Asmara Anyan

Anticipated graduation year: 2010

Major: English/Language Arts (with Secondary Education Certification)

Hometown: Baltmannsweiler, Germany

Whitworth activities/clubs: German live labs & tutoring, The Whitworthian

Favorite books: The Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey; Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë; The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis; The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls; Harry Potter, by J.K Rowling – yep, I'm a nerd.

Favorite quote: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 62: 5-6)

You'd be surprised to know that... I grew up in Germany, came to Spokane as a foreign exchange student at age 16, met the man of my dreams during that year and moved to the United States in 2006 to get married!

Favorite thing about Whitworth: I really enjoy the small class sizes and love how genuinely the professors care for their students. Coming from a German university where there were up to 300 students packed into a lecture hall, I find it very refreshing that the professors know me by name and actually take interest in how I am doing in their classes; it makes the learning experience at Whitworth so much more valuable. I also like that Whitworth offers a lot of different opportunities to travel abroad and explore other cultures.

Best class: The class that had the most impact on me was New Testament, with Roger Mohrlang. It was one of the first theology classes I took at Whitworth and provided me with a solid, foundational knowledge of the NT books that not only helped me understand the Bible better, but also challenged me in my spiritual walk. I can truly say that I have not been the same person since taking that class!

I like my major because... it has deepened my understanding of the English language beyond anything I could have imagined, it has helped me become a better and more thoughtful writer (all the Doug Sugano classes took care of that), and I have been exposed to a great variety of authors and genres. I also really like being part of the School of Education because I truly believe that the professors there provide us future teachers with the best and most practical preparation possible.

Why I chose to attend Whitworth: To be honest, that was quite a leap of faith. I got my A.A. transfer degree at Spokane Community College and was looking for a four-year university where I could finish my education. I never thought I would go to a private university, but once the possibility of Whitworth came up, I just knew that it was the right school for me...so without ever visiting the campus or applying to any other college, I sent in my application. I know now that God firmly directed my steps toward Whitworth even though my decision seemed pretty spontaneous at the time. I cannot imagine finding a more perfect university for me! Sometimes, you just have to listen to that little voice inside of you...

Advice for incoming students: Be prepared to work hard and to take responsibility for your learning! You will have the opportunity to take some great classes from even better professors, but in the end it is up to you to make the best out of the hours and hours you spend in the classroom and studying. You have the chance to learn invaluable things for life – don't miss it!

What I plan to do after graduation. My husband, John, and I would like to travel and do missionary work in Germany, China, Africa... wherever God leads us. I would really enjoy teaching English somewhere abroad. But like everything else, our plans for the future are completely in God's hands and could change any day!