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Igniting a transformational experience
Q&A with Dr. Randy Beckum: Community Formation shapes the student experience
M
ovies have the power to deeply touch and
inspire us. The MNU college experience
is like a movie — at least according to Dr. Randy
Beckum, vice president for community formation
— that depicts the critical transformation from
freshman to graduate.
Under his direction, the Office of Community Formation is
helping students script their screenplays and play a leading role
in developing purposeful lives. Beckum offers insights on his
cinematic vision of the MNU experience.
What is Community Formation?
We recently restructured the Student Development Office
— also known as Student Life and Spiritual Life — and
changed the name to Community Formation.
The reorganization began last fall as an effort to bring the
areas of residential life, spiritual life, health services, career
services, student government, athletics, campus safety
and other campus operations together under the umbrella of
Community Formation helps students picture their passion to serve.
Community Formation. Together, we can plan more coherently
to better serve students.
This idea of college life as a movie isn’t passive. We’re not
Why change the name to Community Formation?
writing one script for students to simply follow. I see the MNU
faculty and staff as executive directors who provide the setting,
One of MNU’s greatest strengths is that we offer a
values and environment. Students write their own scripts along
transformational experience. College years are a time of great
with us. Their experience — and the success of their movie —
personal discovery. Many of the most important “life questions”
depends on how much they are involved.
of faith, vocation and values are raised during the university
experience. In our planning retreats, we looked at the college How does Community Formation reflect MNU’s
experience like a screenplay for a movie. We storyboarded the
mission?
four or five years based on critical questions we know students
Community Formation helps bring our mission to life. We
are asking about their education and about life.
looked at the idea of a “pioneering spirit.” What do we really
The first act is the freshman year. This is when students are mean? Every experience we offer students at MNU helps
first introduced to the MNU community and meeting the other develop a proclivity toward innovation — to face problems
characters — their fellow students and faculty. They’re asking boldly and seek solutions like a true pioneer, motivated by hope
questions like “Who am I?” and “What do I want to become?”
and not fear.
Building on this metaphor of college life as a movie,
Obviously we want graduates to be well prepared for their
how does Community Formation help direct the
career fields. We also want students to find their life purpose
through an authentic faith. We encourage students to spend
success of a student’s film?
as much time and effort building their faith as they do their
Sometime during that first year, there will be an inciting
resumes.
incident when students make a decision to return for the second
Community Formation also focuses on demonstrating
act — the sophomore and junior years. This is like the body of the real meaning of a “passion to serve,” with activities
the film when students experience many highs and lows and that cultivate a habit of generosity, like building a clinic in
ask, “Can I really make it?” Guatemala, by giving $2 a week and launching the MNU
During each act, we anticipate their questions and put in
ServiceCorps. Our goal is for students to give 50,000 hours of
place various activities — small groups, chapels, volunteer
service every year.
projects and mission trips — to influence a positive resolution
Ultimately, everything we do is designed to guide students
to their dilemmas. Of course, there are a thousand different
through the transformative MNU experience and propel them
resolutions. Everyone will not come out the same, but they will
to lives of service to God and humanity.
have a shared and supportive experience.
Spring 2010 | Accent magazine | 15
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