Inspire, Summer 2009

CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY 21 i requires highly valuing the cultural context from which it comes. I can’t disregard culture and be a good Christian. During my years as a student and later as a college professor, I’ve witnessed the role of higher education in helping students value culture. As they become skilled at a craft, they have the opportunity to learn alongside people from diverse backgrounds who have different perspectives and experiences. I must admit that I’m somewhat envious of university students today whose education includes access to the world in more ways than mine did. As society becomes increasingly diverse, a higher education infused with cultural awareness teaches students to live within this ever-changing context. Whether it’s meeting new people, facing unique challenges, or finding themselves in uncomfortable situations, our students will have to adapt to a wide variety of circumstances. Given this context, they must learn to deal with diversity and change. They simply don’t have a choice. Receiving such a culturally aware education from a biblically centered institution like Cedarville exponentially increases the number of venues for good work and sharing the Gospel. Students are not only prepared to succeed in their lives and careers, but they also learn to see diversity from God’s perspective — as an intentional design for redemption. He intended to make people different and to call every people group into His Kingdom. Christ’s blood was shed so that all people could come together and worship Him as Savior. From this kind of college experience, students are better equipped to influence the world. The skills they gain at Cedarville will help them build relationships and present the Gospel through the way they live, work, and communicate. What l Say Not only did my Cedarville experience teach me to value culture, but it also prepared me to interact and converse with people — skills I continue to put into practice in my everyday life. As a professor at a public university, I may not be able to use the Bible as the core textbook for education courses, but I can be a phenomenal teacher and conduct skillful research with integrity. In doing so, my students and colleagues will listen when I talk about issues of morality and justice. As I have the opportunity to converse with them, I find that everyone has a story. In fact, multiple volumes of their stories, filled with tragedies and triumphs, are deeply embedded in their souls, ready to be shared. It was through real-life, honest conversations at Cedarville — about topics ranging from why using my shampoo would not grow an Afro to why many black conservative evangelicals often vote Democratic — that I developed authentic relationships with a variety of people. The fact that most of the students around me were white and came from similar backgrounds still guaranteed vast diversity, since even homogenous groups house individuals who are worlds apart. Yet, we came together at the place of common human need. We understood that receiving an education consistent with biblical truth meant that, regardless of our chosen disciplines, our ultimate goal was for people to see Jesus’ love and power in our lives and turn to Him. As I interacted with my peers and professors in an academic environment, I also found myself in spiritual exchanges that helped me understand how my unique gifts and cultural context fit into the body of Christ. Over the years, I’ve learned that the definitions of “unity” and “diversity” come together perfectly in the word “university,” even though I realize these words aren’t actually connected. Diversity can include variations of background, environment, thought, and situation. But even though students may come from different places and perspectives, they can still be unified around a common goal. At Cedarville, that goal is to magnify Christ. Whether or not people realize it, diversity affects and benefits everyone. Experiencing this at a university like Cedarville — that rises to the challenge of bringing all kinds of people together to uphold the same truth — is a blessed advantage. I am excited about the progress Cedarville has made in this area. As for me, I’m making progress, too … and I’m still learning. Dr. Kezia (McNeal) Curry ’92 has taught at the K–12, undergraduate, and graduate levels, most recently at Georgia State University. After graduating from Cedarville with a degree in elementary education, she earned an M.Ed. from Mercer University in 1996 and a Ph.D. in educational studies from Emory University in 2004. She recently founded Global Kaleidoscope, an educational consulting company. As a Cedarville trustee, she has partnered with the University in developing Kingdom-focused diversity initiatives. She and her husband, Randy, live in Hawaii. You may contact her at globalkscope@gmail.com . “Students are not only prepared to succeed in their lives and careers, but they also learn to see diversity from God’s perspective — as an intentional design for redemption.”