Please give a current update on yourself (college/graduation year, major, grad school, work/career, family, other interests, service or hobbies).

I graduated college in 2022 with a civil engineering degree and currently work as a civil engineer here in San Antonio. I got married to fellow Geneva graduate Carol Metzger in 2022 and we have a baby girl due at the beginning of June.

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing now?

Other than general schooling I think that Geneva prepared me to speak/present ideas to clients clearly.

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

Christ is king. Also discipline. I had some great coaches who held me to high standards.

I graduated from Geneva in 2014, then attended Sewanee: the University of the South in Tennessee. I graduated in 2018 with a B.A. in Philosophy. Currently, I’m 28 and living in San Antonio where I teach Honors Latin at a Title 1 Classical Charter School. BUT, God knows I was never bound for a ‘normal trajectory’ (thank you to all faculty and staff for your patience). The quick list of work that I’ve done between 2018 and now is as follows: barista, carpenter and theater tech, front of house and storyteller at a museum, journal clerk for the State of Texas House of Representatives and artist/project manager for Variance Biophilic Design Company.
As mentioned, I now teach Latin, but I also run our school’s Student Council and serve as the Department Chair for our Language Department. I am a member of the Vestry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and School in San Antonio and next fall, I will begin a part-time graduate program in Psychology with the University of Glasgow. I’ll still be in San Antonio and plan to continuing teaching as well.

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing now?
Of the many gifts given to us by our education at Geneva, there is one that I think about all the time. Our teachers and school leaders set an incredibly faithful and loving expectation of how adults should treat children, specifically teenagers. We were given autonomy with a high expectation of behavior and performance, but were held to that standard with love and patience. We were expected to be respectful while being shown respect in return. You would be amazed at how many people who serve in education and mean well, but think that teenagers are either meant to be broken and controlled or just left to do whatever they please. The way we were raised at Geneva was the product of hard-working adults doing the tedious daily work of tending both to our adolescent hearts and minds without spoiling us or giving us platitudes. This built within us an internal model of respect and love for both ourselves and anyone else we meet in life. I am currently friends with and work with many Geneva graduates. All of us share this quality. We also view politely debating each other simply as a form of communication

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?
Stop skipping classes, tuck your shirt in, quit rolling your skirt, wear your blazer when you’re supposed to, and take your airpods out! Give yourself the gift of being present with your own mind and the people around you, and give your community the gift of looking presentable and respecting their time. Private school isn’t magic and no one is entitled to success. You are currently enrolled in an intellectual playground designed to make you the best version of yourself, but only if you’re willing to do the work!

Describe Geneva in one word.
“Ludus, -ī” is the Latin word for playground, classroom, and gladiatorial training camp!

Please share one or two of your Geneva extracurricular activities and then contrast that with one or two of your current non-work activities.
Back in my day, we could do it all. Just like everyone else in those first four graduating classes, I played just about every sport offered. I also did theater, choir, speech and debate and newspaper (before it was Magazine). And I still do most of that now. I play sand volleyball with a local recreation league, I’m obsessed with film photography, and when I’m not inventing weird Latin projects for my students, I’m inventing weird projects for myself at my house. For example, I got really interested in “kennings” and the runes of Elder Futhark. I discovered the Old English word “banhus” is a kenning that means ‘Bone-House’ which they would use to mean ‘body’. Well, masking tape makes the perfect negative reveal of rune lines when you paint over them in spray paint, so I bought a bunch of old shirts from Goodwill and made a mini line of ‘BanHus’ shirts with spray paint and tape in my backyard. The rector of my church liked them, so now I’m making more of the same style with our church name for our parishioners.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?
One of my favorite quotes is from George Bernard Shaw who said, “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.” That is my only goal, career or otherwise. I am humbled by the love and education I received so early in life, and it is through those two things and the Grace of God that I could ever be prepared for that calling.

