Alumni Zoom in to encourage faculty

Four Wesleyan alumni recently Zoomed into our monthly, all-faculty worship to share parts of their Wesleyan experience and encourage faculty. John Adent ‘14, Avyonce Carter ’20, Nick Eversbusch ’17, and Kelsey Rappe ’18 reflected on what they miss most about Wesleyan, how Wesleyan has prepared them for success in college and career, and the impact of the dedication of faculty members.
Currently, Adent is in medical school at Mercer University in Savannah; Carter is a sophomore at Georgia Tech, where she also plays on the women’s basketball team; Eversbush will graduate from the University of Georgia in December; and Rappe will graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2022.

Adent, Carter, Eversbusch, and Rappe all agree that being deeply known by faculty is part of what they miss most about being a Wesleyan student. Each alumnus shared anecdotes of teachers, coaches, or mentors pulling them aside to ask them how they are really doing and taking the time to listen patiently and compassionately. Carter added that she misses Wesleyan chapels and time set aside to worship the Lord and cultivate a relationship with Jesus. 

As they graduated from Wesleyan and moved on to college and career, these alumni shared that Wesleyan prepared them well. In addition to being academically equipped, Rappe explained that she was also well-prepared to intentionally listen and gladly serve others because her teachers modeled that for her. Adent added that he began college with the confidence that his “identity does not rest in a grade or how I perform on the sports field. [His] identity rests in Jesus.”

Before the Zoom call ended, each alumnus had the opportunity to share specific encouragement for the faculty. Eversbusch reminded faculty that planting seeds really does matter. Carter continued that reminder by pointing out that those seeds often equip students to be better sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, and teammates. Adent took the agricultural analogy even a step further by referencing 1 Corinthians 3:6: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” as a reminder that while teachers have a privilege and responsibility to plant seeds, it is God who will grow those seeds in his timing and his way.

We are grateful for these alumni sharing their time with our faculty, and their reflections encouraged our faculty tremendously.
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