September 2010

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A Freshmen’s First Month

It is now more than a month into school and I was curious how the new Graphic Design majors were adjusting to life at Belhaven….. so I asked one of them and this is what they wrote………

First Month at Belhaven

What am I supposed to say? It’s been lonely, frustrating, boring, fun, stressful, challenging, intriguing… you could probably pick any word and I could say I have felt it in the last month. Maybe that’s just me being  my emotional self, but I’m a girl, give me a break. I’m sure boys have probably felt it at least once too, they just don’t tell anyone. It was exciting at first being on my own, but also saddening knowing I won’t see my family and close friends for a long time. Then almost immediately I got pushed into the adventure of meeting new person after new person after new person, and then trying to find at least a familiar face in the cafeteria, then classes start, and I started to see the same people repeatedly throughout the day. I started creating a habit, a routine of some sort to try and feel at home. 1st full week of classes hits. It’s not the easiest since I haven’t seen my best friend in 3 weeks or my family in 2, haven’t had a hug in 2 weeks and my 18th birthday is in the next few days and I’ve never had a birthday away from home. I spent the whole week dreading the thought of my 18th birthday (which is supposed to a big deal, right?) being so different and wanting to be somewhere where somebody actually knows me. Surprisingly the girls in my hall took me in and got some people together to do something for my birthday. I was shocked at how kind and much like home they made it feel. Each week had it’s stresses of papers, assignments, quizzes and challenges from the world view curriculum which wasn’t at all what I expected. It’s not that it’s harder or easier than I thought, just different. After freaking out about how to study, some upperclassmen told me I didn’t really need to read the book “just take good notes in class and study those”– a concept I had never even thought about. I had always thought you had to read the book. Apparently in college for certain classes we do not have do this. I signed up for almost every activity that came my way, trying to get involved and make some friends and find the place I belonged, then by the 4th week I figured out I had signed up for too much and had to quit several activities. Trying to find a church in state that’s not your home is a whole other challenge in itself but add no car, and it makes it even more challenging. First church I visited was WAY too “southern” for my tastes, second church felt like I was in a some monk school, third church had the right type of worship but some differences I was not used to since I am from a non denominational background. Needless to say, I am still looking around to see what church God wants me to attend. Hopefully you have had better luck than I. Being pushed outside of my box, stretched to where I didn’t think I could wake up the next morning, doubting my ability to perform the task given to me– that’s how God has been challenging me. But I can already feel myself growing and in spite of the challenges that come with the first month of college, I know this is going to be a great year, and I’m looking forward to impact I can help make on this campus.

Well how about the rest of you Belhaven Freshmen/Transfers  what has your first month been like? Are you going to make an impact this year?

Why I Chose Graphic Design

So  after asking a freshmen about why she chose Belhaven, and reading her response I was naturally curious to know more, like how she decided upon Graphic Design as a major, here was her response……..

Why I Chose Graphic Design

I have been surrounded with art my whole life. My sister is a photography major and my oldest brother started out in graphic design but now does more of the business side than creative. I grew up in a home that had a love for art. When I was little I used to sit for hours and hours and watch my big sister work on her college art projects. I just loved watching how she created the beautiful picture and wanted to learn how I could do it too. I took art classes in elementary and junior high school and loved being able to create pictures with pencil, oil pastels, paint, or create a vase with broken pieces of glass. Once I got to high school I took digital photography, drawing, web design, and interior design and loved it all. I knew graphic design was what I wanted to do when I looked at all the classes required for the major and couldn’t wait to take all of them and learn all that I could. The beauty of art has always attracted me and I have always loved being able to create it myself. Sometimes I kind of struggle with the whole inspiration or “what do I draw” thoughts, but with graphic design there is more of a need where a client needs a logo, or a web page, or play bill to be designed. There is already the need and I am here to fulfill that need with my creative ideas and it has more of a purpose than to just make somebody feel something. It is to catch the viewers’ eye and intrigue them to come to your event or buy your product. I love being able to help people. Knowing that I can both create art and help someone with graphic design is just the perfect fit for me.

So why did you choose to be a Graphic Designer?  (Or be a Graphic Design Major?)

How I Came to Belhaven

I recently asked one of our Freshmen Graphic Design majors about her journey to Belhaven.  So her is her story…….