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned/are learning about yourself and God’s world?
I could write an entire book on the impact that occurs while educating kids. I won’t do that here, but just know that it is exhausting, way harder than you can imagine and fundamentally life changing. Only do it if you’re ready to die unto yourself and release any concept of ego. Currently, I’m learning and relearning what it looks like to actually live with a consistent group of people and loving your neighbor as yourself. It turns out that God doesn’t care who your neighbor is, and He also doesn’t care if you don’t like them. You are expected to love them. This involves a lot of being awkward, saying the wrong thing and showing up at the next function anyway. It also involves watching other people be awkward or say something that makes you angry and then making sure they too show up for the next function anyway.

After graduating from Geneva in 2018, I attended Texas A&M University and bagged groceries, coached football, and studied Finance and Management through Mays Business School. A few weeks after graduation, I married the love of my life, Mary Elizabeth Winston (2016 graduate), and moved to Dallas where I work for Stream Realty Partners as an Associate on our tenant representation team. We bought our first house in May and have been members at Northway Church for the last two years.

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing now?

Geneva fostered my passion for people. Some of my greatest education and training came after class or outside of the classroom, building lifelong relationships with my teachers and peers. My days now revolve around meeting new people and problem solving. The foundation Geneva laid gives me the tools to communicate clearly and effectively and connect deeply with others. Geneva also taught me how to think critically and ask better questions.

My freshman year, I knocked on doors up and down Main Street trying to sell yearbook ads. Little did I know this was preparing me for cold calls eight years later.

I found myself dressed as an elf for a networking event a few weeks ago. Though the main motivation might have been the cash prize at the door, it brought me back to my house induction days.

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

The value of excellence. Though I often heard Mr. Shelton say, “Thanks for doing the minimum,” I learned very early on in college and in work that the “minimum” at Geneva is not the norm elsewhere. As believers, we do things with excellence to make God’s name great and to further His kingdom because we fundamentally understand whose we are, what we are apart from Him, and to whom we ultimately answer (see Colossians 3:23-34). It’s tempting to take the easy way out or cut corners, but from the classroom to the boardwalk, to the field or court, Geneva preaches excellence, in a place and time where most others place no such value.

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?

What you put in, is what you get out. Rhetoric School students have the opportunity for immense exposure to a vast number of experiences. I received advice my freshman year to be “All in, with no regrets.” This means making the most of your time by getting to know your teachers and your peers’ parents, playing multiple sports, and participating in Fine Arts. What a shame it would be to sit on the sidelines and miss out on what Geneva has to offer.

Bonus: That cute girl you sit next to in class may end up being your wife!

Describe Geneva in one word.

Rare. There aren’t too many places like those old portables off Cascade Caverns Rd. The further I’m removed from my time at Geneva, the clearer I see just how rare my time (our time) and experience was. A place where the community – parents, teachers, and coaches alike, have your best interests in mind and are invested and committed to helping you flourish; not by the world’s definition, but raised “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Is it perfect all the time? Of course not, and that should not be a surprise.

Please share one or two of your Geneva extracurricular activities and then contrast that with one or two of your current non-work activities.

I spent many mornings at Hill Country Daily Bread and learned about stewardship, the importance of serving others and giving back to the community by way of time and resources. A handful of college friends and I started a group about a year ago revolving around same principles where we volunteer at a food bank on Wednesday mornings and give to different organizations in Dallas.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?

I don’t know what’s yet to come and am not too good at answering this question as I’m supposed to be in the NFL with a restaurant according to my Logic School self. What I do know is that my time and my career is fleeting. I am reminded of the hymn: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

I am certain that Christ has a continued plan and path for my life. I hope to abide in Him, cling to Him, and rely on Him one step at a time, one day at a time. As an employee, I aim to exemplify Christ in my work and with those I encounter as I strive to know Christ deeper and to make His name known. I believe the Lord has us in Dallas for a reason as He continues to bless our time here.

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned/are learning about yourself and God’s world?

Work has taught me relentless dissatisfaction. The idea and commitment to constantly be dissatisfied with the status quo and always seeking to improve. Churchill said it best, “To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.” What a horrible way to live and subscribe to this as simple minded, anxiously awaiting and wondering if we’re good enough, ready enough, equipped enough to answer the bell. Rather, step forward and press on in a confidence only found and rooted in Christ and His sacrifice, knowing full well of His intentions to use us to further His kingdom.

