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When I was six years old, I joined a jump rope team. Yes, you read that correctly — a jump rope team! For those living in the Huntington area, you might remember the Hopping Hoosiers performing at basketball half-time shows, festivals, and parades. We also competed at a local, regional, and national level. I was a part of that team all through high school. It was a way for me to participate in something fun and to feel like I was part of something bigger. It took the entire team to put on a great show, and I learned a great deal about myself during that time.

Can I tell you the honest truth? Writing about the “chases truth” Forester trait is tricky, more difficult (for me at least) than many of the other Forester traits. I’ve been writing about the Spirit of a Forester for years, yet right now I’m carefully considering every word I write. And I think that’s a good thing. I wouldn’t want to handle the truth lightly.

Creativity is a part of the Forester identity. So where does that leave people who don’t consider themselves creative?

If you have the traits of a good journalist, I invite you to come and major in journalism at Huntington University. We’ll give you the same training and education we gave Shelly Bradbury, one of our journalism graduates. When in our department, she wrote and edited stories for our campus newspaper — just as students are doing even now online (take a look). After a year of Bradbury’s first stint as a newspaper reporter, she emailed us to say that her “editors seem to agree that writing is one of my strengths, and I've got to guess that's in part because of the classes…where we scrutinized each and every word.” (We make our students true wordsmiths!)

Foresters defy complacency by understanding themselves and seeking opportunities to grow that fit who they are. They can defy complacency in whatever they do — in English essays, lab experiments, and even in softball games — without being perfect at everything. Instead, they cultivate a sense of self-awareness and meaningful growth.

Huntington University’s mission is to honor Christ in scholarship and service. If you earn your bachelor’s degree in social work, you will be completing that mission by advocating for hurting people with compassion and love. Here are the top ten reasons why you should earn your Bachelor of Social Work degree at HU.

Growing up in Ohio, I witnessed firsthand what is arguably the most significant source of Buckeye pride: the Ohio State University vs. University of Michigan football game. Public schools and church youth groups heralded the annual event with “wear your team colors” spirit days. Officially, it didn’t matter which team you represented, but the outnumbered Michigan fans took plenty of good-natured teasing.

I am learning to be curious. Curiosity begins by asking questions. It creates in our minds an opportunity to look for an answer. It opens up creativity, discovery, and contemplation. As the coach, I don’t have to have all the answers. I help the coachee explore other ideas by asking questions, and it allows the coachee to respond where there is no wrong answer because it is their answer.

I wouldn’t be able to describe Mrs. Lamont’s face to a sketch artist, yet her attitude toward learning made a lasting impression on me. When I think of “remaining curious,” I think of Mrs. Lamont. She is the first adult I can remember who liked learning things just for the sake of learning them — and she would tell you so.

When I think about the word grit, I think about sand. Not the sparkling tropical beach variety. I picture the lake in the middle of Indiana kind of sand — mostly small rocks that aren’t quite smooth mixed with dirt and clay. Commonplace, and probably not pristine. If you walk through gritty sand like this, you’ll feel it dig into your flip-flops and come away with dusty traces on your feet.