Brandon

Class of 2010
Hometown: Tippecanoe, Ohio
Major: Psychology and English

Brandon's passion for social justice has found numerous outlets at Evangel University. Through CROSSwalk ministry teams in downtown Springfield and opportunities for service with the Social Work Club, he has been active in ministering to Springfield's poor and homeless communities. As he studies psychology and English and pursues extracurricular service opportunities, Brandon is preparing for a life devoted to serving God and serving others.

 

Why did you choose to come to Evangel?

I had several colleges that I was interested in — Case Western and Wheaton were at the top of my list — but when I visited Evangel for a scholarship interview, something clicked. When I was offered the scholarship, I thought and prayed about it for a while. I felt confident that Evangel was a good place for me to be, so I accepted the scholarship, and now here I am. Though money certainly assisted in my decision, the ultimate factor was the confidence that I felt about Evangel. I felt that it would offer the intimacy of education that I was looking for, as well as plenty of opportunities for spiritual and personal growth.

Did you receive financial aid?

Yes, plenty! From Evangel, I received the Founder's half-tuition scholarship as well as departmental scholarships from Behavioral Sciences and Humanities.

How did you decide on your major?

I’ve always been intrigued by the workings of the human mind, and I thought that I might be interested in counseling, so psychology seemed like a good match for me. As far as my English major, I love to write, and I wanted to improve my writing while studying literature.

What do you like best about Evangel?

I really appreciate the artistic subculture of Evangel, especially as embodied by the Epiphany literary magazine and the Epiphany coffeehouses. The friends I’ve made through Epiphany have been among the best I’ve made at Evangel. It’s been really wonderful to have come into contact with people who think and create like myself.

What kinds of educational/service/leadership opportunities have you encountered?

Freshman and sophomore year, I was the CROSSwalk team leader for The Core. The Core is a local ministry that focuses on the downtown community — especially college students and homeless people. It has a coffeehouse just off the square called The Front Porch which offers free coffee and bottled water while providing an environment for arts and culture to thrive and have an impact on people. The conversations you get in there — whether at their worship gatherings, discussions of social topics, or just with a random person — are awesome and can be enlightening or even transformative. It’s an organization that I really believe in. I’ve also had the opportunity to be a research assistant to the psychology research professor at Evangel. Getting to teach labs, tutor students, and otherwise help the professor has been a great opportunity for me. Through the Social Work Club (which my wife is the president of), I’ve had several other opportunities to serve the Springfield community’s poor and homeless.

What are your goals after college?

My main goal is to pursue the Kingdom of God, wherever that takes me. I am very passionate about social justice, peace, and simple, Christ-following living. I plan to do all I can to further those things. This may eventually lead me to go on to get my master’s in psychology or social work. For now, though, I’m planning on settling down and pursuing my writing career while seeking to live a socially and environmentally sustainable, moral lifestyle. I’m hoping to live and participate in a Christian community that will be transformative to the larger community surrounding it, as well as to be involved in that larger community, hopefully helping to build a sense of interdependence and encourage a strong, thriving local economy and government. I am also very eager to assist my wife as she opens a holistic, creative shelter for domestically abused women and their children, helping them to break out of the cycle of abuse and live self-sustainable lives.

Why should a prospective student consider Evangel?

I think it is especially important for a prospective student to choose Evangel if they have a desire to contribute to a growing Christian community. Their unique thoughts, ideas, and passions should find an outlet here, and hopefully their contributions could lead our community even closer to Christ, bringing it more holistically in line with Christ’s redemptive mission. In an educational institution, we have the opportunity to worship God with our minds and then to take what we learn — the thoughts that are nurtured — and put them into action. If we all seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice and righteousness, setting aside desires for selfish gain, I believe that it is possible that we could see him use us to powerfully transform our local community — and then the world, as we branch out to wherever Christ leads us after graduation. Revolutionary passions often boil up in the college student’s soul. We need your passions, and we need a revolution.

Read more student profiles.

ako