I graduated this spring from Texas A&M University’s Professional Program of Accounting, which enabled me to earn both a B.S. and an M.S. in Accounting within four years. After graduation, I moved to Fort Worth and married my high school sweetheart, Chaz Garcia! I am currently working as a tax associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a public accounting firm. In addition to my work responsibilities, I am studying to earn my CPA license. I successfully passed three of the four exams before graduating, and I’m currently studying for the final one.

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing now?
When I started my job, I joined during the busy season and had to hit the ground running to catch up with everyone else. The hours were long and intense, making it challenging to manage my life outside of work. However, I quickly adjusted to my new schedule and thrived during the busy season, thanks to the time management skills I developed at Geneva. While I might not be trying to juggle going to cheer practice, studying for a history exam, writing a paper and meeting a yearbook deadline anymore, I continue to rely on those time management skills every day to complete my work while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

Geneva fostered a love of learning in me, for which I will always be grateful. My field is one that constantly evolves, and many of my professors emphasized that success in the accounting world requires continuous learning. At Geneva, we are encouraged to be lifelong learners, and I have seen firsthand how this value can drive career growth, personal development, creativity, and the ability to adapt to any circumstance.

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?

Embrace the opportunities! Geneva is unique in offering students the chance to participate in several extracurricular activities, unlike most high schools where students typically only get to join one or two. At Geneva, you don’t have to choose between being on the football team, participating in drama, joining yearbook, working in student government or competing in speech and debate. The opportunity to broaden your interests through many extracurriculars is something every student is encouraged to do and should take advantage of.

Describe Geneva in one word. Explain.

Supportive. Every teacher, coach and faculty member is dedicated to helping each student succeed in living a life filled with God’s love. Students receive encouragement at every stage as they learn God’s plan for their lives and develop both academically and socially.

Please share one or two of your Geneva extracurricular activities and then contrast that with one or two of your current non-work activities.

At Geneva, I signed up for every possible club and extracurricular my schedule could handle. To this day, I keep myself busy with many different hobbies, and I love discovering new outlets for my passions.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?

I chose to pursue a career with a Big 4 firm to gain valuable experience in the accounting world. I may continue in public accounting or leverage the knowledge and skills I gain in my current role to explore other opportunities in the business world. We’ll see what God has in store for me!

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned/are learning about yourself and God’s world?

I’ve gained valuable insights into seeking God’s presence in areas where religion is often not openly discussed. Unlike my experiences in high school and college, where I was surrounded by other Christians, professional relationships tend to avoid conversations about faith. I’ve learned to embrace my Christian worldview, finding ways to connect with God in all aspects of my career, while also learning to love and pray for my colleagues who hold different beliefs

After graduating from Geneva in 2018, I attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a B.S. in Advertising and a Bachelor of Journalism in 2022. As part of a creative tract within the Moody College of Communication, I was a member of Texas Creative, which is a series of rigorous creative campaign-building courses that train portfolio students to become art directors and copywriters. The summer after I graduated from college, I packed up my bags and moved to Boone, North Carolina to work for Samaritan’s Purse. When my time at Samaritan’s Purse ended at the beginning of 2023, I moved back to Boerne and began working as a full-time graphic designer for Daor Design, a small branding management team for small businesses. Through it all, I have seen God’s hand directing my life and gifting me with unforgettable people and experiences.

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing now?

I have to give a big shout-out to art and magazine for fueling my creativity and kicking off my journey to becoming a graphic designer. Geneva gave me the unique opportunity to participate in many extracurricular activities. From swimming to magazine, soccer to art, I was able to pursue numerous interests and learn new skills. I believe these diverse opportunities offered at Geneva taught me flexibility and adaptability. Working at a small business requires everyone on the team to wear multiple hats. It’s about teamwork, trying new things, and being able to switch gears quickly to accomplish your goals. Learning to juggle many different commitments at a young age taught me perseverance and grit, no matter the challenge.

