News - How to Thrive, Not Just Survive the Seminary Scene

How to Thrive, Not Just Survive the Seminary Scene

When Chris Albin ’14 finished his undergraduate studies in psychology and religion at Greenville University, he was thrilled to receive a substantial award to attend Dallas Theological Seminary. The program proved rigorous, though. He recalls feeling immediately grateful for the four years he’d spent building his academic chops at Greenville.

“The preparation I received at Greenville was indispensable to prepare me for seminary,” he says. “I learned how to research and learned the major issues in biblical and theological scholarship.”

Tips For Succeeding at the Next Level

How should a student prepare for graduate school? What makes the difference between surviving and thriving? Chris says students can proactively set the stage for success. He shares four specific bits of advice:

1. “Expect the work pace to accelerate,” he says. “Graduate school in any discipline is simply faster paced than undergraduate education.”
2. “Develop good research habits while in college.” He stresses that this includes learning to properly cite sources, a skill that turned out to be critical in seminary.
3. “Develop good work habits in college. Create a rhythm where you get everything done, and try to transition that into graduate school if possible.” Chris explains that graduate school takes a lot of self-discipline, and it’s much easier to develop that sooner rather than later.
4. Finally, Chris says, “I would advise students thinking about graduate school to make sure they are dedicated to their future ministry.” This doesn’t only apply to seminary students. Any job should be considered service to the Lord, so students should be mindful to choose a career path they can be passionate about and proud to serve.

Chris completed his studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in December 2017 and immediately began pursuing pastoral employment opportunities. He looks forward to a career in ministry.

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Foundational undergrad years at Greenville University make all the difference, but many students only achieve this with the help of scholarships fueled by The Greenville University Fund. Your gift today supports those scholarships. Thank you for giving.   

This story was published on February 27, 2018