Last Saturday, May 2, the front lawn of Roanoke College was flooded with the family and friends of the class of 2015. Over 450 people walked across the stage and received their hard-earned diploma.
Roanoke College is the second oldest Lutheran-affiliated college in the U.S. and we proudly call this institution one of the Virginia Synod’s mission partners. Roanoke has a long history of having graduates who excel in their field including a former Bishop of the Lutheran Church in America (the predecessor to the ELCA).
The Class of 2015 was filled with incredible men and women who are going to impact the world with their unique talents. Here is a snapshot of what three of this year’s graduates from Roanoke College will be doing next:
A visit to Cambodia during a May Term travel writing course was the first time that Roanoke College student Courtney Vaughan ’15 ventured outside of the United States. Now, two years later, Vaughan is headed to Laos to teach English for a year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Her love of teaching, travel and service combined with academic excellence led Jessica Compton ’15 to be the first Roanoke College student to receive the Rotary Skelton/Jones Scholarship which she will use for a masters degree in secondary education from a school of her choice in New Zealand.
Brandon Mayer ’15 is planning for an upcoming trip to India, courtesy of the Fulbright-Nehru Study/Research grant he has been awarded. A business major, Mayer will spend nine months at Delhi University analyzing how foreign direct investment impacts local businesses and entrepreneurs.
What do these students all have in common? Yes, they have impressive awards , but the common thread that runs through their stories is that they have each been cultivated at Roanoke College.
The biology major told the Commencement crowd that people often miss important life moments by focusing on an end goal.
“It is when our focus narrows so much on the end of our pursuits that we don’t focus on what got us there,” she said.
For many students who graduated from Roanoke this month, receiving their diplomas and having solid plans for the future when they walked across the stage was their end goal. But the point Shreckhise made was that the journey is what really shapes us and makes the end result have even more value.
At Roanoke College that journey is filled with meaningful relationships with professors and students, involvement in one (or five) of the over 100 campus organizations, group study projects, semesters abroad in Italy, and deep conversations with friends.
As a Lutheran-affiliated, liberal arts college, Roanoke helps students explore much more than just their academic pursuits. Individuals are encouraged to explore their vocation.
Roanoke College is impacting thousands of individuals every year and as a member of the Virginia Synod, you are also invited to enter into a relationship with Roanoke.
If you are coming to Synod Assembly or Power in the Spirit, you will experience the beauty of campus but if you really want to engage with this mission partner, check out their calender of events. If your business has internship opportunities, consider contacting Roanoke College’s career services department and witness the caliber of these students for yourself.
For more information about Roanoke College, go online to roanoke.edu.
