Kuyper Scholars Portfolio

Hello and welcome to my portfolio! I'm Annie Sears: a graduate of Dordt College in Sioux Center Iowa. I earned my BA in English Literature and Theatre Acting/Directing, and I also participated in the Kuyper Scholars Program.

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Initially, I applied for KSP only because it aligned with what I’d always done: pour myself into my studies, join all the possible clubs, join all the possible honors groups, try to be as busy as possible, and try to be as prestigious as possible. I’d based my identity upon this pursuit of prestige, and a college honors program seemed to be the next step towards that end-goal. However, I found that this motivation was insufficient to fuel me through my first KSP project; and further, this motivation is far from meaningful. Why work so hard for reputation’s sake? What’s the point of being known as an honors student if I don’t see the title as an honor and, in turn, pour myself into that honor's work? Where’s the value in exploring so much academic material if I don’t see God’s handiwork in each and every exploration? Instead, KSP has taught me that learning is a reward in and of itself. I’ve found that being a part of a community that loves to learn is a privilege. Most importantly, I’ve learned that, in pursuing knowledge, in diving headfirst into subjects that interest me, I’m developing myself into a more full human being, a more full version of the learner I want to be.

As evidenced by my program of study, the subjects that interest me revolve around one primary concept: the language and nature of storytelling. A well-told story has so much power, whether that refers to a story told in a book, a story enacted onstage, or a story being written through daily interactions. Stories force people to think and to feel, both a reassurance that they’re alive. These thoughts and emotions then move people to action, which is precisely why Jesus taught in parables. Stories are power, and God works in story.

I learned about the purpose of storytelling in each of my major classes at Dordt, and the Kuyper scholars program enabled me to go deeper. In working on extra projects outside of class, I was challenged to view studying as a part of my own story, to enjoy every article I read and every essay I wrote because, in reading and writing, I was making discoveries about what it means to be human in this world full of wonders, all of which have been fashioned by God to further the story He’s telling. To this end, KSP realigned my focus.

Essentially, in my Kuyper scholar studies, I further developed my own story. I looked into the stories that interest me, gleaned the truths found in each, and consequently wrote my own stories, both with a pen and with my livelihood. Thus, in my Christian Writing and Rhetoric course, I explored some of the storytelling elements that will prove foundational to my own story. In my seminar papers, I studied stories that inspire me, stories that have become integral to the story I'm living. In my contracts and independent studies, I developed my own style of storytelling, all the while growing into the storyteller I want to become.