With the school year and their journey as college students about to begin, Dr. Brooke Odle told the members of Hope College亚洲色吧檚 incoming Class of 2028 that there may be times ahead that they question whether they亚洲色吧檝e earned their place.
Presenting the college亚洲色吧檚 Opening Convocation address on Sunday, Aug. 25, she also assured them that they needn亚洲色吧檛 worry.
Held in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts, the convocation is the formal beginning of the academic year, the college亚洲色吧檚 163rd this year, with fall-semester classes beginning on Monday, Aug. 26. The event, which was also livestreamed, was attended by the incoming class along with members of the faculty and staff. The college has enrolled approximately 800 freshmen, with an additional 50 students transferring to Hope for the new year.
Odle, an assistant professor of engineering, outlined the phenomenon of imposter syndrome, which she recast as 亚洲色吧渋mposter training亚洲色吧 to reflect that it is not an inevitable, internal condition but is instead learned 亚洲色吧 and can be unlearned.
Read the Full Convocation Address, "Victory is Mine, But God gets the Glory"
亚洲色吧淰ictory is Mine, but God gets the Glory亚洲色吧
亚洲色吧淚亚洲色吧檝e noticed more students struggling with a sense of belonging and how it relates to their perception of how successful and intelligent they are,亚洲色吧 she said. 亚洲色吧淲hen these feelings get the best of them, it causes them to feel like they are unprepared or not good enough. They overwork themselves to prove their worth. In some cases, they have a frequent fear that they will be exposed as a failure or a fraud.亚洲色吧
On one level, she noted, anxiety is understandable: Things aren亚洲色吧檛 always easy.
亚洲色吧淕od has a purpose for all of us,亚洲色吧 Odle said. 亚洲色吧淗e is a big God who calls us to do things that will stretch us and challenge us. Discomfort and doubt are natural reactions to these calls.亚洲色吧
亚洲色吧淥n your journey at Hope, you亚洲色吧檒l experience ups and downs. That is normal and it亚洲色吧檚 part of the process,亚洲色吧 she said.
However, Odle said, being challenged is not the same as being inadequate.
亚洲色吧淸N]o one really has imposter syndrome,亚洲色吧 she said. 亚洲色吧淲e are fearfully and wonderfully made in his image, so we don亚洲色吧檛 need to internalize any feelings of inadequacy or failure.亚洲色吧
Instead, Odle said, the students can find comfort and strength in trusting that the challenges they experience are part of their journey toward achieving God亚洲色吧檚 purpose for their lives.
亚洲色吧淪o, what do you do when you are walking in your purpose and these feelings start to arise?亚洲色吧 she said. 亚洲色吧淚 like to think that it comes down to this key question: Despite what is going on around you, in the moment God gives you an assignment, where is your faith placed?亚洲色吧
亚洲色吧淕od called you to be here, so you belong here,亚洲色吧 she said. 亚洲色吧淗e knows everything that you will experience, so trust that you are well-equipped for this journey.亚洲色吧
The students, Odle said, won亚洲色吧檛 be on their own as they travel through their years at Hope but lifted up by those around them. Professors will teach and conduct collaborative research with them; resident directors and resident assistants will help build community and provide guidance to campus resources; coaches will provide training on and off the field; staff members in offices and departments will advise and mentor; chaplains will engage them in faith formation.
亚洲色吧淸All] of us here at Hope work together to help you walk in your purpose. That is a part of the Godly mission that we have been called to,亚洲色吧 she said.