Alumni: I preferred Sports to Academics, Greenhouse Changed That
Timothy Steininger
For Timothy Steininger the rhetoric program at Greenhouse became the inflection point in his academic trajectory.
Years at Greenhouse: 2013-17
College: Olivet Nazarene University
Major: Psychology
Grad School: University of Notre Dame (Law)
Job: Law Clerk
Employer: US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
Living in: Baltimore, MD
Worships at: McLean Bible Church
Greenhouse made a tremendous difference in my life. I attended Greenhouse each year of high school, and the teachers both encouraged and challenged me. I remember multiple instances when I failed to be diligent in my schoolwork, and a teacher kindly told me that I needed to do better.
I also recall many occasions when the teachers made learning fun and encouraged me to be a more Christlike version of myself. Without the work ethic and attention to detail I developed at Greenhouse, I probably would not be in the position I am.
In terms of community, Greenhouse offers an unparalleled opportunity to step into an environment where one's closest peers are ambitious both academically and spiritually. My fellow classmates, perhaps even more than my teachers, were quick to offer exhortation when I did not take a particular assignment as seriously as I should have or did not act in a godly manner. That community is, I think, unique to Greenhouse--lots of schools have fantastic teachers, but I have yet to experience a community as diligent or faithful as my Greenhouse cohort.
I will also emphasize that I did not enter Greenhouse as an excellent student. My first (really my only) love in high school was sports. My lack of passion and discipline in the classroom was, I am sure, a frequent source of frustration for my parents. But that began to change toward the end of high school. I started enjoying schoolwork more and taking my studies much more seriously. I specifically recall writing my thesis for Mrs. Gottlieb and taking a political theory elective with Dr. Parker senior year. I enjoyed both immensely, and both experiences comprised key parts of a larger inflection point in my academic trajectory. I left Greenhouse a much better student than I entered, and Greenhouse was responsible for much of that improvement.
-Timothy Steininger