I visited MC in the fall of 2008 (yes, that long ago), on a long road trip from Tennessee to Mississippi to Virginia, stopping at colleges all along the way. I

came under the guise of visiting a close friend, and my plan was to major in Music Education. I had a general life course mapped out, until I stepped onto campus. As many of us feel, this was the place. It would be my home for the next 4-ish years. Over the course of 36 hours, my major changed to 

Katie Rose, Newsletter Editor

Biblical Studies, and my view of "my plan" versus God's plan was radically altered by that short visit.

That view has continued to shift like the seasons of Mississippi--quickly, unpredictably, uncontrollably. My journey at MC has taken many twists and turns over the last 5 years. Freshman year I fought for identity--only to learn the summer after that it wasn't a fight, but a surrender. Sophomore year I kicked and screamed for purpose--feeling a strong calling back to the country I had spent my summer in, yet wanting to find that purpose fully in the present. The outlet provided was an invitation: an email from Dr. Steve Price, the Director of the MC Writing Center, to join the staff of the Writing Center. I had long-since wondered if writing was a part of my purpose, and I startled at the suggestion of a writing minor.

"TESOL is more practical for a life overseas," I murmured to my best friend over lunch in the Caf midway through the fall semester.

"Stop acting like you don't know what God wants you to do," she snapped back. "Just be a writing minor!"

Junior year I lived in Jennings--stepping into that role as a writer and tutor tentatively. I tutored both on our schedule and off, meeting regularly with my Writing Center students outside of our scheduled time. I spent more time doing and less time being with people. So God cut that year in half. He fulfilled a promise by taking me back to South Asia over Christmas break, and settled me back at home for all of 2012 with an undiagnosed illness and an inexplicable purpose, at first.

Slowly, the purpose manifested itself in the midst of a million shattered plans. These glass shards scattered around me cut deep, but the healing would be deeper. The rest received that year revived my spirit to behold the God who intricately plans our days and orders our steps. He knows me so well that He even used the Writing Center to bring me back. I spent MC's Fall Break with a friend, and when Dr. Price learned of me being with her that weekend, he recommended that I help her write her ENG 398 paper. And he signed off his email with, "We know she will be back next semester."

Well, there was an announcement I had not planned. But God stirred it into reality that weekend, and, 3 months later, I was back at MC, tutoring some, but mostly learning how to BE with people and love those around me.

And the Writing Center has become a place to do just that: to sit with students, to help them, and to build relationships with them. MC has given me an education that will propel me into the future, but the Writing Center has given me an experience that will enable me to thrive wherever that future takes me. I am so thankful to be a part of this community, and I hope to never lose touch with a single one of you! Much love to you all, especially my fellow tutors/receptionists who are moving on to bigger & brighter things:

Student Teaching in the Spring:

Ashley Bullard

Christine Okeke

Eliza Sebren

Kate Simpson

Transferring:

Kasey Kurpakus

Graduating:

Kim Dingess

Hannah Fields

Xiaofan Lei

Myself