In late January I became an official graduate of Fresno Pacific University (FPU) with a bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries and Leadership.
I am excited and grateful to have been able to attend college and graduate. Even though it took me six years (most of the time I worked full-time), I am glad that I took that path I did.
There are a several people who have played enormous roles in my success and whom I want to make sure I thank:
- My wife, Jen: She has stood by me through all of the early morning homework sessions, doing homework all day on Saturdays, and even staying up late during the week to complete assignments She was always supportive in my school endeavors and never complained.
- My mom and dad: They too have always been supportive. Thanks to the support of my parents and their discipline to save a college fund, I am able to graduate from college debt free. Because they worked hard to provide for my sister and I, we get to reap the benefits of graduating from school without having the burden of student loan debt.
- My sister: Even though she is my younger sister, she has set the example for me in academics. She has always earned better grades than I while taking honors classes (which I have never taken). She even graduated college before me even though she is three years younger than I. Seeing her example of working hard in school has helped me develop the practices that I needed to be successful in school.
- The Advancement Department at Fresno Pacific University: This might appear to be an odd person or department to thank, but they have helped make my schooling successful. While a student at FPU I was able to receive three scholarships from the Advancement Department Those scholarships were a tremendous help with not just paying for school but also to encourage me in my journey because I felt that others knew my story, believed in me, and wanted me to succeed.
- The faculty at FPU: One of the things I am most grateful for are the faculty at FPU. I am fortunate to have made some good friendships and connections with the professors. A few of the faculty I have appreciated are Dave Wainscott, Quentin Kinnison, Jeff Harrington, Cory Seible, Rick Bartlett, and several others.
- The other six people who participated in my cohort: Thinking about my classmates reminds me of the statement that several of our professors made that our cohort was one of the most cohesive and connected cohorts they had ever taught. We all got along well and loved to connect and talk.
I have learned so much while attending FPU. Luckily for you, most of what I learned has been posted here on this blog. A few of my blog post series were taken directly from the papers I wrote for class. Here are links to a few of those:
Attending FPU has been a transformational experience for me, and I am grateful to be able to have attended there. Being able to earn a degree in Christian Ministry and Leadership is truly a gift that I am grateful God has given to me. I hope I can honor the good gift He has given me by being a good steward of what I have learned.
Question: What college did you graduate from and what is one thing you learned?
