For the Love of Lava – One Student’s Impact at Shepherds College

In the fall semester of 2022, first-year student Tori arrived on campus with a contagious spunk in her step. I knew right away that Tori was fearless and high-spirited. I was thrilled when she was added to my advising caseload shortly before the school year started!

I looked forward to getting to know this intelligent and empathetic student who found joy in being kind, always had a reason to smile, and had a deep love for silly science projects, just like I did.

As the first few weeks of school passed by, Tori and I were getting to know each other:

• We bonded over our excitement for everything related to Shepherds College®, including the colors orange and blue, along with Sherman the Soaring Eagle!
• We daydreamed about how we wished to meet all our favorite book characters and have hot chocolate with them in the middle of the most beautiful libraries.
• Then, we were bonding over homemade volcano reactions and baby chickens.

It was a student and advisor match made in heaven!

Tori impacted me in so many ways from the moment I met her, and she still does every day as a self-confident second-year student. But I will always remember the moment Tori inspired me to start the Shepherds College Science Club.

Starting the club with Tori as my student co-leader made perfect sense, and Tori was up for the challenge. We did our research on all the homemade volcano projects we could find. We learned about homemade lava lamps, the life cycles of butterflies and birds, and how brain freeze develops, and we went to work! The result was adored by an entire group of students who got creative every Monday for what became known as the Shepherds College Science Explorers Club.

The impact Science Explorers brought to our college community was extraordinary. We helped bring new life into God’s beautiful world with a rambunctious group of baby chicks and several butterflies. The joy that these creatures brought to all of campus was so impactful.

• Homesick students were finding comfort in cuddling our baby chicks.
• Students who were struggling to learn money skills were counting caterpillars.
• The students who were searching for activities away from cell phones and laptop screens were helping to make more lava lamps. They even volunteered to clean out the stinky baby chick brooder each day!

I will be forever thankful for my time with my fellow Science Explorers. The impact we all made on each other while learning something new was remarkable and filled with laughter.

The impact we all made on each other while learning something new was remarkable and filled with laughter.