Why did you choose Calvin?
I chose Calvin for several reasons, yet the core was the university’s ability to balance faith and academics. Calvin unashamedly pursues a commitment to Christianity and offers several outlets for faith formation for students. Along with this, academics at Calvin — especially the pre-medicine journey — are held in high-esteem in a posture of excellence. When I was searching for schools, very few institutions held both faith and academics so highly without sacrificing one at the expense of other. (And along with this, the professors and students on my visit were just cool and down-to-earth people, which helped tremendously!)
What are the strengths of Calvin's Pre-Health Program?
The strong relationships you form with the pre-health professors and advisors are absolutely essential in college. A lot of college comparison websites cannot easily calculate a school's “relationships with professors,” so I overlooked this metric in the hunt for a university. However, when the rubber met the (long!) road, I was beyond grateful for professors and advisors who knew me, who knew my story and my intricacies, and who knew how to integrate faith into the pre-health framework.
What were some of the highlights for you on your pre-health journey?
I loved working as nursing assistant at Holland Home, an assisted living facility right by campus. My time with the patients here confirmed my passion for seeing the whole story of a person in healthcare. Also, in a bizarre way, preparing for the MCAT was a highlight for me because I studied alongside a close friend who took the test on the same day. We studied in the library together. We drove to the test and prayed beforehand together. And, of course, we celebrated with ice cream afterwards together! Calvin is the perfect size for the pre-health journey — it’s big enough to have several other people at the same stage, yet small enough to form tight knit community as a fabric of support.
What are some of the extracurriculars that shaped your journey in expected or unexpected ways?
I served as a Barnabas during my sophomore year. In this role, you help cultivate faith and community in the dorms through Bible studies, worship nights, and floor events. This leadership opportunity honed my passions for hospitality and community in the context of faith. I loved it! I also worked as a tour guide for four years, and I can confidently say that few other activities shaped me as much as my time in Admissions. You learn to meet and embrace a diverse array of prospective students, and it’s just fun being one of the first faces that families meet as they step onto campus!
