We’re proud of our students, and we’re proud of our graduates. The whole reason we are here is to equip students in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. We equip them with innovative thinking and time-tested wisdom, and send them out to join thousands of Crowell alumni who are making an impact at top corporations, accounting firms, startups and nonprofit organizations.

A business double-major (in Accounting and Business Administration-Analytics) and an intercollegiate swimmer, Kaylyn Schull (’20) is an alumna who has met the challenge of excelling in both academics and athletics. Here, she shares her experience as a Biola student.

What have you discovered about yourself in college?

Sometimes I feel I learned more about myself in college than about anything else. Being in situations you've never been in before, with so many different people, means you pretty much have to learn a lot about yourself. Biola encourages you to learn your strengths and weaknesses, and I've learned that I am quiet at first, but once I’m comfortable I enjoy being a leader and being very involved. Though I'm an introvert, I learned that people are so important and I love to spend quality time with my friends — but I can't forget to have ‘alone time’ too. I've learned I really don't like conflict, which makes it easy for me to get along and keep the peace, but it also has negative implications when I have to be assertive or stand up for things.

What passions do you hope to pursue after graduation?

After graduation, I’ll be working as an auditor for an accounting firm, but I've learned I have a lot of other passions besides accounting. I’m also majoring in business analytics; I really enjoy playing with data and making visualizations so the data stands out. Also, my last couple years on the swim team, I enjoyed investing in the lives of the younger girls. Once I find a church where I'm moving to, I want to get involved as a youth small group leader. I'm also working on my CPA certification; it’s much harder than I expected, but it's also fun to be challenged!

Being an athlete and a double major sounds like a challenge! How have you managed both?

Overall it’s been really good. I've learned that business and an athletic team are similar in lots of ways. We read a book called Management by Proverbs and did reflection papers, and in almost every paper I would write about my team; leadership, team-building, conflict, etc. At times, it was challenging to juggle school with the demands of athletics, but it was never overbearing. There were days, though, when I would go from practice to the Caf to class to studying to practice to the Caf to work … and at the end wondered how I was doing it all! It was completely through God's grace that I managed.

Why did you select Biola?

It’s in Southern California and I was able to swim! But really, I know that it was God that got me here. As a senior in high school, I was really unsure about going far from home. I’m from Colorado. But when I visited Biola, I felt so happy and at home. Walking around campus and being in the dorms, I just loved the atmosphere. So I took a leap of faith and committed to Biola instead of staying close to home, and it’s been the biggest blessing of my life!

Have you sensed God’s movement in your life during your time here?

I could probably write a whole book on how I've seen God move during my time at college. I've seen His faithfulness first hand. He has blessed me tremendously with amazing friends and so much joy during my time here. He has so kindly answered so many prayers. Sometimes when I'm talking about school, my mom will start to cry when she thinks about how good God has been and the ways she has seen me grow. As a freshman, I was shy, I didn't have confidence, I didn't know if I could be so far away from home. But God has shaped me into who He meant me to be. He made it more than okay that I was far from home; He let me thrive too!

What will you miss most about Biola?

It's hard to believe that I won't be back as a student. I'll miss Missions Conference, walking through campus between classes, studying outside Commons. I'll miss Caf breakfasts, Bible classes, and the way flowers are always blooming. And mostly I'll miss the community — students, professors, and staff — that I've been so blessed by these past four years.

Learn more about Crowell’s undergraduate programs on the school’s website.