Ashley Yost ’10

Why are you a better leader because of Wesleyan?
Wesleyan expected us to be leaders. Wesleyan expected us to be leaders because they had a desire for us to be our best. Our best was wanted because Wesleyan cared about us and we experienced success because Wesleyan believed in us. I always knew this domino effect existed; however, I was not made fully aware of the impact of this effect until second semester of my freshman year of college. I had been on a spring break mission trip with Wesleyan my senior year of high school to the Dominican Republic. It was then that I fell in love with the ministry and the people there. My freshman year of college I wanted to bring a team of college students back to the same place where I had served the year before with Wesleyan. I was inexperienced, underfinanced, and nervous. I sent out letters to the Wesleyan family and the amount of support I received financially, emotionally, and spiritually was overwhelming! Because of the support I received from the people of Wesleyan, I was no longer underfinanced nor was I nervous about the fact that I was inexperienced. The people at Wesleyan were not only willing to follow Jesus, but they also believed in me. With Jesus going before me and the support of the Wesleyan family behind me, I was able to lead a group of college students on spring break mission trips to the Dominican Republic for both of my college spring breaks.

How did Wesleyan prepare you for college?
First, Wesleyan taught me that it is perfectly fine to wear the same thing to class every day of the week. Second, Wesleyan taught me that the key to memorization is group recitation every Monday and Friday morning. Third, Wesleyan taught me that a long, hard day can always be made better with a little QT. Fourth, Wesleyan taught me how to chew gum like a lady even at football games because if I didn’t Mr. Young was sure to say something about it. Fifth, at Wesleyan I learned that you might think that a 92 is a 4.0, but…you’re wrong. Sixth, at Wesleyan I learned that no matter how sick you are you can always go to school. The amount of work you will miss if you stay home is far worse than any sickness—even senioritis! Seventh, Wesleyan taught me that winning championships is expected. Eighth, Wesleyan taught me how to trust others by never putting a lock on my locker to keep my books safe. I also learned to trust that my friends wouldn’t mind when I casually borrowed a book out of their lockers. Don’t worry…I always brought it back, which proves that I also learned the value of commitment. Ninth, at Wesleyan I learned that it is completely normal to have your teacher’s cell phone numbers programmed into your phone. Tenth, Wesleyan allowed me to come to the realization that the grass is in fact, NEVER greener on the other side. The list of lessons I learned at Wesleyan is endless, but I digress.

How did Wesleyan prepare you for your profession?
No profession for me! Thankfully I still have two more years of college before I am thrown out into the "real word." However, I am a double major in Digital & Broadcast Journalism as well as Sports Management. My dream is to be a sideline analyst for basketball and football, but if I do not get there then I want to work in some area of sports journalism, broadcasting or reporting. I am sure that my involvement with athletics while I was at Wesleyan will help me with my future professional endeavors.

Was a challenging academic Wesleyan education worth it? Why or why not?
Yes. My Wesleyan education was definitely worth it. At Wesleyan we did not have a choice. We had to study. Therefore, when I was presented with difficult classes in college, I was able to be effective in those classes because while I was at Wesleyan I had developed the skills to be successful when presented with a challenge. Yes it was difficult, but I would do it again. My Wesleyan education has greatly helped me with college. I am currently answering these questions before class while sitting with some friends. I asked my friend if he felt that his high school education prepared him for college. He responded, “Definitely not. I had to re-teach myself everything once I got to college.”

Was the struggle worth it?
Yes. I am going to be that girl…I loved Wesleyan! I came into high school as a new student my freshman year and I instantly felt at home. At Wesleyan I made friends that I will have for the rest of my life. We are like a family. There are not words for how much my friends have enriched my life. They still continue to bless me even while we are spread out. However, when we come back together, it is like we never missed a beat. I could not have dreamed for better friends than the ones I made at Wesleyan. Also, so many teachers and coaches poured into my life in ways that went far above and beyond their job description. They were not only men and women that I respected, but they were also men and women to whom I could relate. My teachers and coaches really did genuinely care about me. My teachers at Wesleyan taught me far more than just academics. The lessons that I learned from my teachers outside of the classroom are the lessons that I cherish the most. The relationships I made with some of my teachers and coaches at Wesleyan impacted me in ways that I cannot describe. I always felt honored to be able to attend such a prestigious school as Wesleyan, but more importantly, I was blessed to have been able to establish the relationships I did there.