Going to college with a brother or sister is a unique experience. On one hand, there’s a feeling of comfort and familiarity that can help with the transition to the rigors of college life. On the other, there’s the spirit of competitiveness that exists between siblings, as each tries to do better than the other. For twins and Christendom College juniors Tom and Beth Anderson, both aspects have contributed positively to their time at the college, making the experience that much more fulfilling as a result.
“I chose to attend Christendom because of its strong academics, solidly orthodox atmosphere, as well as the small community, which makes it feel like a big family – even more so, when your sister is here,” says Tom. “And even when we are home together over breaks, it feels like bringing back the best parts of Christendom home with you. Either at school or at home, I have another educated person with a similar background that I know I can always count on.”
Tom and Elizabeth Anderson both discovered Christendom thanks to their siblings. Now, they are loving the education and growing closer as siblings through it.
The Andersons are following in the footsteps of their siblings, Matt (’09) and Colleen (’14), who both attended and loved Christendom. Tom and Beth, hearing Matt and Colleen rave about their education and friendships at the college, really inspired them to want to attend Christendom for their college educations. Thanks to the college’s sibling discount, which gives the second child attending Christendom a 25% tuition discount, (and a third child a 50% off discount) and generous academic scholarships they were able to attend at an even more affordable rate as well — a huge benefit for larger families.
Now, the Andersons could not be happier with their decision to come together. Highly committed to their studies, they are both excelling in the classroom and outside of it. Beth works in the college’s student life office, while Tom works in the college’s advancement office. Together, they are challenging each other to work harder and succeed more, resulting in a richer college experience for them both.
“Before coming to Christendom, I was admittedly a little unsure about what it would be like to go to college with my twin brother, but now I am so grateful for it,” remarks Beth. “Tom knows me better than anyone else and it’s such a comfort to know that even though we don’t talk every single day, he’s always there, cheering me on. We do our best to support and encourage each other to be the best possible versions of ourselves and he pushes me in ways no one else can. I think we both have received blessings from being here together but most importantly we’ve grown in friendship. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to go here without him.”