“I came to Berea College to have my faith challenged,” says Rachel Morgan, ‘11. She acknowledges that over the last three years her beliefs have been further refined through interactions with people from all over the world who have made her look at life differently and question her assertions. Citing the Bible as her source of inspiration, Rachel hopes to one day follow the footsteps of those who are truly selfless in their love for others and their devotion to the well being of the society. A psychology major, Rachel coordinates students at Academic Services, represents Berea to alumni through the Berea Ambassadors program, and works for the Center for Excellence in Learning Through Service (CELTS) as a one-one child tutor.
She is one of the first individuals a new student comes in contact with as she runs Berea’s online Facebook network for each new class, and stays in touch with the incoming students from the day they are accepted to their first day at the college. “It’s always wonderful to look back at my own experiences and understand that each new student is essentially grappling with the same concerns and questions that I and my peers had few years back,” Rachel says. She can relate to the anxieties new students feel when they are about to make a journey to a completely new place with an entire new set of people. She thinks it is her responsibility to portray her love for the college and reassure students that they will meet caring mentors and fun-loving friends at Berea.
While at Berea, Rachel has had the opportunity to study abroad twice and explore European and South American cultures. In the summer of 2009, she travelled to Austria, Germany, Switzerland and other European countries and took courses through the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) program. She fondly remembers a time in Germany when she learned enough German to order food at a restaurant on her own. Rachel believes that these small incidents in unfamiliar situations make her a more confident person. She then travelled to Argentina during the short term of winter 2009 for a dance class and cherished the country’s traditions and values during her stay.
Upon graduation, Rachel will be pursuing her certification to teach English abroad. She hopes to be able to use the next few years to explore the world, meet others, and teach English to those who need it. Although it seems somewhat unconventional, she feels this is the perfect combination of her interests in teaching, traveling, and expanding her own skills and confidence.