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

Being a servant leader. Servant leaders, although incredibly rare, are magnetic. They listen to understand, encourage to inspire great work, and tell the truth to demonstrate love. Although still imperfect, servant leaders have a deep desire for those around them to do and be better. I am fortunate to have many servant leader examples in my life and it has become one of the traits I value most in others and aspire to accomplish for myself.

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?

Elisabeth Elliot said, “When you don’t know what to do next, just do the thing in front of you.” Inspired by this quote, Allie Beth Stuckey, a pod-caster I listen to, says, “Do the next right thing in faith, with excellence and for the glory of God.” It can feel like immense pressure when you don’t know what elective you’ll be in, what AP classes to take, what college you will go to, what career path you’ll take, who you will marry, etc. I don’t want to belittle the choices you will have to make, but I hope to encourage you when I say all you can really do is what is in front of you to the best of your ability. During your time at Geneva, read the book, study for the test, encourage your friends, learn from your teachers, respect your parents, and trust that God’s plans are greater than your own.

Describe Geneva in one word. Explain.

Counter-cultural. You can’t truly appreciate how counter-cultural having a biblical worldview is until you’ve experienced the world outside of Boerne. At Geneva, we were fortunate to learn the biblical values of truth, beauty, love, joy, kindness, and more, which usually contradict the world’s values. Eventually, you have to make a personal choice to accept biblical truths and live counter-culturally. Don’t just go with the crowd for the sake of fitting in. As C.S. Lewis observes, “When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.” So, I hope Geneva’s biblically grounded teachings and values inspire us all to live counter-culturally for Jesus.

Please share one or two of your Geneva extracurricular activities and then contrast that with one or two of your current non-work activities.

In high school, I took piano lessons, and I was a club swimmer. From UT, to North Carolina, to Boerne, I’ve continued to play piano and swim laps when I can. Both these activities help me decompress from stressful days and find the slow in life. Even if I didn’t fully appreciate these activities when I was younger, I am so thankful for the teachers and coaches who taught me the peace of music and the grit of sports.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?

I’m not one to plan out the next however-many-years of my life because I know God’s plan usually trumps mine. I’m working a job I love, have great friends, a loving family, and a future that awaits. What more could a girl want?

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned/are learning about yourself and God’s world?

I recently read a book titled, Called to Create by Jordan Raynor, which altered many of my preconceptions about work. It’s easy to fall for the lie that work is somehow a punishment. Something that has to be done, rather than something that I choose to do. But work was given to us as a gift. In the garden before the fall, Adam and Eve were tasked with work, being co-creators with God. How cool is it that God intended work to be a blessing in which mankind can use their talents and abilities to glorify Him! Whether you are a teacher, student, parent, accountant, dentist, roofer, etc, you do not work in vain. Changing my perception of work from something that has temporal value to something that matters to God and has eternal significance has been life-changing. So, my question to you is, are you using your God-given talents and abilities to serve others and honor God? It’s really that simple.

• Graduated Pepperdine University in 2017 with a major in Public Relations and minors in Spanish and Nonprofit Management
• Following undergrad, I accepted a job with World Vision’s US Government Relations and Advocacy team. Over the course of ~5 years, I worked on several different policy portfolios on the team, including child protection, education, and gender equality. As a policy advisor at World Vision, I worked closely with members of Congress and the U.S. interagency to increase foreign assistance and to advance foreign policy for the children around the world.
• After reading a lifechanging book called the Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, and seeing the challenges of implementing global child protection programs in the face of conflicts, climate change, violence, and other disasters, I became intrigued by resilience studies and the impact of childhood adversities on lifelong development. I pursued a Master’s Degree from the University of Minnesota in Child and Adolescent Development, with a focus on early childhood mental health, and graduated in 2021.
• In 2022, I accepted a contract job for the U.S. government, working as a policy advisor at the U.S. Department of State in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI). In this role, my focus is specifically on preventing and responding to gender-based violence and on advancing girls’ rights and empowerment.
• In 2022, my spouse and I bought a house in Northern Virginia, just outside DC, and had a baby, Lincoln, who will be 2 in May.
• Our careers are both pretty busy and having a toddler at home leaves little time for hobbies J But we have enjoyed getting to travel internationally for work and for fun – checking lots of new countries off our bucket list!

