Oh, to be seen — really seen. Our students really need to be seen, known and encouraged. Maybe you do too. Not just looked at but seen.
When people feel unhappy and isolated, they tend to either shut down socially or lash out. If pain is not healthfully transformed inside us, it gets transmitted outside us. Suspicion and meanness rise. But this mess can be redeemed, at least here, in our community. I increasingly see Olivet as an antidote. We are in the perfect position for our time!
When we slow down long enough to look into another’s eyes and listen, we’re showing love with intention. And when a Christian community loves like that, others also feel loved and seen by God.
In Genesis 16, Hagar (the servant girl to Sarai, Abram’s wife) was a distressed single mother and Egyptian slave who had been kicked out of the home. The Bible says that an angel of the Lord found Hagar in the desert, where she had run away from Sarai.
“Then the angel of the Lord told her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’ The angel added, ‘I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.’ … She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me’” (Genesis 16:9, 13).
The God who saw her is still the God who sees us. In fact, He never stopped. The effect upon us is, we begin to see others as being seen and valued by God. This means student need is never an interruption to our work but is our work!
Before the first chapel of the fall semester, student ministry leaders prayed over every seat in Centennial Chapel (even those in the balcony which are reserved for employees and campus visitors). We have fabulous custodians who pooled their money and bought two weeks’ worth of groceries for a student worker who wasn’t able to afford lunch. The head of the Department of Art and Digital Media walks around with business cards that say “I believe in you” to lift the spirits of those who need encouragement.
There are countless other stories of ways that our faculty, staff and students engage with each other. It is incredibly common for faculty to open their homes to students for a weekly meal; for resident directors to treat a resident to coffee; for our administrative staff to bring in baked goods to share with colleagues and students; and for mentors to show up to athletic contests, theatre productions and musical performances to support their mentees. The actions of our community at large facilitate an environment that spurs on more good works through kindness, empathy and love.
To honor those who do this, and inspire others to try, I recently made this the theme of the annual President’s Dinner and commissioned Olivet employees to Pass the Pin: Those who model it well for us were given a lapel pin reading “El Roi,” which means “the God who sees me.” We asked them to wear it for a week and scan for other faculty and staff doing this well, then pass the pin. Rinse and repeat! In just the first two months, about 25 people were pinned.
Concluding, I spent a little time with someone from South Africa who speaks Zulu. She taught me their most common greeting is Sawubona, which means “I see you.” Implied in that phrase is “I’m pausing to acknowledge you”; “I value you”; “You are worth an interruption to my day.” That’s much better than our “Hey, what’s up?”
Seeing each other, really pausing to acknowledge the value of another, makes Olivet’s work not a burden but a blessing. In this, we partner with God to transform mundane moments into something that approaches the miraculous. Some of those testimonies are to follow.
Scott Dombrowski (given by Jon Seals)
“Professor Dombrowski is always the first to sign up to meet with prospective students and their families when they visit ONU. He takes great care to learn about their stories and to share information about the art department. Over the years, I’ve noticed that he creates mini paper booklets and leaves them around the building. These booklets, written and illustrated by professor Dombrowski, are called zines. This year’s themed zine is titled ‘Seen/Scene Community: Be a Face in the Crowd.’ It’s filled with powerful and inspiring quotes, one of which is ‘Lean into the things that you can share to make the community stronger and more whole. Be the beginning of a conversation that changes culture.’”
Kathy Heck (given by Dave Horton)
“In the first week of the semester, Kathy stood in the hall of second-floor Weber Center with the listing of all the classes and where they are located. She assisted a multitude of students in finding the location of their class. She even assisted a professor who was in the incorrect room and couldn’t figure out why his students weren’t there! Sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference. She removed anxiety for the students just by being there. She truly saw them.”
Bruce Heyen (given by Tina Bruner)
“Bruce regularly has students in his office where he gives one-on-one help. He is ALWAYS available to students. He brings in baked items for his students and often he and his wife host students in their home. You can tell he truly loves his students.”
