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Karl Cassel

COMM 494 Dr. Chase

Vocational Principles Senior Essay

February 10, 2017

Push On, The Best Is Yet To Come

As I leave behind the immensely formative years titled college, I find it would be a

tragic waste to have left without learning a single thing. This is not the case, and even quite the

contrary. I have discovered some of lifes greatest lessons through my years in college;

experiences and lessons that I will never forget. The foundational idea of being a lifelong

learner is one that was instilled in me as a child by my grandfather, and has propelled me in life

and through college, while remaining a sturdy pillar for my future. Being a lifelong learner has

played itself during my time in college before Wheaton, at Wheaton, as well as in between

Wheaton. Each of these chapters of college contain valuable lessons learned that have shaped me

into the person God has called me to be, as I discern the things God has called me to do.

To begin, amidst the chaos that is choosing where to go to college, Wenham, MA, at

Gordon College seemed like the place to be. This is where my college career began, hopping out

of the van onto campus from two weeks in the woods at Gordons equivalent to the Passage

program. Studying biology to be an eye doctor, just like the host of my extended family, seemed

like a dream. Donald Miller, in his book, Searching For God Knows What, encapsulates my

freshman year aspirations with the image of a social ladder and its influence in my life. He

explains even though this idea of a social ladder sounds absurd, it felt true, as though there were

a spirit in the air directing our passions which relates to my interest in the prestigious realm of

medicine (98). Further, I felt it was incredibly important to climb this ladder, and the closer [I]
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got to the top, it was believed, the easier [I] could breathe, because at the top people loved [me]

and cared about [me] and gave [me] a little bit of the thing God used to give [me] (Miller, 98).

This notion of a social ladder carried over into many areas of my life at Gordon, creating

a desire to be known. This created a form of social pressure inside of me, creating longings to be

at the top. These longings lead me to things such as joining a volunteer group at the local

Alzheimers Ward, playing pickup soccer every Saturday, and becoming involved with as many

on campus events as possible.

Another area I felt pressure to climb the ladder in was my academics. As I pursued this

social ladder within my liberal arts education, I began to grasp the idea of what a liberal arts

education really is. In a paper for my introductory writing course I wrote that there is strength

behind a true community of scholars with a common mission, and a learning that is integrated

within the context of a Christian outlook on life and supported my goal of being the product

of a system that produce[d] a well-rounded student with a firm foundation in multiple aspects of

education (Ditmanson, 32). Within the liberal arts I entered various discourse communities such

as biology and chemistry in the sciences, western literature and English writing in the arts, and

Old and New Testament in biblical studies. The sciences put on display the vast complexities of

our world from a microscopic to a macroscopic level where as the arts displayed the immense

creativity and knowledge of learners gone by. However, when it came to my biblical studies of

the Old and New Testament, I found my notion of the social ladder challenged by the content at

hand.

Working through the journey of the Israelites and Gods continued faithfulness to them in

the Old Testament to the chaos in the early church of the New Testament, the idea of brokenness

and redemption came into play time and again. This idea of brokenness and redemption began
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creeping itself into other areas of my studies, one of which being the arts. In an essay for my

western literature course, I compare the idea of judgement in the stories of the Bible and Hesiod,

exposing the peoples brokenness and constant need of redemption. The difference found was

that Christians have hope in their brokenness. This hope being depicted by the greatest story of

redemption in the death of Gods son Jesus who bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that

we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1Peter

2:24).

This tangible realization of my brokenness in such a crucial time as the freshman year of

college began to manifest itself in me. This lesson I started learning came at a crucial time as I

was not making the grades I had thought, I was not having the influence on people I had thought,

and I was not the center of the stage. I came to the realization that I needed to lay down the social

ladder at the feet of the one who made me and had a plan for me as we are told in Proverbs 3:5-6.

This chapter of my life brought a sense of understanding to my brokenness, a sense of need for

Gods love above all other areas of approval, and a sense of peace for the future.

As Gordon College helped to lay a foundation to the idea of being a lifelong learner, and

as I began to discover a glimpse of Gods calling for my life, I felt direction away from Gordon

and transferred to Wheaton College, beginning the next chapter of my college career as a

sophomore in the fall of 2014. Perhaps one of the most beneficial decisions of my life thus far,

Wheaton College has guided me and shaped me in a host of ways, giving me perspective on my

life and the way it fits into the mission of Gods Kingdom. Pertaining to the first Senior Seminar

class objective, my education, specifically a liberal arts education, has proven to be a priceless

investment, as it encompasses a holistic approach to education, preparing me for service in many

areas of life. Not only have I gained a deeper understanding of marginalized communities and
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people groups, demonstrated in Sandra Harding & Julia T Woods Standpoint Theory, but that

understanding has brought about ways to reconcile with these people groups, fix systemic

problems, and learn how to adjust the present to create a more effective future. This

reconciliation is a crucial step in preparation for future Kingdom work outside of Wheaton.

Particularly in my study of communication, I have found immense benefit in being

equipped for future effectiveness. To start, I have learned aspects about myself and my

communication tendencies, habits, strengths, and weaknesses. An example of this was the

Partner Paper for my Interpersonal Communication course. After being tied to a classmate for

twelve hours, I had learned that I display strong extroverted tendencies, humans are communal

beings, however, we need time away from each other, in solitude to regain our thoughts, rest, and

reflect, and when we compromise those needs, there may be a bit of struggle, but also much

room for learning about yourself. I am reminded of James Smiths idea of how ones deepest

desires are manifest by their daily habits. This is so clearly represented in my passions and

studies, because for me, communication is a love of mine and therefore it directs and propels

[me], often under the radar of conscious awareness (Smith, 32).

