The past two days I have had the opportunity to be apart of a small focus group, and a larger workplace meeting at the college for which I work.

Let’s face it: no institution is perfect, not even Christian ones, and some issues have left people disgruntled and unsettled. But despite the negativity of the focus groups, I walked out of those meetings feeling recharged and excited about the College and the work I do for it. One of the last questions that we were asked in the focus group was something like, “What gives you life working here?” You know, what makes you stay? What makes your work “worth it” despite the unsettlement you have about certain processes and practices?

That was so easy for me to answer, but first let me explain…

My students aren’t just any students. I work with adults who are looking to finish their bachelor’s degrees for various reasons. Some of the stories are encouraging, some are sad, all are meaningful. Adult students have so much to overcome, especially when compared to their 20 year old counterparts. They work, they are married, they have children, they pay the bills. Some didn’t finish their degree when they were younger because of bad decisions, some didn’t finish because of life tragedies, and some didn’t finish because of responsibilities like work and family that so many of us don’t know when we’re young.

In traditional settings, counselors work with students to convince them to come to this school. In my setting, other counselors and I convince potential students to come to school at all. In many cases, I am the only cheerleader in their lives. They have every reason not to come back to school, but I have to remind them all that can be achieved if they return to school. That means that I am working with them to pull together their credits from other institutions, ironing out some serious financial issues, and helping them persevere throughout the rigors of a quality, yet accelerated program.

It’s not easy, but adults are a demographic that needs degrees just like 18 year olds, and how many schools provide courses in a way that is accessible to busy, working adults (and I’m not talking about your general online school that has a dismally low retention rate and sky-high tuition)?

A year ago I attended the graduation for our students and was standing by when one student was “checking in”. He gave the lady in charge his name and I recognized it immediately. He was a student in our program before I started working, and had got stuck in the system regarding graduation requirements and transfer courses (I’ll spare you the sticky details). When he discovered that he couldn’t graduate, even though it was a few years late, he called the office and got stuck with me. I didn’t feel like I was doing anything above and beyond my responsibility, but along with the assistant dean, we fought for him. And after a few months of appeals, he was able to graduate.

When I introduced myself to him as he was standing there in his cap and gown, he looked me straight in the eye, smiled, and said, “Abby, I’m here because of you.”

I don’t do what I do because I want that kind of affirmation. Yea, it’s nice, but I rarely get it. So many of our students are disillusioned by higher education that they don’t realize that we are in fact their advocates. A lot of times, I’m just that annoying person who calls to see if they have filed their FAFSA yet.

But I’m helping students achieve their potential. I’m helping them reach a great goal that can open so many doors and opportunities for them to better their lives and the people they touch.

The focus group helped me once again realize that I am apart of something so much bigger than just myself and my goals and aspiration. The focus group helped me focus outside of myself and remember why I do what I do.

This college and this department has seen a need, and is filling it and I am so honored to be apart of it. The assistant Dean in my office refers to this as “our corner of the Kingdom”. You don’t have to be pastor or missionary to be working for the Kingdom of God. You certainly don’t have to be the provost, or a department chair, or have your PhD or your master’s, or even your bachelor’s degree to be apart of great things and work in the lives of other people.

The world is bigger than your title, it’s bigger than your degree, and it’s bigger than you. That humility—that responsibility—is life-giving.

Always keep that in focus.

So why do you do what you do? What is the life-giving characteristic of your job, whether it be an occupation or a hobby? What drives you to continue?

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