College has a way of shaping us that we never expect. Throughout the years, we change and grow academically, socially and spiritually. The years students spent on the Andrews University campus can greatly impact their lives for years to come. As graduation approaches, many seniors find themselves looking back on the path that brought them here, each challenge, each victory and each unexpected turn. For Aleah Crayton, looking back on her university years highlights how transformative this chapter of her life has been both personally and academically.
Aleah began her Andrews experience in the fall of 2022 as an architecture major. “I was always artistic growing up,” she said. “I loved watching HGTV and was interested in design!” Her love for her craft has been a constant throughout her time here. Architecture is one of Andrew’s most rigorous and time-consuming majors, needing 138 credits to graduate and many enter a five-year program. Despite this, Aleah still puts her all into everything she does. “I would definitely say the sleepless nights I have put in the projects have been the most challenging for sure.” Aleah marvels at what she’s accomplished during her time here. “Freshman me would be pleasantly surprised and proud of the amount of work that I’ve put into my projects that looked impossible at the time.”
Leadership is a skill Aleah has improved greatly during these four years. She dedicated herself to serving on the Black Student Christian Forum (BSCF) team as the community engagement leader and is now a supervisor for the athletic department. This has opened up many doors for her to step out of her comfort zone and allowed her to connect with completely different groups of people on campus. “Looking at myself from freshman year to myself now, I can confidently say that I have grown tremendously as a person and a leader.”
The community here at Andrews is something Aleah didn’t experience in high school. Andrews has made a huge impact on her social circle through BSCF, classes and more. “Because I’m from out of state and no one from my high school…came here, it gave me no other choice but to branch out and meet new people.” Aleah reflected that her experience here has led her to flourish socially in ways that she wasn’t able to in high school. “I have felt a bigger belonging [at Andrews].”
At some point in her college journey, Aleah realized she was changing for the better. She was growing spiritually. She found herself having a genuine and longing relationship with God. “When you get to college, and you’re no longer under your parents’ roof, it is solely up to you whether you want to continue that relationship with Him.” When she felt that urge to better herself emotionally and spiritually, she knew that the shift in her life was happening.
When asked to give advice to underclassmen on how to get the most out of their university experience, she advised going to as many events as possible and branching out of your comfort zone. “Be open to meeting a lot of different people, especially outside of your friend group, you might’ve had from high school or freshman year. Having many different connections in the future can be really, really helpful.” She says to make sure to work hard in studies, but also have fun. Many people come to college just to work or just to party and have fun. “Find the balance that works for you between both, and you will have the best college experience for yourself, not just other people’s experiences.”
After she graduates in May 2026, Aleah plans to go to Savannah, Georgia, where she has an internship at an architectural firm. She’ll be back next year to participate in the master's program for one year. After this, she’ll join the workforce as a fully fledged architect. Andrews has provided her with the necessary skills to excel in her field. “I believe that…college…has allowed me to get comfortable with reaching out to people and connecting, which is a very big part of the architecture field.”
As Aleah prepares to close this chapter and step into the next, she reminds us of how deeply college can shape a person. Andrews didn’t just challenge her; it encouraged her, stretched her and ultimately helped her discover who she is becoming. As she moves forward into her future career, she carries with her not only the skills she gained, but the confidence, community and purpose that grew with her along the way.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.