A quick look at new Bethel students from across the nation and overseas.
By Rachel Blood
The Clarion recently had the opportunity to have a conversation with Abby Crane, an incoming pre-med and music student from Florida, the Sunshine State. Abby was a part of the International Baccalaureate program there for four years.
Q: Where you were born, where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
A: I was born in Dunedin, Florida. I grew up in Hudson, Florida, and I still live in Hudson now. I did, however, spend three years living in Tampa, Florida. Out of all of the places I’ve lived, I loved Tampa the most. Tampa is rich in diversity and culture, offering plenty of different places to visit (the Florida Aquarium, Amalie Arena for sports and concerts, Ybor city, Busch Gardens) and people from all walks of life to meet. I also loved the sense of community in Tampa, the beautiful nature scenery (especially Tampa Bay), and the liveliness of the city (especially since my current home in Hudson is so isolated and quiet).
Q: How did you first hear about Bethel?
A: I was referred to Bethel University through a family member affiliated with Bethel University. She messaged my mom and me through Facebook, asking if I knew about Bethel and if I would be interested in Bethel because of it being a Christian college and because of its pre-med and music programs. I originally wanted to go to Duke University in North Carolina, but I became more interested in Bethel because of its Christian atmosphere and all of the academic, financial, and extracurricu
lar opportunities it offered. God ultimately paved my path for Bethel after Duke rejected me and Bethel accepted me shortly afterwards.
Q: What made you choose to attend school so far from home?
A: I wanted to go to an out of state college because I wanted the chance to become more independent, meet new people, and figure out who I am as a person. During high school, I was in the IB (International Baccalaureate) program, and while I enjoyed my classes and got a great education, I felt very isolated from the majority of the student body and only had classes with the same 38 people for four years straight. Most of my friends from IB decided to stay in Florida for college, so I figured attending Bethel would be the best way to broaden my horizons and expand my friend group, as well as learning to live as an independent adult and explore my own interests.
Q: What do you plan to study at Bethel?
A: I am studying on the pre-medicine track with a major in music and a minor in creative writing.
Q: Do you plan on playing sports or being involved in music or theater at Bethel?
A: I would definitely love to join the orchestra at Bethel. I play the flute and haven’t had many opportunities to play publicly outside of my church orchestra since I dropped band because of IB, so I’m excited to play for a school again, especially with a new group of people.
