This past fall semester, I invited members of the Hope College community to share their gratitude for the people and experiences [at Hope] that made a difference in their lives.
Their messages captured what the Hope experience is all about. World-class faculty. Caring staff. Inspirational coaches. Dedicated mentors. Formation of faith. Excellent academics with top-tier research. Lifelong friendships. Encounters with other cultures. Personal growth. In a word, transformation.
“With his guidance and support, even after I graduated, I stayed on course to pursue a career in medicine that otherwise I, most likely, would not have accomplished.”
Especially inspiring were messages about the impact of Hope’s faculty. Students and alumni expressed appreciation for their professors in the following ways:
- “He changed the course of my life”
- “They were always supportive, encouraging and empowering as I learned what it meant to be an educator. In their company, I felt like an equal who was always welcome. I owe much of my prowess as a teacher to these professors because of how they pushed and challenged me.”
- “These professors inspired me to look into literature with a different perspective. It was through classes with these women that I explored what it was to interact with different cultures. I feel like this was a preparation for my life of serving overseas.”
- “He is one of the wisest people I know and challenged my mind in such a sincere and thought-provoking manner. We shared lunch multiple times a month throughout almost all of my college career and I continue to seek his mentorship almost 10 years after graduating.”
- “She is a great mentor and professor … she is caring and pushes her students to think analytically about the political system today!”
- “One professor helped affirm that faith and physics could not only coexist but support one another (an internal conflict that I had been dealing with for years). We had a long conversation in his office one afternoon, and I am still ruminating on his wisdom.”
When choosing a college, academics are important. But the people are even more important. At Hope we have amazing professors, who are passionate about teaching and pursue learning WITH students. They transform lives!