Centennial Class Profiles

 

Brian Allen

 

Major: Computer Science and Philosophy
Hometown: Stony Point, NY
Campus Activities: Powerhouse, a high-energy praise session entirely dedicated to honoring God through music and meditation led by students and Kairos, a contemporary worship/teaching led by student chaplains

Brian Allen has a range of academic interests; he is majoring in mathematics and has declared minors in both computer science and philosophy. Aside from academics, Allen uses his musical talent to glorify the Lord with the rest of the Messiah College community. He serves both on the Powerhouse and Kairos teams. Along with playing guitar for Powerhouse, Allen is on the leadership team, where his responsibilities include setting up the schedules for when people should play, discussing events, and making sure the goals of the group are met. He also plays guitar and sings for Kairos. Although these opportunities have made up a large part of his collegiate career, his favorite experience as a Messiah student is something he is participating in now: Allen is studying at the Philadelphia Campus this spring semester. He enjoys the community and learning experience, due to its distinct differences from Grantham. Even as a senior getting ready to graduate, he is developing some special friendships with people he had never interacted with before. “The kind of people that you meet here at Messiah College Philadelphia Campus are so interesting and fun, and I am so thankful for their friendship and the experiences I have had with them,” said Allen.

Messiah College has done much more for Allen than simply providing him with fun experiences and outlets to get involved in. The College has helped prepare Allen for the life of a Christian in today’s world. Although Messiah was the only school he applied to when looking at colleges, he didn’t put much thought into the decision. But now, as he reflects upon this decision, he sees it as one of the best decisions in his life. He recognizes that the College isn’t perfect but, all the same, has been a blessing in his life. Allen appreciates the environment that Messiah creates, where he can be exposed to a variety of worldviews and not harassed about his own beliefs. He has been able to struggle with his Christian beliefs and then learn what it means to be Christian, still surrounded by a comforting and belief-building atmosphere.

As a senior, Allen pauses to look back and evaluate what he has learned and will carry away with him after his time at Messiah College. Aside from the massive amount of information learned, Allen has formed many friendships that will extend past the graduation ceremony. He is also grateful for all the chances to share his talent and play music. Lastly, he has taken away valuable lessons from professors—applicable to his career and his life.

 

When looking towards the future, Allen has his next step all planned out. He will attend graduate school at the University of Tennessee to study mathematics. From there, he hopes to receive his doctorate and eventually go on to become a professor. Wherever these next months and years take him, Allen will be eternally grateful for his time spent at Messiah College, as it has equipped him with the tools to carry out his faith. Allen said, “What I like most about Messiah College is the environment that it sets up for its students. For the most part Messiah has been a safe environment for me where I can be exposed to all kinds of different ideas and worldviews without being constantly harassed about my own beliefs. I have been able to struggle with my own doubts about Christianity and learn what it means to be a Christian in the world today without being thrown right into the fire so to speak. Because of this I have learned so much about myself as a person living in the world today which I feel has prepared me to be who I am in grad school and the world beyond Messiah College.”