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Allison Schrag
Hometown: Newton, Kansas
Class of 2012
What’s your major? Why did you choose it?
I am a social work major. When I started Bethel, I knew I wanted to help people as a professional, but was not sure in what capacity. After taking some education classes, I knew that was not for me! So I took a social work class and loved the professors and the course material. Now I can't see myself doing anything else!
What brought you to Bethel?
I always knew about Bethel since I am from Newton. However, as a high school student, I refused to go to Bethel. It was too close to home. I visited the other Mennonite schools, and Bethel stood out. I loved the people I met and the atmosphere of the campus. Bethel also gave me great financial aid! I decided if I went, I could decide how close I wanted home to be. It turned out that I actually like being close to home.
What activities have you been involved in?
I was in women’s chorus my freshman year. I am an active member of the Social Work Organization, a cluster group, which is a religious small group, and am in International Student Club. My freshman year I went to Arizona on the service trip.
How are you different now from when you first arrived on campus?
I have a better idea of what I want to do with my life. I came to campus having only a vague idea of what I wanted to do. After taking a variety of classes–yay liberal arts curriculum–I had a better idea of what I wanted to do and what I could never do.
For what are you most proud of Bethel?
I am very proud of our emphasis on service. Every spring, classes are canceled for a day so that students will do service. Professors organize many opportunities to get involved. We also have a service corps, and Bethel staffs a week at the Homeless Shelter. As Dale Schrag would say, “Meaningful work done in community is the purest and most delightful form of play.”
How would you like to see Bethel change or improve in the next five years?
I hope that with more students come more programs. I would love to see the foreign language programs come back as soon as possible. Deutsche Weihnachten [German Christmas] is one of my favorite programs of the year. I hope it continues without the German major.
What has been your favorite course so far, and why?
My favorite course so far is also the hardest course I have taken so far at Bethel. Case Studies in Collective Violence with Penny Moon. While the content was exceptionally depressing–we studied war and genocide–the discussion was fascinating and I learned so much about unique aspects of history, and how to improve my writing.
Tell a quick story about a memorable moment from your Bethel days.
My freshman year we got a lot of rain. There were puddles everywhere! My two friends and I went out one night, and jumped in the puddles. It was really fun, and a wonderful study break!
What does it mean to be a Thresher?
A threshing stone was originally a piece of farm equipment used to separate the wheat from the chaff, or the good part of the wheat from the bad. As threshers we are taught to think critically, separating the good part of an argument from the bad. Our convocation, a mandatory lecture series, motto sums up how we think critically: Seldom affirm, never deny, always distinguish–St. Thomas Aquinas. We learn to think an argument through before we accept or reject it.