Loving and Learning at Central College

Do you ever feel like you take your days for granted? I must admit, after four years on a small college campus in Pella, Iowa, I catch myself falling into that rhythm quite a bit.

It can be easy to tune out the things around you, whether it’s people coming and going from the residence halls or just passing by on their way to class. Our default can be to put headphones in and ignore the chirping of the birds or clawing of squirrels on trees. But after realizing that my time as a student at Central College is quickly coming to a close, I’ve learned to appreciate the little moments in my day a bit more.

When my time at Central is up, I will have spent around 640 days in a classroom. That amount of time spent must have accounted for something, and it doesn’t even consider the number of weekends spent on choir tours, mission trips or late-night hangouts. But when I look back at all those days spent, I realize there are two words that can easily define my Central experience: Loving and learning.

I have had to learn a lot over the course of these four years, and not just in the classroom. I’ve had to learn how to be part of a team, both in rehearsal and as a part of student leadership. I’ve had to learn to forgive when someone I live with is having a rough day. I’ve even had to learn how to keep showing up when life gets hard, especially away from home.

But through the challenges and opportunities we all may face over the course of this transformative period, we get to experience a love like no other.

I’ve gotten to see the love a professor has for their craft. To see my teammates and peers find their passion and to watch that passion grow. I’ve also had a front row seat to my peers learning about themselves and love the things they’re learning. I have met and gotten to love new people every year as I’ve learned their story. Most importantly, I have learned to love all the versions of myself throughout my time here.

So, while my days at Central look relatively the same on a small scale, I can see how each day has its little moments of love and learning. I hope that when you look back on your Central experience — or if you ever get to relive a day at Central — you will see how these days became a beautiful story by the time you crossed the Commencement stage and learn to appreciate the little things just a bit more.

I know I have, and for that, I’m forever grateful (and Forever Dutch^®, of course).

May Your Glory Never Die,
Cassie Elliott ’26