This vision of learning for all of life is at the heart of all we do here: a Christian liberal arts education whose goal is to prepare young Christian leaders with a passion to live from the heart, for the kingdom.
This vision of learning for all of life is at the heart of all we do here: a Christian liberal arts education whose goal is to prepare young Christian leaders with a passion to live from the heart, for the kingdom.
Abigail Latip ’18
Sociology and Urban Studies major
“I like that Wheaton embraces our identity as broken and flawed people in need of the Gospel. It gives students space to remember what really matters. My time at Wheaton has established my identity as a global citizen – growing in my awareness of and compassion for people groups and social issues all over the globe – even if this process involves the occasional homesickness that comes from learning to grow in a culture that is not my own. My involvement in Axis, the international student group, has contributed greatly to this journey, by helping me to appreciate diversity within the body of Christ. Being at Wheaton has encouraged me to be bolder with my faith in a culture that can at times be hostile to it - something that is prompted by my friends and professors.”
David Liu ’18
Pre-Med
“I had always yearned for an apologetic approach to essential Christian doctrines (something I found lacking in my high school years), and Wheaton has provided for these intellectual discussions. Wheaton is a healthy environment for students to explore the truths of Christianity through a nurturing web of faculty and peers. I value being treated as an adult – being engaged with in-depth conversations about faith and learning. The resultant sense of identity in the Wheaton student body and the personalized care from the professors is, I feel, a distinctive touch of Wheaton.”
Vibrant Residential Community
Speaking about his role as Dean of Residence Life, Justin Heth shares, “My staff and I are constantly searching for ways to help students grow into complete, mature and balanced persons, and for ways to raise awareness and build relational skills that will empower students to engage with those who are different than them. We believe students will best serve Christ and His Kingdom in a changing world if they grow in their relationship with the Lord, become more self-aware, learn to develop lasting relationships, and value Kingdom diversity.
“We are seeing more and more international students in leadership positions, influencing Wheaton to be more globally minded, aware, and engaged. This helps Wheaton further our mission to educate whole persons who build the church and benefit society worldwide. Each year, we have international students who serve as resident assistants in the residence halls and they have made a tremendous impact. Because of their voices, our team is more globally aware - they have been able to educate domestic students as well as connect uniquely with other international students on their floors.
“I am constantly amazed by the people I meet with all the gifts and talents they bring to Wheaton. All staff desire to offer their best to the college – this creates an environment of growth and excellence, one that is invigorating and inspiring to be around. In residence life, we get the privilege of seeing students transformed before our eyes as they grow personally and interpersonally. I hear numerous stories every year of student’s lives being changed because they are living side by side people from all around the world. When people live in close proximity to one another it shapes them and broadens their perspectives in ways that will influence their future work places, families, churches, and neighborhood. I often say I get a front row seat of watching God work in people’s lives.
“This whole-person approach to developing students radiates outward throughout all staff and faculty, who share the common aim of helping students be the best Christ-honoring and Kingdom-serving servant-leaders they can be.”
Extending this philosophy to students from all over the world, Jerry Woehr ’09, recently appointed Director of International Students and former Residence Director of Fischer Hall, describes what student development means to him, “One of my passions is to deepen students’ understanding of God’s love, so that they may serve Him out of joy, experiencing the freedom He offers them now. This looks like helping them practice spiritual disciplines, learn to rest, and identify their work as acts of worship.
“At Wheaton, I have the privilege of supporting students who were united in their pursuit of Christ, while contributing to God’s kingdom work in unique ways through various backgrounds, many passions, and in different arenas. I am thrilled to participate in the development of these students, and to watch as the Holy Spirit and Christ’s body of believers shape the educational experience on campus.”
Chapel
According to Wheaton’s 6th Chaplain, Rev. Timothy Blackmon and his pastoral staff, “There are two crucial questions to ask when choosing a college:
- What will I learn to love?
- Who will I become?
“We hope our students become people who love Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. A vital component of this spiritual transformation is our Chapel program. We gather for worship three times a week, which is a natural response to everything our liberal arts education is teaching us about reality in God’s world.
“Our Chapel services are thoroughly and comprehensively rooted in the Scriptures. We have the opportunity to hear from faculty, staff, students, as well as guest speakers from all over the world.
“When we come together for Chapel, we also discover how to live prayerful lives in utter dependency upon God. Throughout Wheaton’s history God has used our Chapel services to transform students into agents for good in the world, people who are ready to serve the Kingdom with confidence in and reliance upon Jesus.
“Chapel is at the heart of all that we are and all that we do. This is how we live life with God.”