Senior Justin Woodside, who plans to attend law school after commencement, thought he would try something new and different — not as a career move, but definitely as an interesting summer job.
He and three other men (two of whom he has never met and the other a distant cousin) are heading to Dillingham, Alaska to deep-sea fish for a month and a half. He will be working 15-20 hour days and sleeping very little.
He’ll be making close to $10,000, which helps explain why Woodside is willing to take the plunge.
“It’s going to be kind of like boot camp,” he said. “I am excited for the adventure, to see something new and different than Southern California.”
Many students take their diplomas and head to the mission field, become business owners, pastor churches, or start families. But other soon-to-be graduates, like Woodside, have opted for another route — or maybe just a detour.
Nicole Santos, another senior, will carve her route through South Korea. This fall she will be moving to the coastal city of Busan to teach English classes at Dongnae Yonje SLP Institute. Alongside Korean nationals and other foreigners, she will teach children between 3 years old and sixth grade.
“God’s calling me to love him and other people,” said Santos. “I am trying to find a career where I can do that. I am really excited and somewhat nervous. I went to Thailand three years ago and taught English and really enjoyed it.”
Still unsure of what the future holds, Santos said she is utilizing this year abroad to seek God plan for her life.
“From there, who knows where God will lead me next,” she said.
Senior film major Dan Parris (read more about him in today’s Lens) is putting what he learned at Biola to practical use. With a crew intact and a goal in sight, he has plans to work on a feature-length documentary — he just needs to secure the funds to begin the project.
The documentary, called “Give a Damn?” will address the question of who is responsible to “fix” poverty, as well as the concept of living on a dollar a day.
Parris and a non-Christian friend of his are the characters road-tripping across the United States to ask average Americans and experts their opinions on the subject. Then they plan to travel through Africa to ask natives if they think it is America’s responsibility to fight poverty, and if so, how it can.
Though this is a hefty endeavor, Parris says Biola has the best Christian film program in the world, which he said taught him “every piece of filmmaking.”
“My knowledge has grown exponentially, ” he said.
With hopes of securing a co-production partnership, which would help fund the film, the cast and crew are planning to begin in July.
Some are not as adventurous in their destinations, but instead in their vocation. Senior nursing majors Haley Koning and Amy Buskirk are staying in the Orange County area to work in the medical field.
“Right now, I am so ready to graduate. The program here at Biola is five years, so I had to watch all of my friends graduate this past year while I had to continue with school, but I am really excited now,” Buskirk said. “I'm also nervous to start my new career, but I know that God will give me the comfort and strength to help me through it as well.”
She is continuing at UCI Medical Center, where she also completed her nursing internship. In the intensive care unit, she will be caring for newborn babies who are born prematurely or are very ill.
“I didn't think I wanted to go into the intensive care setting, but God changed my heart when I was with those babies, and I am super excited to start in July,” said Buskirk.
Koning is staying at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, where she will take care of children with blood disorders and cancer on the hematology/oncology floor.
“I'm really excited to put all of my knowledge from the past five years to work,” said Koning. “I can't wait to start blessing children's lives.”
