on the liberal arts — where you get to explore all areas of knowledge and understanding: literature, science, religion, mathematics, health and the arts.
The Center for Academic Excellence, located on Olivet’s campus, strives to create a culture and climate that encourage students to explore all their educational and academic interests and assists students in identifying their specific career or calling.
THE EXPLORER’S TOOLBOX
PathwayU
Get free access to four assessments that help you learn more about your values, workplace preferences, interests and personality.
Catalog
Consult Olivet’s online course catalog for a list of available majors and requirements for each.
Imagine the Future
Review Olivetʼs 140 areas of study. List careers you might want to pursue. Consider the majors that will help you get there.
CliftonStrengths
This assessment helps you discover the one true you. Find out more about what you naturally do best. Use the results to live your best life.
JumpStart Program
This course is a series of modules designed to be completed before classes begin and through the first few weeks of the semester. The modules will cover many of the resources and tools needed to survive at Olivet.
JumpStart Conference
This two-day conference brings new students together before the beginning of classes to introduce you to college life and “jump- start” your Olivet experience. The conference begins on Sunday night with a worship service and continues on Monday morning.
JumpStart Mentors
Upper-class students will serve as mentors for you as you arrive on campus. The mentors will help you move in, attend the JumpStart Conference with you and your freshman or transfer group, and support you throughout your first semester at Olivet.
Career Coaching
Meet with a career coach or faculty adviser to work through the rewarding process of choosing your major.
Introductory Courses
Take the first course in one or two areas that interest you. Sample before committing.
Shadowing Experience
Learn more about the careers that interest you. Reach out to professionals in those fields. Arrange to interview them or shadow them on the job. Prayer
Ask God to direct you in your decisions. Listen for His answers.
For more information about how you can begin your exploration with Olivet Nazarene University, visit Olivet.edu or call us at 800-648-1463.
ASK THESE QUESTIONS:
What is most important to me in a career? In which areas do I naturally excel? What do I most enjoy doing? Which majors fit best with my personality? What do I most think about regarding the future? For which issue or cause am I most passionate? If I could do anything I wanted and knew I would be successful, what would I do?
THEN, FIND THE ANSWERS HERE:
Academic Coaching Center Peer coaches
help students develop independent learning skills in a relaxed, comfortable setting. Students’ unique learning preferences and education goals are primary in all sessions. Coaches help with enhancing academic skills, improving critical-thinking skills and fostering independent scholarship.
Career Development Students explore careers and employment opportunities using a variety of resources. Assistance with résumés, cover letters, the job search process and interviewing skills sets students apart in the professional world. Job fairs give potential employers opportunities to meet students. The Handshake platform connects employers with jobseekers and employees with jobs.
Counseling Services When stresses build, professional counselors are available to help students grow and succeed. Students’ well-being is the top priority at Olivet.
Health and Wellness Services Being healthy
physically benefits students as they pursue their education and prepare for their future careers. Complete, personalized, quality health care is available for all students.
RELATIONAL LIVING
Olivet’s residential campus encourages community through relational living. During their first year, freshmen and transfer students live in residence halls at the heart of campus, building friendships as they establish independence and a home away from home..
PHOTO BY JOE MANTARIAN