Kimberly Strickland (given by Beth Conway)
“I watched Kimberly work with students who had to submit FASFA paperwork in order to receive their appropriate aid. Despite this repetitive task, she handled every one with grace and dignity! She took an incredibly uncomfortable situation and treated it with a positive perspective. I saw the relief on students’ faces after hearing her calm, reassuring words of encouragement. She rocks! Thank you, Kimberly, for your servant’s heart!”
Josh Riley (given by Scott Dombrowski)
“Josh Riley, in my experience, is always passionate about bringing the best experience to faculty and students. Working with the AI Task Force, he is consistent in bringing in student voices to the discussion. In particular, with his work in General Studies, he has deepened the program to make it more meaningful for students. We worked together with a student that was blending his artistic vision with marketing, and Josh was always excited, pushing for depth while showing his passion for the process, giving students more than they bargained for.”
Abby Bennett (given by Lynn Nogoda)
“Four years ago, I met Abby when she was a student living in McClain Hall, which is a building that I service. Every morning, no matter how early, she always addressed everyone with a ‘good morning’ and smile. Now that she has graduated and works full time at Shine.FM, her pleasant personality is still shining in person and on the radio. Abby has a true heart for God and still texts me Bible verses. I consider her a true woman of God and a great friend. We are blessed to have her on staff at Olivet.”
Matt Adamson (given by Jeanette Martinson)
“Dr. Adamson clearly loved his job as an officer of the law, but he has truly found himself in his job at Olivet, where he can pass his wealth of knowledge on to students. Matt’s office has a revolving door of students wanting or needing to talk to him, just checking in or just needing to hear his infectious laugh. Matt is NEVER too busy for his students. He knows EVERYONE! And he connects people well. He SEES his colleagues, his church family, his students, his friends and his beautiful family as individuals. He sees them, knows them and loves them.”
Heather Hathaway (given by Laura Knol)
“Heather is friendly and kind. Her depth of knowledge when it comes to financial aid and Olivet in general is remarkable. She is friendly to every student or parent who comes to her cashier’s window — always wearing a smile. She takes time to answer every question. She knows how to help each student, and she gets to know many of them by name. I am proud to work with Heather, and she is a shining example to us all.”
Justin Seiberlich (given by Tom Edwards)
“Justin has gone above and beyond to support a number of my students about whom I have been concerned. He takes on heavy cases, is always communicative and responsive, and has a servant’s heart not only to support students in their times of greatest need but to do so while looking to partner with faculty and help carry and lighten some of those related challenges. He really sees students, and it’s a pleasure to work with him!”
Amanda Hogan (given by Josh Riley)
“Amanda assisted me in finding some additional resources for a Reading Strategies course that I am developing. One of the assessments I would like to offer for students is a quick dyslexia check and was unsure how to investigate whether such a resource exists. Amanda is in charge of accessibility resources in the Center for Academic Excellence, and I thought she would be the perfect person to ask. She was not aware of something at the time and decided to look into the issue all of her own accord. I was touched and inspired by her diligence and curiosity to find new ways to assist students.”
Mark Bishop (given by Zachary Tamez)
“While I was in Ludwig grabbing breakfast on the second day of school, I saw prof. Bishop having breakfast with a student. Come to find out, the student’s dad passed away right before move-ins, and Mark wanted to connect to create a line of communication and communicate support. I find it amazing that Mark already knew about one of his student’s struggles so early on in the year! And on top of that, he acted on it right away. That goes to show how much he desires to see his students! Keep up the great work, prof. Bishop!”
Beth Conway (given by Teresa Mathews)
“Beth loves others so beautifully and sacrificially. She embodies the spirit of this pin! I have observed many occasions when Beth has gone out of her way to pick up students at the airport, pray for students, build relationships that are meaningful and walk alongside students from the Pacific Rim. She loves, prays and cares for her residents. She models the love of Christ in tangible ways. It is a privilege to work alongside Beth. She is humble and gracious and is someone who sees others and puts them first.”
From Olivet The Magazine, The God Who Sees Us – Winter 2025. Read the full issue here.
