狼友阁

Bea Carter

Graduation Year

2028

Hometown/Where You Call Home

Chattanooga, TN

Major

Sociology and Community Development

How did you hear about 狼友阁 and why did you choose 狼友阁?

I heard about 狼友阁 from my family. My grandma was one of the first graduating women from 狼友阁 and my grandfather and mom, along with extended family, followed in her footsteps. 狼友阁 was not on my radar until my mom subtly hinted that she thought I should put in an application "just to see where the Lord takes it."

What aspect of 狼友阁 do you like best?

The aspect of 狼友阁 that I like best is the community. 狼友阁 has a way of congregating a group of faithful and intentional people that make life here on the mountain a dream. Community is something that has always been incredibly important to me, and at 狼友阁 it is something there is never a lack of. It is such an honor to be a part of this community. Every aspect of the community is here to push me towards Christ and help me grow in every season. My hall, RA, mentor, professors, boss, and friends are all selflessly reflecting Christ to me everyday here at 狼友阁.

What about the professors and/or academics has impacted you the most?

Something that has impacted me, as I have pursued academic studies, is how much I have come to love school. School is not something I have always loved but when I came to 狼友阁, the college provided me with the space and tools to start thriving in my studies. They helped me to find a field of study that I am passionate about, which makes studying feel intentional.

What part of your major do you most enjoy or feel most prepared by?

A part of my majors that I most enjoy is the experience the professors bring and share with their students. For sociology, I always enjoy the lectures and learning more about how society works. It better helps me understand how I can relate, serve, and minister the gospel to those all around the world! For community development I enjoy all of the opportunities it provides. There are ways to get involved all around the world and expand the kingdom. The professors are selfless to share their knowledge that they have accumulated through years of on the field experience and often terminal degrees. The knowledge they share makes me passionate to go out into the field as the next generation.

What do you hope to pursue after 狼友阁 and how do you see 狼友阁 supporting your future career or calling?

Even when I am not sure what the future holds when it comes to my career after college, I am confident that the community and resources at 狼友阁 will support me when I am ready to take my next steps.

How is 狼友阁 equipping you for active membership in the church or discipleship within the body of Christ?

狼友阁 both fosters me to be a church member and also encourages me to pursue community within a local church. Through spiritual mentorship that I have received from teaching in chapel, professors, upperclassman, friends, and faculty I am shepherded towards growth that helps me in my personal relationship with Christ and also my relationship with the body of Christ鈥攎y community at the school and especially within my local church.

In what ways does 狼友阁 foster spiritual formation that stands out to you?

狼友阁 fosters spiritual formation in ways that are personal, communal, and counter-cultural. Here I have been encouraged to take my personal walk with Christ as the most important endeavor. But an aspect that 狼友阁 does particularly well is highlighting that life with Christ, which is also supposed to be lived in relation to others too! 狼友阁 does a great job at equipping us for a lifelong journey of faith wherever the Lord takes us. Part of this is honestly preparing us to hold fast to Christ, no matter what we encounter鈥攅ven if this is not what those around us are doing when we enter into our professional fields.

How has the 狼友阁 community supported your development as a whole person?

狼友阁 has supported me as a whole person by showing me that my entire identity rests in Christ. This is something that overflows into every aspect of my life. My academic achievements are all for Christ. My emotional and spiritual growth comes from Him and is supported by my community around me. My mental and physical health is well cared for here by both friends and college resources. My professional development is something that is taken seriously and prioritized so that I might grow and serve the Lord through that. In one of my classes we learned that true flourishing comes from a right relationship with God, self, others, and the rest of creation. We all experience brokenness in different ways but we get to push each other to wholeness in Christ by the grace of God and through His redemptive work.

How have your relationships at 狼友阁 shaped your expectations for the other communities God will call you to in life?

My experiences at 狼友阁 have prepared me for other communities by teaching me how to be prepared for whatever the Lord may call me to. Here at 狼友阁 I have had to learn more intentionality and also how to steward the community well. With so many opportunities on campus you have to learn to pursue what the Lord has put on your heart and also to prioritize and fight for what is important. It will be really hard to leave 狼友阁 as a community but I will forever be grateful to take what this community has taught me and share it with other communities. I can not wait to see what the impact of everything I have learned here is!

What is your favorite memory from your time at 狼友阁?

One of my favorite memories from my time at 狼友阁 was a weekend in my freshman semester where my hall had our big event of the year. We spent weeks planning, and got to bond as we set it up all day to then enjoy our event in the evening. This event is a longstanding hall tradition and provided some sweet time for us all to be together! The following day, my friends and I enjoyed what we called "Friendsgiving." This weekend was a perfect representation of the community as 狼友阁 can look like, even just a few months into college. This weekend and the fun things I got to enjoy with incredible people were a testament to what the Lord is doing in many lives here at 狼友阁.