October 1, 2026 by

 

Looking back, I think I was a bit like Jonah in the Bible: We both ignored where God was calling us. Though unlike Jonah, I wasn’t doing it to deliberately thwart God. 

I believed I was truly called to forensic science, which was the major I intended to pursue when I set foot on Cedarville’s campus in fall 2023.  

That won’t be what I’m graduating in. This coming spring semester, I’ll be walking across the commencement stage as a professional writing and information design (PWID) major. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Choosing a New Direction  

Growing up, I was always right-brain dominant. Not only am I the only left-handed person in my immediate family, but I am also extremely creative. I even wrote a novel I’ve been editing off and on around school! Yes, I hold my own in mathematics and science, but it’s with communication that I shine. 

Yet somehow, I thought I was supposed to study forensic science and pursue a job in the science field. God made me see how silly that was after my freshman year. 

My mom and I had looked at the PWID major at Cedarville University occasionally throughout freshman year, especially as things were getting rough.  

I — I am ashamed to admit — believed no good could come from being a writing major because all that mattered was science and mathematics.  

It’s very ironic how things turned out. God convicted me, I repented, and then I began discerning. 

I started praying, asking God to show me what He wanted me to do. He guided me to PWID after an intense week of deliberation. 

I used to think it showed a lack of self-knowledge when someone changed her major. Yet staying in a major you aren’t suited for instead of changing to one you are suited for is more foolish.  

New Classes = New Opportunities

When I started classes for my new major in the fall of 2024, I had my doubts. Would I fit in? Would people find me odd? 

I was a sophomore who had already spent a year on campus, and that semester, I was in classes with freshmen. I felt like a beginner and a veteran at the same time.  

The funny thing is, though, my year in science almost completely knocked out all my gen-ed requirements.  

My year there gave me a deeper appreciation for chemistry, biology, forensics, and criminal justice. I would not go back and change it for the world. 

My PWID courses had their own challenges, but I was acclimated to hard work both from being homeschooled and from my year studying the sciences.  

Junior year came, and I secured a job as a student writer on campus. I was (and still am) surrounded by like-minded students with a knack and talent for writing. 

Image of three girls sitting at a table in a classroom.

Working in PWID, I learned there is so much more to writing than just writing. There is never a time when you are “just writing.”  

You learn to write for technical audiences, craft copy for users, perform site testing, learn how to copywrite, design courses, and a whole lot more.  

Being a PWID student doesn’t “limit your marketability,” as I used to think. It opens doors into a variety of sectors: copywriting, public relations, law school (a writing degree is a good basis for law school applicants), instructional design, content strategy, user experience, and more. 

Continuing To Grow 

This past summer, I interned at an electric cooperative. My experience and coursework ensured I was prepared for the work.  

Yet, I still learned a lot. 

For one, I improved my ability to write feature articles. After my experiences during the summer, I am at ease speaking extemporaneously. 

My motivation and drive grew — even my manager commented she’s never met anyone as self-motivated as I am. At my internship, I was also able to work independently, requiring little management. 

In the world of words is where I belong.  

Image of girl with wavy brown hair and glasses wearing a backpack in a parking lot.

Knowing the One Who Holds the Future 

Now I’m preparing to graduate and am staring down the path of my future. Did I find my calling?  

Define “calling.” 

I know what God called me to work with — words — and I know He wants me to serve others, but I’m still figuring out where He wants me in the realm of writing. 

He revealed that my interest in forensic science was not in vain. Rather, it revealed a deeper calling to be a servant-leader. 

Even now, I have a deep love for serving and helping others live their lives.  

It will look different as a PWID graduate than as a forensic scientist: I won’t be working alone in a lab to reveal the truth to victims’ families.  

Instead, I’ll be working in public with people, helping educate them — whether that be about policies, products, or practical training for the work environment.  

I changed my major and found my calling. I don’t know where my calling will be lived out, but if there’s anything my major change taught me, it’s that I know that God is guiding me on the right path. 

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