How I Came to Belhaven

The first time I heard about Belhaven, I was definitely not interested at all. I think the only reason was just because my mom had suggested it and I just didn’t want my mom to be right. She kept telling me “you need to check Belhaven out. I heard it’s a really good school. You might like it.” but I just kept saying “No, I don’t want to go to some school in Mississippi just because you have heard ‘good things’ about it.” But I finally succumbed to her suggestions and looked it up on-line. I was looking for a Christian school that offered a graphic des ign major and had a dance department- Belhaven had both of these. So, we decided to visit and after talking to several instructors I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the arts program and loved the fact that it was a good Christian environment. After going to a public high school, I knew I really wanted to attend a University where I would be encouraged in my walk with Christ and not torn down.

During the months that followed my visit, I continued to look at other schools. I wanted to make sure that I chose the right school. As word went around that I was interested in Belhaven, I found out my ballet instructor graduated from Belhaven with a dance major, and I later found out on my theater design teacher, Clint Bowman also attended Belhaven for a few semesters. They all had very positive things to say and further affirmed my thoughts of attending Belhaven. I had visited only one other college in, Indiana, and still I felt like Belhaven was the best place for me. The only thing holding me back was that I wasn’t sure about student and dorm life, but after staying in the dorms when I came a second time for dance auditions, I felt a lot better about being able to fit in with the students.

Belhaven had the right programs for me and I received a big enough scholarship that my parents and I felt like we would be able to afford sending me here. Although I was not accepted into the dance department to do a minor in dance, I was told I could still take a few classes as electives. Which was what I really wanted to do in the first place, since I would only really like to use my skill in dance to teach kids. Last year I assisted teaching for a class of little girls ages 6-8 and absolutely loved it. I know I could never dance professionally but with my love of kids and dance combined, I feel God wants me to teach. I am really glad I decided to come here and I’m really looking forward to learning as much as I can for as long as I stay here.

What is your story? How did you decide to come to Belhaven? Leave a comment and tell us.

Does owning Apple products make you a better Christian?

Well, it’s Thursday, and I thought everyone might enjoy some levity, and when I came across this post I thought it was worth sharing…..

Owning Apple Products makes me a better Christian.

Defining Belhaven University – “Purposeful Stewardship”


In June, I was locked in a conference room for two days with our Administrative Team, the Directors of Admission and Integrated Marketing, and some incredibly gifted marketing consultants.

Our time together was for one simple task – to articulate exactly what Belhaven University does that distinguishes us from all other colleges and universities.

You’d think that assignment would be easy – but it wasn’t. And fortunately, we had Liza Looser and the Cirlot Agency, one of the country’s top marketing firms, leading us through this analysis – a gift of their time given to Belhaven, worth far more than we could ever afford, had we hired their council like other clients for this analysis.

We were charged with distilling everything special about Belhaven into one or two words. If you had only one or two words to describe everything that is unique about us – what would you say?

I’ve suggested to the campus that “Christ focused” would be those two words, and while true, we were quickly convinced in our session that those words didn’t articulate what made us different from every other evangelical school.

Well, it may not be the perfect answer, but to summarize the nature of what distinguishes Belhaven University from all the other 4,168 schools in America we chose the words: “purposeful stewardship.”

Not too catchy for a billboard is it? Yea, we didn’t think so either, but it’s the truth, and we’ll find some good ways to explain it.

It comes down to this idea – we have a drive and culture ingrained in Belhaven that seeks to get the best out of everything that God has given to us. We are purposefully good stewards of whatever the Lord entrusts to us.

If we take all the complexities and distinctives of this University, and distill them into this core idea of “purposeful stewardship,” everything we do boils down into three critical stewardship callings given to us by God:

1. Purposeful stewardship of teaching an unchanging biblical worldview

2. Purposeful stewardship of valuing every student.

3. Purposeful stewardship of honoring God-given opportunities.

_______________________________________________________________________
Dr. Roger Parrott
President, Belhaven University
1500 Peachtree Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
(601) 968-5919 voice — 352-1911 fax

Blog:  http://blogs.belhaven.edu/president/
Home page:  http://www.belhaven.edu/

Belhaven University – Our Standard is Christ
Be strong and courageous! … The Lord your God will go ahead of you.
Deuteronomy 31:6 …. Belhaven University 2010-11 Verse of the Year

Stay tuned for the President’s Guest Post

We are excited to once again have Belhaven University’s President guest blog for us.  He was our first guest blogger and if you missed it you should read it here.  Now he has agreed again to write a post for us outlining some of the process that has happened over the summer as Belhaven University moves forward under it’s new name, and works to redevelop and establish itself and our brand under this new name.  So tune in tomorrow for Dr. Parrott‘s guest blog.