by Clem Boyd
He came from halfway around the world, with very little knowledge about Cedarville. And now, four years later, he is one of the most well-known, well-loved, and respected students on campus. Rufus Mathew will quickly tell you there's only one reason for such a remarkable transition: Jesus.
Rufus came to Cedarville in 2018 as a freshman computer science major. His mom, quite inexplicably, ended up on a Cedarville email list. She was impressed by what she read. She encouraged her son to begin researching this unknown (at the time) Christian university in the middle of Ohio, 7,000 miles from where he grew up. Rufus learned that Cedarville had an outstanding cybersecurity program, recognized by the National Security Agency. Intrigued, he decided to apply. And now, he readies himself for graduation.
Coming to Cedarville has changed Rufus' life. Yes, he enrolled in a top-tier computer science program, but he also connected with a supportive community of fellow Christians who lift up the name of Christ and seek to honor Him in all aspects of life. He was voted freshman class president in 2018. This year he graduates as president of the Student Government Association.
Rufus gives Jesus all the credit for the events that brought him to Cedarville and the journey that awaits him after commencement.
“My mom would bring up Cedarville every now and then because the mission of the University stood out to her: ‘For the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,’” Rufus shared with Cedarville marketing and communications. “The people around me have pushed me closer to Christ continually, and motivated me not just academically and professionally, but spiritually, too. My hope is to be able to give back to a school that has richly blessed me over the last 1,000 days.”
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More to the Story
Rufus’ first-year experiences and personal story were featured in a story by Cedarville public relations in 2018.