Each issue of the Messenger, we provide a profile for one NNU faculty member, one staff member, one undergraduate student and one graduate student. Meet Zoe D’Orazio, our undergraduate student profile for Summer 2023.
MAJOR: Graphic Design
FUTURE PLANS: My future plans are not very strict and I am not set on anything yet. I plan to be a graphic designer and live in the Valley for a few years. I know God has a plan for my life, so I am content not knowing exactly what I will do.
GRAD YEAR: 2024
HOMETOWN: Challis, ID
FUN FACT ABOUT YOU: I own more than 30 plants.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT NNU: I love all the opportunities NNU has to offer. For example, traveling the world with friends, making pancakes in the Art Department with your professors or going to events to create more relationships.
SOMETHING VALUABLE YOU LEARNED AT NNU: I learned to be more open-minded about who people are and how they live life. We are all trying our best in this life and it looks different for everyone. I learned how to create relationships by being vulnerable with people and letting down my guard.
ADVICE YOU’D OFFER TO FUTURE STUDENTS: You can choose to live high school all over again by the people you hang out with in college. I did not like my high school experience very much, so I had to step outside my comfort zone and go through conversations I didn’t like or embrace the seasons in life where I was struggling and emotional because looking at the big picture is all for healing.
WHY YOU CHOSE CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION: I chose Christian higher education because you are getting academic knowledge and life and spiritual knowledge from your peers and professors. I wanted to grow my relationships spiritually.
HOW DOES NNU HELP CREATE HABITS OF HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH? NNU creates habits of the heart when you sit in a philosophy class with a black-and-white view of life and are forced to think about other religions, choose how you want to live and ask yourself the motivations behind your actions. Habits of the soul are when you are getting ready for bed with your roommate, and right before you go to bed, you pray for each other, so I learned how to pray for people. Habits of mind are when I have so much on my plate, I get overwhelmed, and I cannot think straight—forcing myself to slow down frequently and focusing on God. Habits of strength are when it is midnight, and I am fighting for my life to stay awake and get an assignment done. I have learned how to be hard-working and get things done on time.
