My family loves Biola. And when I say that, I mean it. Both my parents attended Biola, and it was at this university where they actually met, and got married! From the very beginning, Biola has served as a catalyst in my life, before I even started attending a couple months ago. I have four sisters - three older, and one younger - and so far, four out of five of us are committed Biolans. To give some brief context, my oldest sister attended Biola as a math major, and is now attending Talbot School of Theology for graduate school. My second oldest sister is finishing up her Communications degree, and my sister right above me is also finishing her Bible and Theology degree! As for me, I am just starting my Bachelor in Fine Arts in Studio Art. :+)

Biola has won my family over for many reasons, but I think the main one is the integration of faith. It’s interesting to see how all of my sisters and I have branched out into different sectors and are all exploring our own career paths, but the one common thread that strings us all together is our desire to grow closer to God. Biola is so beautiful in this way, because not only do they offer a wide variety of majors and options geared to what students are passionate about, but each one uniquely weaves in the Christian faith. So even though my sisters and I are all very different and have different goals in life, we are all happily receiving the same level of high education, and thoroughly enjoying it.

When I was a sophomore in high school - the year when every adult asks you if you know what college you want to go to - people would always say something along the lines of, “So you’re probably going to Biola too, huh.” There was this assumption that because most of my family attend(ed), I would too, which is partially true. Yes, I did choose to go, but I want it to be known that it was not out of familial pressure or expectation that drove me to commit to this wonderful university. I chose to be a part of the Biola community because I genuinely fell in love with the school, and I would have attended whether or not I had siblings or family members that had previously gone.

Something that I really appreciate about Biola, and is probably the reason why my family is so captivated and dedicated to this school, is that Biola University speaks for itself. What I mean is that I don’t have to pull at various strings to prove that Biola is a good school; I don’t have to make things up or brag about Biola in any way. Obviously Biola isn’t perfect, but the overall positive feedback from my family, myself, and many others serves as a testament to Biola’s desire to serve the Lord, and the students in the community. This tangible love and care is what has directed my family and I to Biola, and kept us rooted there.

:+)

Kristen