Wartburg prepared me for the next step
NAME: Arda Delibas
CLASS YEAR: 2017
MAJOR: International relations and history
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT: Urban Servant Corps
WHY WAS WARTBURG WORTH IT: The liberal arts education was very helpful for me to understand all aspects of higher education, not only in my own field. The quality of professors was a big part of it; I feel so lucky that I had professors that actually cared about what I learned and how I applied it to my life. The amazing library was definitely worth it. Also, going to Wartburg West in Denver, Colo., has changed my perspective of the U.S. (from small city to a big city life) and made me a more independent and self-confident person, as they were part of my challenges while living in Denver.
WHAT DID YOU NEVER IMAGINE YOU WOULD DO BEFORE COMING TO WARTBURG: I never imagined I would write a 35-page professional statistical analysis paper in politics. I never imagined I would wake up at 5 a.m. to have one day off of classes to have fun that day (Outfly)! Also during the Wartburg West retreat, I climbed the highest 14er in the Rockies— Mount Elbert. I never thought I would do that before Wartburg.
HOW DID YOUR WARTBURG EXPERIENCE PREPARE YOU FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: It challenged me to broaden my perspective and apply the things I learned in school in real life. I feel much stronger and ready to move on to the next stage, and thanks to the education I got at Wartburg and Wartburg West, I feel really strong of the knowledge I learned in classes and from great professors and their teaching methods throughout my studies.
HOW ARE YOU LIVING OUT THE WARTBURG MISSION: I found out that leadership comes in many shapes, and everybody will find their style eventually, but serving others is its essential element. Serving others, challenging and believing in myself, trusting what I learned, and believing in God has become the source of my new path in the future. I am carrying on this mission that I learned during my Wartburg years.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS: Be involved! There are many things going on around campus that you can be a part of, but you need to be looking out for them: keep your eyes, brain, and heart open. Also, if you have a concern or you want something to change, take an action for it. It will help you grow in leadership and learn to defend your’s and others’ rights. Lastly, this one might be a little biased, but love thy librarians and they will love you back (yes, I did work in Vogel Library)!