While students of LZ are packing their bags to attend universities like University of Illinois and St. Louis university, this student has different plans. She hopes to pursue a unique career due to her missions trip.

Saffire Selof, senior, is attending Liberty University, the largest Christian college in the United States, where she hopes to major in ministry and serve the Lord.

“I didn’t always want to go to a Christian college. A year ago, I was pretty set on going into physical therapy in just a secular college. I was looking at Marquette and St. Louis because they had really good programs there, but it wasn’t until I went on a mission trip last year that I wanted to go into ministry. I totally changed my mind,” Selof said. “We drove up to a town in Haiti on one of the mountains and the pastor of a Harvest church was telling us his story of how he came to where he was in life. During the experience, I felt the Lord calling me, and [I realized I] needed to fully trust Him and glorify Him through all I do. So I realized that I was called to live a life where I am focused all the time on giving glory to God. I don’t know how to describe the experience but at that moment I knew Liberty was where the Lord wanted me to go.”

When it comes to the lifestyle at Liberty, there a some major differences from a normal state college, but she is excited, according to Selof.

“Liberty has required Bible classes, for example, we have to take bible, religion, psychology, and evangelism classes. There is also a curfew on campus where you have to be in your dorms by 12 am on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday, 10 pm on Wednesday and Friday, and 12:30 am on Saturday. We also have this thing called convocation that we have to attend every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday where we have worship and a message from a pastor, scientist, politician, or other famous person,” Selof said.

Selof hopes to see herself planning, leading, or organizing missions organization trips, whether that be with communicating with other countries and seeing what they need help with, or actually going on missions trips. Selof has the support of her friends and family, especially her sister.

“The thing that I will miss most [about Saffire is] I won’t be living life with my best friend anymore. Instead she will be 12 hours away living life with new friends, making memories that I won’t be apart of. I’m going to miss the constant communication that we have, the car rides where we jam out to music, and Friday night movies nights spent as a family,” Lexy Selof, Saffire’s sister, said. “I pray that at Liberty she will grow in her walk with the Lord and that she will make some great friends and have an amazing time experiencing life on her own. I love her so much and I will miss her even more, but I’m so happy for her and I will always be there for her through it all.”

Saffire believes Liberty will be good for her to accomplish personal goals and do it in a religious way.

“Going to a Christian college where I am surrounded by Christ followers and am able to be biblically taught on how to succeed in life was something that really appealed to me,” Saffire said. “I knew that going to Liberty would help me in my goal of going into missions and glorifying the Lord with not only my work, but my speech, conduct, faith, love, and purity.”