First impressions
Today is an Open House day which means that many prospective students and their parents are visiting campus. (I know this because there’s not a single available parking space!) Many high school students will leave today closer to a final decision as to whether they can picture Messiah College and Grantham, Pa., being their home for the next four years.
I remember rather well my first visit to Lock Haven University, my alma mater. It was a beautiful fall day, and I immediately fell in love with the quaint town and small campus nestled between mountains and the Susquehanna River. I told my mom on the drive home that I just had a “feeling” that Lock Haven was to be my home for the next four years. My visit to Lock Haven had felt different than other college visits, and I’m glad I followed my instincts (which, I suspect, was really God’s leading) and chose Lock Haven. I had a tremendous college experience.
I hope many students and parents had a positive experience at Messiah today. I know my first impressions of Messiah’s campus went something like this: “Wow. Gorgeous.” I suspect if I had seen Messiah as a high school senior, I would have longed to come here. I would have pictured myself studying (and napping) along the banks of the Yellow Breeches, exploring the fitness trail, taking English classes in Boyer, and drinking coffee with friends in Larsen. I would have been excited about an on-campus movie theater, museum, and art gallery. I would have anticipated internship experiences in the capital city and relished the thought of studying abroad. And, I would have loved how the steeple on Hostetter Chapel is visible for miles around, signaling that Messiah College is a bright beacon.