Where does a Providence degree take you? What kind of person does Providence produce? What do sea beggars take on after they graduate? Since these are questions that everyone from donors to parents to students asks, we thought we would update you on our graduates.

Providence’s mission is to equip students to be “fully engaged in their church, their community and the world for the glory of God.” This includes both the notable and the ordinary. Our graduates teach English abroad, pursue master’s degrees, raise families, teach high school students, and serve on their church’s library committee. God is delighted by faithful living.

A scan through the four graduating classes shows some common callings. Providence continues to be good preparation for its graduates who enter seminary. Brandon Addison graduated from Westminster Seminary with a Masters of Divinity in May, the first Providence graduate to complete a master’s degree. He now works at Cornerstone Community Church in Artesia and is interning at Blackboard Connect, a computer software company. Six Providence graduates are currently pursuing seminary degrees.

Annika Hargreaves ‘10 is pursuing a masters degree in social work at Loyola University in Chicago. Caryn Vandenberg ‘09 will begin medical school at Wayne State University this fall. Brian VandenHeuvel is near completion of a Master of Business Administration at Colorado Christian University.

Graduates from the last three years–Andrew Fisher, Jaclyn (Garcia) Lensch, and Ben Lensch–are all working for Chess4Life, an after-school program in Seattle, Washington. Chess4Life teaches “life skills” to students through the game of chess.

Providence has also produced teachers at different levels. Jamie (Garcia) Tyler ‘12 teaches preschool at Calvin Christian School in Escondido. Jeni Ellis ‘11 taught at Pai Tuk Christian School in Chicago last year and will be marrying James Roosma ‘11  in August. Lorah Gleason ‘11 teaches high school at Excelsior School in Pasadena. Kim Postma ’11 will be teaching in South Korea this fall.

Other graduates have settled into jobs across the country. Julia Vander Pol ‘09 (pictured below) is the children’s ministry coordinator at Redeemer Fellowship in Kansas City, MO. Aaron Hodson ‘09 and his wife April have three children. He works at Hastings Ford car dealership in Greenville, North Carolina.

Julia-VP1