Graduate of Chapman Unviersity
“It may not have been what I expected it to be, but God used the last 4 years to shape every part of me.”
In May of 2023, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a minor in Honors. I enrolled at Chapman University knowing a few things. I was attending my dream school, dancing, hoping to make lifelong friends, and planning to pour into my faith. But no one could’ve foreseen a pandemic. I couldn’t foresee the changes that would hit every aspect of my life.
In many ways, college was not what I expected. No one can fully prepare you for what’s to come. All the advice and wisdom can’t lay out what the future holds. But in retrospect, it’s honestly a beautiful thing. Through unexpected twists and turns, I learned who I am, what I believe, and where I believe God is calling me to next.
I think the most important thing my time at Chapman taught me was not in the lecture halls or dance studios. It was in mind. I learned that life is going to keep changing, that I am going to keep changing, that nothing in this world is consistent or forever. But God is.
I have so much gratitude in my heart for my time at Chapman. Those 4 years were more than 2 degrees and a minor worth of classes. It was about meeting people that would change my life forever, pushing my faith beyond its limits, and discovering for the first time in my life who I am on my own.
I am justifying the student loans with the fact that I didn’t just pay Chapman for the academics but for how I grew spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and socially. When we look at the sticker price of a school or 4-year experience, we think about the degree. Is that money worth it? But it’s not until the end that you discover it was so much more than that. So Chapman, while my bank account disagrees, thank you.
