CollegePlus! Students in the Real World

CP! Grads By Melody Dornink
CollegePlus! students are exceeding all societal expectations when it comes to forms of higher education, but what do these students look like in real life? Are they speed-reading bookworms who spend all their waking moments holed up in dark libraries, studying for CLEP tests and memorizing the periodic table of elements?

On the contrary, CollegePlus! students are extremely active in the “real world.” The success stories are plentiful as a generation of ambitious young people refuse to conform to a culture of low expectations and mediocre dreams. Among the standouts are Marcie Little, Camon Davison, and Natalie Raynes, three CollegePlus! students who are succeeding in the real world.

Marcie Little: A Communicator for Christ

CP! Grads Marcie Little has earned 93 credits since enrolling in CollegePlus! in April 2008. The 21-year-old admits to not knowing all the reasons why God has led her to major in communications, but a brief look at her resume might provide a clue.

She attended a public speaking and critical thinking conference when she was 16 and competed in a high school speech and debate league for three years. During that time, she also attended many Communicators for Christ (CFC) conferences. Marcie then interned with CFC, traveling the country with 12 other teens, putting on conferences similar to the one she attended as a 16-year-old.

Public Speaking

“I’m now working for the organization, helping to put together conferences for future intern teams to run. It’s been awesome to have the flexibility to do that job while I complete my degree!” she said. Now Marcie has a desire to teach public speaking herself. “I feel like there’s such a need for Christian young people to learn how to communicate the Truth with sincerity, authenticity, and grace,” she said.

On a Mission

Mission work also interests Marcie, and she has already used her speaking abilities overseas. She went to Ukraine with her church for a summer missions trip, and because of her talents in communication, “I had a lot of opportunities to speak to different audiences we had, and it was amazing. The Lord has continually brought opportunities like that into my path,” Marcie said, which has been confirmation that she is on the right track.

“I’m learning that as I continue in the activities and opportunities God places in my path, God will continue to establish my thoughts, thereby leading in the path He has for me. It is indeed a journey of faith, as I often cannot see where the path is going, but it is an increasingly exciting path as my faith is strengthened by seeing God’s faithfulness at work in my life to guide and direct.”

Camon Davison: In the Media

CP! Grads Nineteen-year-old Camon Davison is a current CollegePlus! student with about 50 credits completed of a communications degree. He has aspirations of working with a national television news network someday. However, unlike most “normal” college students, he is actively pursuing that dream while fulfilling his education requirements.

“I’ve always been interested in filmmaking,” Camon said, and has been creating and editing his own movies for years. At one point, he and a friend had a budget of $5,000 and made a 15-minute Western movie, “Just for the fun of it.” His interests have since paid off.

He began working at a local television station as a 17-year-old, freshly graduated from high school. He started out as a cameraman, and quickly worked his way up the ranks until he was director. Camon excelled as a result of his longtime love of filmmaking, and the many hours he had invested over the years in research and hands-on learning.

Working Man

A year and a half later, he was offered a job with The Christian Satellite International, a radio station. “When I landed my current job, I was truly in awe of how God worked it to His glory and made all the pieces come together at just the right time,” Camon said.

He currently works as a production assistant and DJ, but admits that “I like TV more than I like radio. But, for now, I know this is where God wants me.” He realizes the benefit of having as much experience as he's had at a young age, and sees these years as a time of preparation and maturing.

Dream Job

His dream still rests with television, though not in front of the camera. “The technical aspect of broadcasting is more appealing to me,” Camon said.

Until then, he is working full-time, pursuing his college degree, and still finds a little time to do the things he loves. “As I continue to pursue my goals and career, I know that God will always be watching and guiding me to further His kingdom.”

Natalie Raynes: Music and Ministry

CP! Grads Natalie Raynes, a 20-year-old South Carolina native, was born and raised in ministry life. Her grandfather was her pastor, and her father was the administrator of her Christian school.

Natalie said, “I grew up surrounded by ministry opportunities. I was exposed to the realities of the joys of serving Jesus and it cemented my desire to serve Him myself.”

She recently graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Communications, via CollegePlus!, after just 23 months. Between taking CLEP tests and earning credits from a community college, Natalie also found time to tutor students, teach piano lessons, and remain active in her church’s music ministry and special program coordination opportunities.

The Student Teaches

Since graduating in July, Natalie was offered a job at a private Christian school where she now teaches choir and speech, and acts as the school’s fine arts coordinator.

In her spare time, she is developing a congregational hymn manual for church pianists, which will help musicians build improvisation skills, ear training, sight reading, and other important elements of church music. She is also working on a sacred hymn arrangement book.

“God has given me [musical] talent, and I desire to use it for Him,” Natalie said.

In His Will

Between her education job at Mountain View Christian Academy, teaching over 25 piano students weekly, and her own musical pursuits, Natalie knows she is where God wants her.

“I absolutely love going to work every day! I realize I am literally doing what my Creator intended for me to do. I am living my destiny. God’s leading has been so obvious in my life in the past and present, and I can wholly trust Him for my future.”

Here They Are!

Marcie Little, Camon Davison, and Natalie Raynes are all using CollegePlus! as a springboard into successful futures, and their diligence extends beyond just college studies. As they actively pursue God’s leading in their lives, doors are opening for them to have a big impact on the people around them.

Marcie sums up her experiences with Proverbs 16:3, “Commit they works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Each of these students are living testimonies to the faithfulness of God in the lives of those who are willing to reject the standards of the world, and instead follow the path He has marked out for them.

you can Melody is a CollegePlus! English major and lives with her family in Minnesota. She is working on a Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate, hopes to travel overseas soon, and helps in construction and remodeling with her father.