Savannah Baker is a sophomore English and business administration major at The University of Olivet. “I grew up in DeWitt with a big ‘ole family of 11 kiddos. I was homeschooled, and I knew about Olivet, but it wasn’t really on my radar until I had some friends go here. I loved the idea of a small school and the opportunity to develop positive relationships with my professors,” she said. “My now-husband, Bruce, graduated from Olivet in 2018 and started working for the school, so after we got married in 2019, it was a pretty obvious choice for me to attend Olivet!”
As a sophomore, Savannah is still exploring her options in her field of study. “I love the idea of working in communications for a social enterprise or nonprofit or even a ministry. I am not exactly sure what my future will look like as far as my career goes, but I am thankful for the exposure I have to different options right now.”
Savannah is also a member of Olivet’s cross country team. “Because I was homeschooled, I didn’t have the opportunity to participate in organized sports in high school, so I was super pumped about the idea of being on a team in college. It was pretty challenging to jump into running at the collegiate level, but it has really helped me grow as a person,” she said. “Additionally, it has been a great way of getting to know people on campus. I am a commuter, so I don’t have the benefit of dorm life. Being on a team has given me a group of people on campus that I have been able to be a part of.”
Savannah has also recently taken up a tutoring position for the College. “I love writing and helping people work through a paper is super rewarding,” she said. “The student-professor relationship is one of my favorite things at OC. Most of my classes are small enough that I have the opportunity to get to know my professors, and I love chatting with them after class. They are always willing and eager to work through questions I might have, and they genuinely care about their students.”
Savannah’s advice for high school students selecting a major is simple — relax and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. “Just pick something you are interested in and enjoy and see where it leads,” she said. “There are so many opportunities available once you get to college, and you will be exposed to so many new things, so don’t stress too much if you’re not sure the exact direction you want to go.”
The University of Olivet offers a personal, relationship-based education for students. “It has helped me become a leader and step out of my shell. I have been encouraged to try new things and reassured that it is okay to fail at some things,” she said. “We are all learning as we go, and this is a fantastic time to explore what is out there in the world.”
Learn more about The University of Olivet by contacting the Office of Admissions at 800-456-7189 or admissions@uolivet.edu.
This feature was written by senior Leah Miller, marketing and communications student intern. She is a writing and history double major and a music minor, a field commander of the Marching Comets and a member Alpha Lambda Epsilon Literary Society. After college, she aspires to use her writing to educate people about different cultures and work to normalize embracing differences, potentially in a field related to intercultural relations.
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