Continuing, studying communication has taught me aspects, tendencies, and habits of

others, on an individual, group, and societal level. This is evidenced in learning from my

personally conducted case study in Group Dynamics, my partner paper in Interpersonal

Communication, research on power dynamics in Human Communication Research, and research

on the uses and effectiveness of social media in Sports Communication. Lastly, Communication

has taught me how to most effectively reach and influence others through examples such as the

speech to persuade in Oral Communication, my poster on the power of flirtation and sex appeal

in Persuasion, and ways to address and approach others in Conflict and Resolution.
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Moving on to the second Senior Seminar class objective, in studying communication, the

most important principle has been to center my vocational interests on God and the proclamation

of His name. Communication creates an immense avenue for this to happen, teaching individuals

how to craft and form lasting messages, helping individuals understand and address audiences of

all sizes, as well as instructing ways to support and back up ones claims and understandings.

The crafting of person centered messages ties in aspects of Communication Theory as well as

well as the knowledge gained in Interpersonal Communication. These skills were then manifest

in Oral Communication via the various required speeches and are priceless for future vocational

endeavors. When looking at ways to support and back up ones claims, thoughts, and ideas the

information gained in Human Communication Research can be applied to gather supporting data

and findings.

Shifting to the vocational side of this objective, Timothy Keller explains that work has

dignity because it is something that God does and because we do it in Gods place, as his

representatives (49). Therefore, when God is at the center of ones education and work, all areas

of their life are impacted. This is the heart of the integration of faith and learning. Not only do

these principles impact our immediate world and surroundings, but has the potential to impact

global communities and relationships for the Kingdom of God.

Lastly, in examining the final Senior Seminar class objective I have found that

communication, as a major, is one of unique vitality as it is implemented in all areas of life. This

can be seen through verbal and nonverbal interactions, the physical organizations of space and

settings, the numerous forms that messages take, and many other areas of life. In Nonverbal

Communication, self-presentation was found to be determinate of others perspective of yourself.

The results showed that no matter what outfits one wears, it is crucial to remember that, whether
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it is intended or not, there are messages being sent without a single word being said. This was

found through conducting research as a class and experiencing the full research process.

Similarly, various presentations in Oral Communication such as the speech to actuate and the

speech to convince formed verbal communication skills and organization that is crucial in life

after college and in the vocational sphere. C.S. Lewis explains the peace surrounding this idea of

discernment by saying the Christian life will include much leisure, many occupations we

naturally like. But these will be received from Gods hands which can be a tremendous sense of

peace in the daunting unknown of the future after Wheaton (189-190).

It is impossible to avoid communication in daily life; therefore, it is our responsibility as

Christians to communicate effectively, and to teach others the same. From inside the classroom

to outside, there is an immense need to enter dialogue with those that are different than us.

However, this dialogue needs to be handled in a responsible way, carefully crafted to enhance

understanding and humility. Therefore, implementation of competent communication skills is

vital to a positive and effective contribution to society as well as to Kingdom work.

Finally, transitioning from the chapter of my life at Wheaton, to life between Wheaton, I

want to highlight the foundational experiences I have had that so strongly contributed to my

Wheaton experience and vastly prepared me for life ahead. Running parallel to my studies at

Wheaton has been my involvement with the ministry of Young Life at Glenbard South High

school. This ministry seeks to reach high school students with the Gospel in approachable,

inclusive ways centered around relationships. Being able to use my knowledge in the field of

communication has proved to be a priceless tool and I have seen the results upon implementation

first hand. Perhaps the greatest of these tools is skill of active listening. Many of the students I
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have befriended were simply looking for someone to believe in them and care for them which

active listening is effective at communicating.

Another aspect of being a lifelong learner in between years at Wheaton includes the

opportunities I have had to travel and experience life outside of our culture. Upon completion of

my Junior year at Wheaton I had the opportunity to go live in rural Kenya with a friend I had

made at the Wheaton College Graduate School. Being able to live as a faithful communicator in

a culture vastly different than my own proved to be an immense period of growth. Experiencing

the way of life for many people around the world created a further change in my worldview and

the way I experience life. As my host described to me, A country is not made by its wealth and

possessions, but by its people, and their unique gifts and talents.

Having experienced life before Wheaton, at Wheaton, and between Wheaton, my

motivation to be a lifelong learner has only been strengthened. As a liberal arts education, has

shaped my view of learning, the possibilities for further future learning are endless. This passion

for learning that has been instilled in me during my college years excites me for the what is

ahead as I further discern Gods calling for my life.

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References:

Ditmanson, Harold H. Christian Faith and the Liberal Arts. Minneapolis: Augsburg Pub. House,

1960. Print.

Keller, Timothy, and Katherine Leary. Alsdorf. Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to

God's Work. New York: Dutton, 2012. Print.

Lewis, C. S. The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses. New York: Macmillan, 1949. Print.

Miller, Donald. Searching for God Knows What. Nashville: Nelson, 2004. Print.

Smith, James K. A. You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit. Grand Rapids, MI:

Brazos, a Division of Baker Group, 2016. Print.