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing now?

• My Geneva education prepared me with some of the most important tools like how to reason, how to write, how to research and look for answers.
• I think the close-knit community of parents, teachers, coaches and students that existed when I was a student instilled confidence and gave me the foundation to pursue a career that aligns with my calling and gives me a deep sense of purpose.
• In undergrad, I found many of my mandatory prerequisite liberal arts classes in college to be duplicative of what I learned at Geneva, which freed me up to do things I enjoyed. Ultimately, those extracurriculars, like volunteering with an organization serving refugees, auditing language courses, and working in the Pepperdine Volunteer Center, pointed me towards the career I have now in international development and human rights.

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

• As a student in some of my most formative years, Geneva was a safe space for me, where I was encouraged to be open-minded and think critically about issues from multiple angles, including when it comes to my faith and walk with God. This is something I’ve been able to carry with me as I’ve grown and learned more about the attributes of God and his love for all people, everywhere in the world. Since I graduated, Geneva has grown and evolved in many ways, but I hope that the value of critical thinking, including welcoming diversity of opinion, and encouraging multiple perspectives, as foundational skills for life and for understanding the character and deep love of Christ for all people, are values that will hold true for future students.

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?

• Read all you can and don’t miss out on the richness of the material you are being handed. The books and the authors I was introduced to in Rhetoric School are still ones I love and come back to today.
• Get to know your teachers/faculty/coaches. Geneva has a habit of finding some of the most wonderful and caring individuals, who are truly invested in your success. Being in a small community is a unique privilege that may not be your reality forever, so take advantage of it!

Describe Geneva in one word. Explain.

• Geneva was a foundation for me in my most formative years—for my spiritual growth, mentors and friendships, and for instilling a lifelong love of learning.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?

• At the moment, I love what I’m doing. I don’t know what will come next, but I’m enjoying the chance to work with brilliant colleagues and play a small role in influencing U.S. foreign policy for girls around the world. In the future, I’d like to work in more of a leadership role in the humanitarian and development sector, whether inside or outside of government.

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned/are learning about yourself and God’s world?

• Working on issues of gender equality is deeply personal, as it is for many of my colleagues. Oftentimes, that fact makes the work energizing and motivating. At other times, seeing the plight of women and girls in so many places around the world, and the general backsliding of human rights at large, can feel overwhelming and hopeless. As I seek to stay engaged and not dissociate from real human stories, the “imago dei,” I feel the return of Christ and the restoration of this earth to be a more desperate plea than ever. I to continue to have the opportunity to meaningfully shape policy and support greater resources for marginalized populations globally for the glory of God, and so that those who are suffering, feel forgotten, are abused, or are silenced may “taste and see that the Lord is good” and that God’s love for them endures forever.

Please give a current update on yourself (college/ graduation year, major, grad school, work/ career, family, other interests, services, or hobbies).

I graduated Geneva in 2015, and attended the UT School of Architecture, graduating in 2020. I’ve hopped around a bit for work, spending time in Montana and Portland during my undergrad and in Colorado after graduating. I am now back in San Antonio working at Overland Partners where I met my wife Sidney. We are currently self-renovating an old bungalow house, serving at our church, dreaming about our garden and falling in love with the city!

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing right now?

The recurring impacts from my high school education have been my time competing in debate with Mrs Moeller, the art classes I took with Mrs Lester, and the love of classics the school handed down to me. Debate equipped me with skills in oratory and presenting work publicly that architecture school rarely emphasizes but rewards nonetheless. Art class prepped me for later drafting and drawing exercises, and creative problem solving. And the love of the classics goes hand in hand with a life of learning: we have to know where we have come from to know where we are going!

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

It’s easy to look at the academics or the extra-curriculars like the ones I mentioned above as being the main draw of the school, but I think teachers, students and parents alike find the true value in a community of fellowship and faith. I walked away with a knowledge that no matter what paths life takes us on, I belong to a family, a faith much bigger than my personal struggles, and ultimately can find my value in that community of Geneva (and far beyond) as opposed to my own accomplishments.

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?

