Why I love Friends!

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.

Friends University was officially founded in 1898, our history goes back to the mid-1880s when the Christian Churches of Kansas began to construct a building west of Wichita that would hold more floor space under one roof than any other educational facility west of the Mississippi River.

Being a teacher allows you to share your passion for language and literature while shaping young minds. It’s a rewarding opportunity to inspire students to communicate effectively and appreciate the power of words.

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.

For me at the heart of leadership is service. I don’t think you can lead without a heart for service. That theme runs through a lot of the leadership instruction that we have had at Friends. It starts with how do I serve other people and when you come at it from that angle; your motivation to lead is different.

Getting my MBA was a great investment in my future. An amazing opportunity to get a quality education while balancing the demands of working and raising a family.

The community, culture, and curriculum at Friends provided both a great launching pad for my career and a solid foundation to help me stay connected in my hometown of Wichita. I couldn’t be more proud to be a Falcon!

Getting a degree in English Education at Friends University helped prepare me for being a teacher. I feel proficient and confident about my content area which helps my students learn and engage more within the classroom.

My favorite thing about the MBA program is how flexible all the faculty have been with my work schedule.

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.

The OLTC program offered the opportunity I was looking for to develop and grow, as well as challenge myself to improve so that I can have a bigger impact in my workplace.

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.

Studying English Literature in college equipped me with pivotal skills in public speaking, analytical perspectives, critical thinking, and narrative writing that I utilize daily in my role as an Executive Director at the nonprofit organization, Juniper Arts Academy.

English is used every single day, and it was what ultimately led me to getting the position at Roy Group. We use English when we write emails, create memos, and speak on the phone to clients. An English degree when spoken of and utilized correctly, is one of the most beneficial degrees when acquiring a profession.

I absolutely think this was a good investment! The material I learned has already been put into place in my classroom with ease and the student reactions have been awesome. It also allowed me to achieve a goal that I have had for myself for a long time!

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.

Music has been a part of the curriculum of the college from the beginning. The orchestra and vocal groups performed for various organizations in the community, a tradition that still carries on today.