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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.”
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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!