Austin Graff
Major: International Relations & History
Graduation Year: 2007
Grew up in: U.S., Russia, Germany
Nationality: American
What's your background?
I am an American citizen, but my family moved to Russia when I was ten. We lived in Moscow for one year, then moved to the most independent republic of Russia, Tatarstan. During my time in Kazan, Tatarstan, I was home-schooled, attended a one-room school house, and went to a local Russian school. When I was in grade ten, I left my parents to attend Black Forest Academy, an American boarding school in southwest Germany.
I enjoyed growing up in Tatarstan, but boarding school prepared me for college in the United States. I knew from an early age that I would one day return to my passport country for university. Black Forest Academy provided an advanced education using the American schooling system.
I was one of several hundred students at Black Forest Academy who boarded. It really was like going off to college early opposed to many of my peers in the United States, who leave home after high school. So, when I came to Calvin for college, I had no problems adjusting to the residence halls (though the dorms were much bigger than at Black Forest ) or being away from home.
This easy transition helped me establish my particular dorm at Calvin as my base. I had always been told that the transition from growing up overseas to attending university in the US would not be easy. I look very American, but I had grown up in several cultures very distinct from the United States. However, I became very involved in the residence halls. My floor became a mini family for me. Most of the guys had grown up right here in the United States. I was surprised how well we could relate to each other and learn from our different lives.
Why did you decide to come to Calvin?
People ask me all the time why I chose Calvin College coming from a very international background. As a senior in high school, I applied to five universities and colleges. Calvin College was the only Christian college I applied to as well as the smallest college. As the universities presented me with financial packages, Calvin provided a tremendous financial offer. 91% of Calvin students are rewarded some type of financial aid, and for international students that statistic is very real.
Finances first brought me to Calvin College, but once I stepped onto the campus, I knew I would stay all four years for my undergraduate studies. The liberal arts education helps shape students into a well-rounded person trying to advance the Kingdom of Heaven. Calvin is academically rigorous, and it ranks as one of the top undergraduate institutions whose students go on to competitive graduate schools. I know that Calvin already has and will continue to equip me for my later studies, hopefully at Columbia University in New York City .
Another reason I chose Calvin College was because of its size. The student to professor ratio is 12:1. My professors have become more than educators, but also mentors and friends. They know where you are from and how you learn best. This helps you facilitate growth in your particular field. The campus is small enough to know your professors personally, but large enough where you do not know everyone. A perfect combination!
How did you get involved at Calvin?
Calvin provides many opportunities to get involved with its campus as well as the Grand Rapids community. Among other activities, I was elected by the student body as a senator on Student Senate, Calvin's student government. Student Senate does everything from organizing campus events to representing the student body in meetings with our President and various faculty members. It was an excellent way to serve Calvin and become more engrained in the amazing community at Calvin.
Another awesome way I got involved at Calvin was through Orientation. For one summer I was part of a group of six Calvin students that made up the Orientation Board. For the entire summer we planned Passport and Quest, Calvin's Orientation program. Being a people person, I was excited to meet the ENTIRE incoming class, and had tons of fun doing it! Every year the Student Development Office hires 47 students to help us lead groups of incoming freshmen in Quest. For the first week of school, I was the coolest person to the freshman, but that quickly faded. Too bad.
What was one of your favorite experiences at Calvin?
During the fall of 2005 I flew to Beijing , China with a group of sixteen Calvin students as part of Calvin's Semester in China Program. Calvin emphasizes study abroad programs, and helps to allow all students take advantage of its wonders by offering more scholarships and increasing grants. I met a girl from Harvard University who complained how her school provided only two or three programs overseas. For Calvin's size, they have a tremendous off- campus program office. If I could have, I would have loved to go on all of Calvin's semesters abroad from Ghana to Hungary , but I wouldn't have been able to do that and graduate in four years!