Enjoy high school! Be in the present, attempt to not be in a rush. Life trucks along all the same. This is not to say life is not stressful or anxiety ridden right now, or that there are no struggles. I only want to say that there is a lot of beauty as I saw it at Geneva, and I hope you might too.

Describe Geneva in one word. Explain.For me, at this exact moment that word is anticipatory. At Geneva I was a high school student, and not yet an adult, and wanted to skip to that part. Now as an adult I still struggle with wanting to skip ahead, but am reminded of the lifelong journey of anticipating the “not yet” that began at Geneva.

Please share one or two of your Geneva extracurricular activities and then contrast them with one or two of your current non-work activities.

Debate really did consume a portion of my high school years. It was a ton of fun due to its intensity but also because of the wonderful community that formed around it. I missed debating and seeking truth in deep conversations so much that our community in San Antonio has formed what I lovingly refer to as debate nights: times of meaningful, intentional conversation between people of all backgrounds to dig into both spiritual truths and completely nonsensical topics.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?

I am currently testing to become a licensed Architect, which will be the conclusion of part one of the architecture career journey. From there on after it will only be about a lifelong pursuit, like with everything else mentioned above, about growing. I anticipate this future growth excitedly, but am leaning into the joys and struggles of the current journey to really find the fun in the process, in what life has in store for me right now.

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned about yourself and God’s world? 

Being an architectural designer has a ton of variety in the day to day. What I have recently taken from it has been that there is always more to learn. No piece of art can ever be perfect and set aside as truly complete, and the same might be said for architecture. I have learned through this that our God of creation is one who knows when to work and when to rest, a God that provides just enough for us in this moment.

I am a Political Science major at Texas A&M University, where I plan to graduate Spring of 2024. I am a member of the Corps of Cadets and Army ROTC and part of the mounted cavalry unit at Texas A&M, known as Parsons Mounted cavalry. The cavalry unit takes up most of my time as I am a Vet team member as well as on the Weapons Team.

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing right now?

In whatever organization I am participating in, I constantly interact with people and deal with new problems. A lot of these problems I have no idea how to fix from the start. But Geneva taught me not only how to interact and discuss with others but also how to be on the lookout to learn something new constantly. Being flexible and constantly willing to learn is crucial for me when I approach new dynamics daily.

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

I learned the ability to be a constant and aggressive lifelong learner. You will never stop being exposed to new things in your life, so you should never stop adapting and learning new skills, either. Whether it’s new hobbies, new techniques on a job site, or just absorbing information, it’s crucial to go through life with a constant desire to learn.

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?

Learn to balance. As you get older, you will only get busier. Find ways to balance your job (in your case, school…yes, that is your job), your social life, and your spiritual life. Remember what is truly a priority and what can be left for another day. This balance is key to keep you from spinning your wheels when life starts to really kick up, so practice now so you can perfect it.

That way, it can only help when those incredibly exciting and very busy times ahead of you come.

Describe Geneva in one word. Explain.

Opportunity. Geneva gives you an opportunity to learn, grow and train before going into the real world in a Christ centered place. This opportunity is something you have to make a conscious decision to take and appreciate every day while going through Geneva.

Please share one or two of your Geneva extracurricular activities and then contrast them with one or two of your current non-work activities.

At Geneva, I played football and soccer throughout Logic and Rhetoric School. It’s definitely a different world being constantly engulfed in a very unique college experience. As the rising PMC Commanding Officer I’m having to think of not just being a good leader but also being able to assess and choose good leaders to support an organization. In sports it was a much more active interaction with your goals, you were given a job or training plan and you did it. Now I am having to think of what jobs need to be done and how to create goals for the group to best succeed.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?

I intend to commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army as a Field Artillery officer. Texas A&M ROTC has an incredible program I am so blessed to be a part of. The teachers (cadre) put in the extra work, much like our Geneva teachers, and genuinely want us to succeed. This summer, I will attend “Cadet Summer Training,” which is essentially a final exam for a cadet about to commission. We have been preparing all year for it, and every week I feel more and more confident and excited to attend.

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned about yourself and God’s world? 

