August 19, 2020
This week, Wheaton College unveiled its inaugural class of #30under30, 30 Wheaton alumni or alumni couples under the age of 30 who are living out their liberal arts education in unique ways.
Wheaton College released stories about graduates over the past 30 weeks as part of the College’s first #30under30 campaign, an initiative that spotlights Wheaton alumni or alumni couples under the age of 30 who are living out their liberal arts education in unique ways. The full class of #30under30 alumni was unveiled this week.
From Trenton Van Oss ’14 who currently serves as a law clerk in the U.S. Supreme Court to Esther Tan Gaska ’12 who is working as a dean at a Christian school, or from Isaac Stough ’14 M.A. ’16 who lives in Spain as a missionary and school director to Amanda Iglesias ’14 who is working in New York City as an architectural designer, these alumni show how a Christian liberal arts education can equip students for a wide array of vocations.
Take Chloe Burris ’18, who is now a medical student at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She eschewed the normal pre-med path to pursue a major that held more interest for her, Anthropology, but she was nonetheless prepared for the rigors of the MCAT and medical school.
"My liberal arts experience at Wheaton taught me how to channel curiosity into purposeful action for the glory of God and good of others," Burris said.
Linnea Peckham Geno ’13 and Alec Geno ’13, who met during the Wheaton in England study abroad program, work as entrepreneurs, opening an event venue in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Their English and Philosophy degrees helped them on their way, they said.
"They say a liberal arts education teaches you to learn, and we could not have found that to be more true," Linnea said. "Embarking on this small venture has been an education all its own, and we have Wheaton to thank for preparing us for it."
"Wheaton College students and faculty members pursue learning out of love for Jesus Christ and the world that he has made," said Wheaton College President Dr. Philip Ryken.
"Believing that all truth is God’s truth, we seek to cultivate curiosity about creation, a love for great books, an appetite for truth and beauty, a lifelong passion for the life of the mind, the capacity to communicate the gospel across cultures, and the spiritual and intellectual virtues that promote wisdom," Ryken said. "We are encouraged that by God’s grace Wheaton’s liberal arts education has proved profitable in the lives of our alumni."—Emily Bratcher