News: Students Turn Heads Overseas

Colorado Christian University Students Turn Heads in U.S. and Overseas

Students from Colorado Christian University are gaining local and international notice for outstanding research and admission into competitive European graduate programs.

Already this year, acceptance letters have been mailed to CCU School of Theology seniors by some of the United Kingdom's major educational institutions: the Universities of Exeter and Manchester in England as well as Scotland's University of Edinburgh and the University of Aberdeen. Britain's fifth oldest university, Aberdeen was founded in 1495 and is a renowned center for teaching and research.

Danielle Bilbruck, a CCU theology major from Custer, South Dakota, was accepted to the University of Exeter. She attributes this success to personalized attention received during her undergraduate work at CCU -- mainly, challenging courses and professors, and academic work that prepared her for scholarship in international contexts. Classmate Kendra Roede (Marion, MI) is headed to the University of Edinburgh to study theological ethics under Oliver O'Donovan, a leading scholar in the field of Christian ethics and arguably ranked among the world's preeminent theologians. Biblical Studies major Ryan Tafilowski (Littleton, CO) will enroll in the church history program at the University of Aberdeen.

Adding to CCU's wave of postgraduate placements, an undergraduate paper will be presented at the March 2007 joint meeting of the American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature's Rocky Mountains-Great Plains regions. Most presentations at these conferences come from professional scholars and graduate students. But CCU undergrads have earned rank by blending thoughtful and mature perspectives with disciplined research. At this year's conference, 2006 Biblical Studies alum Cody Long (Grand Junction, CO) will present "Woman at the Well: A Case Study in Type Scenes -- John 4:4-26," work produced while Long was enrolled in CCU's "Johannine Literature" course.

Marveling at her acceptance to Edinburgh, Roede stated, "I'm still not quite sure how a simple country girl like me received such an amazing opportunity. I look forward to this phenomenal educational experience and the platform it will provide me as a Christian working toward the benefit of humanity and our world." Roede will be joined at Edinburgh by fellow CCU theology major Terah Vail (Jonesboro, AR). Several other students are still awaiting responses from their intended schools.

To learn more, visit the Colorado Christian University School of Theology Web site.