By Micah Berberich (Colorado) I do not think I realized when first signing up for Summit Semester how rare of a community it truly is. Initially, I referred to it in jest as a kind of social experiment, and in a sense that is exactly what it is. That a community as authentic and as rare as this one should upon the first impression be considered nothing less than an anomaly, an unnatural experience so uncommon… Read More →Community, Balance, and Taco Bell Chalupas

By Kayleen Ramsey (California)   With arms full of a blanket and bag full of books I trudge through the grass and stones, a chattering squirrel my only companion, Into the trees and downward slowly finally resting in the woodland valley where all the gold has pooled.   Thank you Lord for making Autumn   Solitude time. Ah. To find a space in the peace of the forest To clear one’s mind as the leaves slowly,… Read More →Solitude Time: A Poem

By Morgan Showalter (Virginia) Around the fireplace in the lodge, we all gathered for the awaited moment – the assignment of characters for our impromptu reenactment of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. “Who will be Hermia, Lysander, Puck?” Eventually, all the characters were decided, with our speaker Mr. Matt Anderson staking claim to Nick Bottom (the most important character in the play, he would argue). Everyone followed along with their own copy of the play while… Read More →The Lost Art of Reading Well

By Michael DePiazza (Arizona) This past week I had the pleasure of taking a vow of silence with several fellow students. The rules were basic (or so it seemed): no talking for two full days so we could read our bibles and pray. For many of us, this was a daunting task, as we were a talkative group in the first place. This difficulty proved itself as the first day went on. The time was amazing,… Read More →A Vow of Silence

By Sam Ingalls (Connecticut) Coming into Summit Semester, there was a lot I wasn’t aware the class would be doing, such as adventures, trips, solitude times, and work crews. My first thought when I heard that we’d be doing a work crew for a few hours every Tuesday and Friday was, “whoa, whoa, hold on… I did not sign up for this.” “whoa, whoa, hold on… I did not sign up for this.” How selfish is… Read More →A Biblical View of Work

By Eliezar Maldonado (Texas) A normal person probably would not choose to live in close proximity with 32 strangers for twelve weeks in the mountains and also ask to be challenged every day intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. But that’s Summit Semester! It’s been crazy, confusing and hard at times but also an answer to my prayers. I have grown, learned to love others better, and appreciated my God more. I am incredibly thankful and appreciative of… Read More →Dr. Gary Hartenburg: Philosophy at Semester

By Christian Wood (Vermont) As time goes on there comes a time in everyone’s life where there is some kind of discomfort, an overwhelming feeling that something isn’t right. This feeling can be anything; a place of feeling vulnerable, playing a position in a sports game you are not used to, being in an uncomfortable seat, or having people in your home that you’ve never met before. Summit Semester has been a place of almost every… Read More →The Ups and Downs of Alumni Weekend

By Rose Rumpel (Florida) It has always been my belief that the heart of every good home is the kitchen and, as my temporary home, Summit Semester has not disappointed. Usually, when catering to large groups of people, the kitchen is generally off limits and the cooks are in the background. This is not the case at Summit. Here, the kitchen is a central part of life. It is open for students to use or hang out… Read More →The Summit Semester Kitchen