Garrett Kaiser ’21

Social Work

Biography

When I first left my hometown of Flagstaff, Arizona to pursue a dual degree in Christian ministries and (at the time) physics, many people had questions. I was among them! Through a series of experiences with friends and mentors, I had a come-to-Jesus moment and realized that God wanted my all so that other people could live all for Him. I dropped my physics major, picked up social work instead, and am now pursuing a dual MDiv/MSW degree through Duke Divinity School and the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, where I am coming to understand more and more every day what it means to develop Christ-centered mental health care as an image of God’s intended human flourishing. Thanks to my Taylor education, I’m off to a great start!

What were some of your most valuable experiences at Taylor?

As a proud resident of FOSO (the 4th floor of Gerig Hall, for the uninitiated), I can say with certainty that I would not be where I am today if I was not living alongside (and above) people who were dedicated to being models of Christ in all aspects of themselves. I had world-class experiences in the classroom, but living alongside fellow students applying their learning tangibly is irreplaceable.

How did your classes or interactions with professors at Taylor impact your growth?

I was lucky enough to get some of the greatest professors in undergraduate education for both of my majors! The social work and Christian ministry faculty embody Christlike servant-leadership paired with excellence in their respective fields of academic expertise. For those of us striving to live well-rounded Christian lives as we progress in our studies, we could not ask for better role models of grace.

How can Taylor graduates use their unique Taylor education and its liberal arts foundational core as an asset in your discipline?

The foundational core is just that: foundational. I would not have had the room to explore my calling had it not been for robust educational standards in such experiences as the cross-cultural and social science core requirements. Through those sojourns in the liberal arts, I was open to refining my vocation, but also my sense of humanity. Likewise, several of the introductory social work courses offered within those paradigms gave me the push I needed to finally take up my own cross and follow Christ’s leading. You never know what will happen when you are open to how the Spirit moves at Taylor!

What advice or encouragement could you provide for Taylor students in your vocational discipline?

Do the work in yourself that you want to see happen in the world! If you want people to feel safe to explore deep questions about faith in a challenging world with you, find mentors to guide you through those same questions. If you want more people to reap the benefits of therapy, go to therapy and work hard to make its benefits show up in your personal life. If you want more people to know the person of Jesus Christ as He is present among the marginalized in society, get yourself proximate to those in hardship. It’s trite, but you really can be the change you want to see in the church and in the world, because we serve a God who can magnify the little things we offer in infinitely incredible ways.