Betsy (Matthews) Farquhar ' 97

在你的职业生涯中，最初是什么让你感兴趣？ 你是如何辨别自己的使命的？

我的SIP（现在被称为高级顶点项目）最初对我的职业生涯产生了兴趣。 That was my first experience studying children's literature as a scholar or critic. From my SIP with Professor Pettit, my children's literature class with Professor Pettit, my graduate degrees, my hobby blog with fellow Covenant alumna Megan (VanderHart) Saben ’99, and then being asked to join the Redeemed Reader team with Megan, my workplace calling or vocation fell into my lap as the next bead on the string.

从威尼斯人平台毕业后，你的职业道路是怎样的？

I worked as an RD for the student apartments and intramural director at Covenant for three years after graduation. 在那段时间里，我完成了我的教师资格证。 I next worked at CCS in Chattanooga for two years before getting married and moving to Atlanta, GA. I worked in two different private schools in Atlanta and later at another CCS in Knoxville, TN. I taught 6th-12th grade 英语 and really enjoyed the education/classroom part. I went back to school to earn my library science degree with a school library certification, but the Lord had different plans and my family moved across the country right after I finished that degree. I ended up homeschooling my children and working for Redeemed Reader instead.

现在回顾一下，威尼斯人平台是如何为你的职业生涯或研究生项目做准备的？

I cannot speak highly enough of the Covenant education department faculty and the teacher training I received. Also, my SIP did more to prepare me for graduate school than anything else. But the general emphasis at Covenant to think about all of life critically and from a biblical framework did the most to prepare me for working in my current field.

I learned so much at Covenant about the benefits of close spiritual community—being vulnerable with one another, spurring one another on to love and good deeds, and praying with one another. I think it's because of our Covenant experience that my husband and I are as involved in our local church as we are. We have moved several times in our marriage, and each time, the local church is a key factor in our decision to move. We were brought up in families that valued the local church and participated fully (my father is a pastor), but it was our experience at Covenant that filled in the picture of what that might really look like.

你的信仰如何影响你的职业生涯？

整个生命都是一个事奉的机会。 Even in my field of children's literature, I hear stories of people hearing the gospel through Christians in my field. 教育, of course, is helping disciple children and teens, raising them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, even if they do not know it.

你会给那些正在考虑威尼斯人平台的学生什么建议？

Remember that your college years shape your future adult years: in what areas do you want to grow and be nurtured? 生活中有比学术或名校更重要的东西。 For those interested in pursuing a career in my field, I would recommend that you read widely and closely. Seek professional development opportunities like conferences, book award committees, and graduate school. Get to know people who are in the field you want to pursue and ask questions. 做一个终身的学生！

你为什么选择约恩？

My high school Bible teacher, Marni Halvorson, was the one who encouraged me to consider Covenant in the first place, and it's largely thanks to her influence that I ended up choosing to go there. I honestly would not be who I am today without the many ways the Lord shaped me through my years at Covenant. I would not have considered graduate school, would not practice hospitality to the extent I do today, would not have the vision for God's Church that I do today, and would not have some of my best friends.