Being in Parsons Mounted Cavalry and the Corps has impacted me so much in how I interact with people and approach situations. Learning how to treat others with dignity and respect and accomplishing goals with people from all sorts of backgrounds has given me so much insight into the real world past Geneva. I learned so much about how much of my life is not in my control like I thought it was. At first, this thought can be daunting, but with the realization that we worship a God that is in control of every aspect of our lives and this world, it is easy to take comfort in the fact that everything works to His purpose and His glory.

Young Life in Boerne made such a life altering impact on Emma in high school that she has worked for Young Life part time developing Deaf Young Life through San Antonio deaf teenagers for six years. She partners alongside other cities to create new Deaf Young Life programs and deaf accessible camping.

The most recent development for Emma is that she now has a full time service dog named Hank. Because of a significant  hearing drop in 2017 a hearing dog was the solution for Emma to be able to travel alone so that she is alerted for sounds and Hank has greatly improved the quality of her life. Now Hank is the mascot for Aid the Silent and is the star of our PBS segment, “Signing Time with Hank and Emma Faye.”

In what ways did your Geneva education/training prepare you for the work you are doing now?

My faith in Jesus has led me to where I am today. I realized at 16 years old at Geneva school that God set me apart to help bring the Gospel to the deaf. Only 2% of the deaf have a relationship with Christ and they are the 3rd largest unreached people group in the world. Geneva surrounded me with so many Christian friends and mentors who are still in my life today. I learned that hard work is always worth it. The grind and the preparation does pay off in the long run. Currently, I am raising a funds for our capital campaign and I write grants nearly every week and present in front of boards and foundation executives. The ability to speak to a group of people to persuade them to give their funds to Aid the Silent is because of Geneva.

Please describe the most significant value you learned from Geneva.

I learned how to make a defense for my faith. Recently Aid the Silent was turned down for a large grant because we “blatantly had Christian values” and I had to defend my faith and hold firm. Honestly, praise be to God. If we were rejected for the sake of the gospel, it is 100% worth it.

I encounter a lot of atheists and agnostics in community events, grant writing and foundations, and they are always drawn to my Aid the Silent team because we have a relationship with Jesus. I try to lead my team from a Christian worldview because Geneva poured into me and instilled a love for God’s Word.

How would you encourage a Geneva Rhetoric School student to make the most of their Geneva years?

Academics are not your life, but hard work and your faith in Jesus will be. A lot of my peers were so academic focused, but not well rounded in other activities and interests. What stands out in the real world is not passing a grade or memorizing information but the ability to work hard and build relationships with people. Find time to volunteer with a nonprofit you have an interest in. Join a youth group, church or Young Life with a group of other Geneva friends and build friendship on a deeper, spiritual level. My best friend in third grade is still my best friend today, and I know it is because we lived life deeply together and through our faith.

Describe Geneva in one word. Explain.

Diligence. You are building character and school is not your whole life but working hard will be.

Please share one or two of your Geneva extracurricular activities and then contrast that with one or two of your current non-work activities.  

Oh gosh. Cheerleading was definitely important to me. I cheered on a broken foot for months and my senior year was hard for me which led me to not pursue a cheer scholarship. My path was much better by not cheering in college which led me to pursue pageants and starting the nonprofit instead. Being in a front a crowd leading chants is not as scary as walking in heels in the Miss Texas pageant.

What are your future career goals and how do you feel prepared for them?

I really want to have a family and include my future children in my ministry. I would love to start a deaf mothers day out child care program so my future kids can become fluent in sign language, be at my workplace and become friends with little deaf kids. I would cry from the cuteness! Also, Aid the Silent launched in house audiology and I hope this will grow into a full service clinic.

How are you impacted by your work now? What is something you have learned/are learning about yourself and God’s world?

A lot of families come to us trying to see the hope in hearing loss and to find community for their child. From fitting their hearing aids to inviting the young person to Deaf Young Life, you are able to see a complete 180 change in their life and in their family’s life. The child will go from being anxious or angry, hiding their deafness in a hoodie to being free and joyful showing off their new bright blue hearing aids. My days are filled with God trying to get my attention and I see His love daily when the children I help receive resources.