There’s no place like home.
Growing up within five miles of campus, Kathryn Edmonds had never envisioned attending Geneva College due to the proximity to her own home. As the day grew closer for Kathryn to select the college she would attend, Geneva began to rise to the top of the list. And now, as a senior, Kathryn considers her time at Geneva to be irreplaceable and impactful. It turns out that “home” is exactly where Kathryn was supposed to be.
Kathryn has had the unique experience of living both on campus and off campus during her time as a student. During her freshman and sophomore years, Kathryn participated in the authentic college experience – living in a residence hall, sharing a bathroom, having a roommate and eating in Alex’s. The fellowship and friendships fostered during these years have lasted, even as some friends have graduated and moved on. Kathryn transitioned to being a commuter for the latter half of her tenure at Geneva. She says, “As a commuter, you have to put conscious effort toward getting involved.” Despite the change, Kathryn remains actively involved on campus through her classes and co-curricular activities.
During her time at Geneva, Kathryn was involved in a variety of activities. She participated in the Humanities trip to Ireland, Scotland and England, as well as the Bible trip to Israel. She also served in New Orleans on a spring break mission trip. Kathryn works as a phonation caller. She explains that “seeing a different side of Geneva and interacting with alumni and donors” has made her more appreciative of what alumni mean to an institution and looks forward to the day when she joins the Geneva College alumni family.
Kathryn experienced great personal change and growth during her time at Geneva as a result of the impact of members of the Geneva community and her willingness to concede control of her life to God. Kathryn greatly values the integration of Christian principles and perspective into her courses. In her studies as a human services major, psychology and history minor, Kathryn has appreciated the professors who embody and exemplify what she strives to be. With regard to human services, Kathryn says, “Faith is especially important – we work with people who are at their breaking point, people who are really struggling. Our faith is what we hold on to.”
As Kathryn enters her senior year, she is looking forward to the internships she will be completing for her major and to spend time outside of the classroom, applying what she has learned at Geneva. True to her kind and compassionate ways, she hopes to “help younger students who are just getting into the major and have questions about it – there are a lot of people who helped me”. Kathryn plans to stay in the area and look for work in the human services realm, particularly in mental health or criminal justice. She also plans to enroll in a graduate program to further her studies of counseling and psychology. The thought of graduation is exciting, but Kathryn is not ready for her time at Geneva to come to a close. She says, “My time at Geneva has been irreplaceable – they'll probably have to drag me off campus when I graduate.”
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