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January 2011

Nicole Okerlund '09

Alumna Nicole Okerlund, class of 2009, has only been out of college for a short time, but her appreciation for her degree and experience from Geneva College grows with every passing month. “I was drawn to the friendly atmosphere, truly Christian environment, and small college feel and decided that it would be the best for me, and it was. I gained so much at Geneva.”

During her time spent at Geneva, Nicole was challenged academically in the biology program. She is currently pursuing her doctorate of physical therapy at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. As difficult as continuing education can be, she is grateful for her undergraduate degree from Geneva. “Besides teaching me the underlying principles, my biology professors really taught me practical application of the material instead of just memorization, which is such a critical part of grad school and particularly physical therapy.”

In addition to spending many hours studying textbooks, working on biology labs and writing reports, Nicole kept busy at Geneva by participating in track and field and cross country.  In 2009 she received the NCCAA Scholars in Education All-American award. “Along with hard work and discipline, I think I really learned the value of teamwork. We had a very competitive group of girls who wanted to run well and be the best, but we also truly cared about each other and wanted our teammates to be successful.” Her time spent with the cross country team was representative of her time at Geneva. With the support of coaches from the sidelines and her teammates running beside her, the team worked hard and pushed each other to be the best that they could be. 

The impact of Geneva runs deep and eternal, even as Nicole is rising to the academic challenge at UT Southwestern. “Every day at Geneva, I was reminded that there is a bigger purpose and a bigger plan, and our achievements, our education, and even our relationships are meaningless if they don′t bring glory to God.” She says, “My Christian education provided an excellent foundation of truth to build upon through grad school and beyond as I strive to make much of God.”

Nicole has yet to find an area of physical therapy she is not fond of, but when asked about her future and what she wants to do with her degrees, she said she always had a heart for kids and would love to work at a children′s hospital serving in an inpatient setting. Like many other Geneva alumni, Nicole appreciates her strong and rigorous Christ-centered education she received and can′t wait to see where God will take her and how He will use her for His glory to impact His kingdom. 

Nicole currently resides in Dallas, Texas and keeps in very close contact with her classmates and teammates from Geneva College.


Please help us pick the next Distinguished Service Alumni recipients by nominating a fellow classmate or alum. They will be recognized and awarded a plaque at Homecoming. For guidelines, past participants and a nomination form, click here.

2010_dsa_winners.jpg
2010 Distinguished Service Award Winners: (left to right)
Andrew Bernard '83, Larry Hardesty '90, Kenneth Smith '80 and on behalf of John Pinkerton '60, his brother Robert Pinkerton '70

 

 

  

From a recent grad 

"They taught me how to work hard and do my job to the best of my abilities."
Brandy (Chess) Brown, biology grad

Click here to read Brandy's profile.


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Mourning the losses of Mr. Lawrence Bruno and Ms. Doris NevinMr. Lawrence Bruno (1922-2010) and Ms. Doris Nevin (1922-2010)

Mourning the losses of Mr. Lawrence Bruno and Ms. Doris Nevin

 

Geneva softball gives back  Geneva softball gives back

The Golden Tornadoes′ softball team gave to families in need this year through the Angel Tree Program.

 

Geneva′s Got Talent  Geneva′s Got Talent

The Geneva College Student Union (GCSU) hosted the 2nd annual Geneva′s Got Talent competition this December.


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Geneva College
3200 College Ave.
Beaver Falls, PA 15010
www.geneva.edu
 
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December 2010

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Geneva College
3200 College Ave.
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www.geneva.edu