A Letter from a UNW Mom

Four lessons I learned and four gratitude’s for the process of my daughters attending the University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW).

It’s hard to believe that I am almost fully on the other side of having children enrolled in higher education. My mind can easily recall all that went into those days as my girls were trying to figure out what they wanted to do after high school. The questions we had and the opportunities that were presented to them seemed endless. At times the feelings were almost too overwhelming. That said, as I look back, there are a few lessons I learned and things I am so thankful for during and since that process that I would like to share with you today.

Lesson One: Private Christian education is an option for everyone.

A bit of background that may be helpful. I am stay at home mom and my husband is an elementary school teacher. Our girls knew early on that there was no college fund. They would each need to figure out a way to pay for their college education. That fact alone made me not even want to consider a private school…that is until a friend encouraged me to have them apply. Her experience was that often private schools have more scholarships and are willing to work with students to make college more affordable and this was exactly our experience. Full disclosure, our girls were good students so there was money that was given right off the top for their grades, but they were also able to apply for scholarships and programs (where they met the criteria) and before we knew it, the tuition was to a point where both girls felt like it was actually more affordable than a public college. If I didn’t live it, I wouldn’t have believed it. Start early. Take advantage of the resources UNW has and you will be pleasantly surprised at how affordable a private Christian education can be.

Lesson Two: Allow your children to explore the options you think are out of their reach.

They and God just might surprise you. Our first daughter has/had always wanted to attend UNW. Ever since she learned as a young child that KTIS had a college associated with it, that was her dream. As stated before, I never thought it was an option, but she was determined. I was blown away by the doors that were open to her. She was a young woman, going into engineering and I think everyone, yes everyone, told her she should pursue going to a public college. The main reason being she more than likely could have gotten a full ride, but she persistent. She knew herself and knew she wanted a smaller school where there were smaller class sizes and she would be able to know her professors. Being on this side of it, I cannot imagine another school that could have prepared her better for the industry she is in.

Lesson Three: A post-secondary education experience can look differently for each student and that is okay.

Our first daughter lived on campus her first year. She had a wonderful experience with two roommates that she is friends with to this day, but being an engineering student, for her, she found the distractions and opportunities of on campus life to be a little too much for her liking, so she commuted the last 3 years. With commuters making up about 40% of the student body at UNW, her transition to commuting was a smooth one. It was also another way for her to cut some of her tuition costs. It went so well with her, our second daughter didn’t even live on campus. She got connected to commuter life and found community. She was highly involved with our local church and had some opportunities open up so commuting allowed her to be involved with both experiences. A unique experience, not better or worse, just different. And different is not bad. I love that both girls felt part of the community at UNW regardless of whether they lived on campus or not.

Lesson Four: You get out of it what you put into it.

A life lesson really, but so much truer for higher education. I can sit here and tell you all the things that my girls got out of UNW and the reality is, you get out of things what you put into them, so my girls had to put in the work. The more opportunities you try, the higher the chance is you find your thing and your people. The more time and effort you put into your studies and your field of interest, the more you will be prepared for your job. You get out of it what you put into it.

Gratitude One: Opportunities for my girls to use their gifts and talents.

While one daughter was interested in engineering, the other in education, they both had a passion for music. They joined the Worship Arts Collective and despite their four-and-a-half-year age gap, were able to be on a band together for a few years. They both thrived in that environment and were allowed to connect with others who shared their love of music as well as learn to worship and share their faith in new and unexpected ways. UNW has so many clubs and departments for students to get connected to use their gifts and talents to honor God. In the end, isn’t that what we as parents hope and pray for? Our kids to grow in their own faith and serve using their gifts and talents?

Gratitude Two: Learning from an institution with a Christian world view.

While no school is perfect, having my girls attend a school that encompassed everything in a Christian worldview gave me a sense of peace I didn’t know I needed. Knowing my girls were taught some tough topics, but all within the perspective of how Jesus would view things was something, if not the main thing, we would tell others we were so thankful for. Our world has a lot going on and there are views and issues that need to be talked about and addressed. When that is done in the confines of a Christian world view, your student’s faith can come out stronger on the other side.

Gratitude Three: Godly professors who were not only wise but were kind and were experts in their prospective fields.

When your newly graduated engineering daughter brings her textbook the second week on her new job, you know she was taught well by someone who knew what it took to be successful in her industry. Not only the practical parts but also the personal parts. The professors our girls had the privilege to learn from genuinely cared about them as people, children of God and as future colleagues in their prospective industries.

Gratitude Four: UNW’s love for family.

I love how UNW feels like a family from the moment you step on campus. Northwestern welcomes families to be a healthy part of their students life. Homecoming weekend, winter family day, and grandparents day are all opportunities for families to get involved. I felt like they understood that while yes, your child is now an adult and finding their own way, there is a place for us to enter and share in special events that are now influencing our children. That was a gift.

There are many more lessons and gratitude’s I could share but these are the ones that came to mind most readily today. I pray that as you enter this next season with your student, you can see the possibility and the opportunities that await your student at UNW. I cannot express how grateful I am that my girls attended and are attending UNW. As a parent, I want nothing more than for my children to have a faith of their own and that they would find the ways in which God has gifted them and use them to serve Him. I can say without a doubt that UNW has helped both of my girls become more of who the Lord wants them to be and I am forever grateful!