Four graduating seniors reflect on their time at Northwestern CollegeBY KELSEY (BLOOMQUIST '10) CAPISTRANT 
Major: Ministry
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from NWC?
A: The most important thing that I have learned is the value of having an ongoing relationship with the Lord. I learned the importance of getting in the Word and continuing to abide in the Word. Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: My plan after graduation is to go back to Ethiopia for three months and then come back to Minneapolis. I hope to get more direction from the Lord this summer about what is next. Q: How, specifically, has NWC prepared you for your future?
A: I think the classes in the Christian Ministries department have moved my heart to have compassion for the lost. Q: Who is your most influential professor and why?
A: This is a hard question because all my professors are influential. Dr. [Yvonne] RB-Banks mentored me once a week since freshman year. She has encouraged me spiritually, emotionally and academically. Mrs. [Teresa] Talley also had a huge impact in my life. I took three of her classes. Family studies had a huge impact on me because of the genogram assignment. Mrs. Talley was able to mentor me through reading my papers for the genogram assignment and other assignments. Q: What is something you’ll always remember about NWC?
A: I will always remember the life in the dorms, especially the girls that I served (as an RA). Q: How have you, as a person, seen yourself change over the years at NWC?
A: Because of Northwestern I have a solid relationship with the Lord and others. back to top 
Major: Youth Ministry
Hometown: Roseville, Minnesota
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from NWC?
A: No matter what stage of life I am in, and no matter where I am in the world, I will always be a leader. Northwestern prepared me for leadership and taught me how to glorify God through servant leadership. Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I would like to get a job as youth pastor in the United States, and then I will pursue ministry overseas. Q: How, specifically, has NWC prepared you for your future?
A: I have been prepared for cross-cultural youth ministry. Being on Residence Life staff for two years also prepared me for leadership. Q: Who is your most influential professor and why?
A: Dr. [Garry] Morgan. He led my ICS trip to Asia. He helped generate and reawaken my passion for missions and helped me develop the vision for becoming a youth pastor overseas. Q: What is something you’ll always remember about NWC?
A: NWC has helped shape me and transform my view of the world, the Bible, God as my Savior, and myself as an African American Christian living in the United States. I will remember staying up and having fun or writing papers until 5 a.m., being challenged by chapel speakers and being moved to tears as the Gospel was preached. Q: How have you, as a person, seen yourself change over the years at NWC?
A: I have been humbled by the realization of who I am in comparison to Christ. I [know] I am a black man, living in a prejudiced world and I have the responsibility to share the truth of Christ with everyone no matter what they think of the color of my skin. The most important change in me has been the clarification of my call into full-time ministry. back to top 
Major: English Writing
Hometown: Wyoming, Minnesota
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from NWC?
A: It is essential to know who you are to be able to truly do anything well in life, whether it is school, work, marriage or ministry. I believe I have become a better person, student and employee because of the exploration that NWC has encouraged me to do. Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I am pursuing grant writing jobs in the Twin Cities. I truly love grant writing and hope to continue in the field, helping non-profits with fundraising. Q: How, specifically, has NWC prepared you for your future?
A: The English department has helped me develop quality writing skills, but the specific classes that were related to career—Grant Writing, Technical Writing, and Writing for Ministry and Profit—definitely helped me develop easily transferable skills. Q: Who is your most influential professor and why?
A: Professor Judith Hougen. I appreciated the fact that she always had her office open for talking about writing and life. She is a mentor in terms of my vocation, but I have also found someone who I can explore deeper things in life with. I really appreciate her openness about life and wanting to authentically get to know her students. Q: What is something you’ll always remember about NWC?
A: Northwestern was a very safe but challenging place to explore my identity as a young adult. It provided an atmosphere for me to establish who I am, what I believe in and where I want to go for the future. Q: How have you, as a person, seen yourself change over the years at NWC?
A: I have grown in understanding about myself and my world. I have become more confident in the identity that I have in Christ, the person He crafted me to be. I have also grown as a writer, now feeling like I can begin a journey into the writing world. back to top Major: History
Hometown: Forest Lake, Minnesota
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from NWC?
A: The most important thing I learned at NWC was from my senior capstone course, Christian Thought. I learned the significance of God’s sovereignty over all things in His creation and the importance of taking every thought captive to Christ. Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I am planning to pursue work in public relations, hopefully in the area of business. Further down the road I hope to attend graduate school, either to get an MBA or study economics. Q: How, specifically, has NWC prepared you for your future?
A: I have learned how to work with people within a community. There have been so many opportunities to work, learn and serve with people. I have been given the knowledge and tools to integrate my faith into any career and every aspect of life. Q: Who is your most influential professor and why?
A: Dr. Jonathan Den Hartog. Through countless lectures and personal conversations he has patiently helped me understand the complexities of history. I greatly admire his passion for his work and his commitment to students. Q: What is something you’ll always remember about NWC?
A: I will be surprised if in the future I find myself in a place where I meet more enjoyable, passionate and godly people than I have at NWC. Q: How have you, as a person, seen yourself change over the years at NWC?
A: I have changed and grown in how I work with and relate to people because of the intimate community. My faith is what has most significantly changed and been strengthened. What I have learned about the depth of Scripture and Christ in all my courses and through my professors has eternal value. There is no question whether or not my faith is stronger after my years at Northwestern College. back to top
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