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When Alyssa Pokharel was five years old, she told her parents she was going to Calvin. 
 
“My mom went to Calvin, and I grew up hearing stories of how transformational it was for her,” said Pokharel, who is from Nepal. “She found the Lord there and was mentored deeply by so many good people.”

Wrestling with her decision

Years later, when it came time to apply to college, some family friends wondered if she was aiming too low. They encouraged her to apply to Harvard or other Ivy League schools—places they believed would open more doors. 
 
“I remember wondering ‘should I?’” said Pokharel. “‘Is choosing Calvin settling for something that’s reachable?’” 

As she weighed her options, Pokharel returned to a formative experience from her sophomore year of high school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she participated virtually in Calvin’s Young Women’s Business Institute, which offered her a glimpse of what college learning at Calvin could look like. There, she encountered an academic environment where intellectual rigor and Christian faith were not in competition, but deeply connected.

Discovering clarity

“The more I thought about Calvin and other schools, the more I kept coming back to the beauty of being able to be formed with such a robust faith foundation and that is what fuels your academic pursuit—the idea that your faith is what propels you into wanting to learn these things and being curious,” said Pokharel. 

With that clarity, Pokharel made the decision to go to Calvin. But one significant obstacle remained: immigration.

Overcoming an obstacle

At the height of the pandemic-related backlogs, Pokharel was initially told that the earliest available visa interview date was four years away—effectively closing the doors to her plans. 
 
“I remember praying, ‘if it is your will, God, will you open the door?” recalls Pokharel. 
 
Then, unexpectedly, the embassy contacted her and scheduled an interview in time for her to begin college. 
 
“It was so God. Truly a miracle,” said Pokharel, who is double majoring in philosophy and psychology with a neuroscience concentration.

Opening the door to many opportunities

It wasn’t long before she understood the significance of that moment. With the door to Calvin open, countless opportunities lay ahead. 
 
From her first year, Pokharel immersed herself in campus life. She served on , joined the ministry leadership cohort, danced in Rangeela, and worked for admissions as a tour guide. Over the next couple of years, she became a Barnabas in her residence hall, a lab teaching assistant, an orientation assistant, and a leader in Psych Club.  

She conducted research projects with two professors, presented at conferences, and got connected to scholars working at the intersection of spirituality and healthcare. She also started a weekly prayer gathering, and, this year, serves as Calvin’s student body president. 
 
“When people ask me if Calvin is what I thought it would be, I always tell them, it’s better,” said Pokharel.

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Making connections

Not only because of the amount of opportunities, she explains, but because of the people who helped guide her toward them. 
 
“I really flourish in small, tight-knit communities where I know people and they know me, and I think Calvin has been so great for that,” said Pokharel. “At Calvin, I’ve had the ability to receive mentorship and develop close relationships with professors who have poured into me and who have reached out about things they didn’t have to.” 
 
She credits her academic adviser in particular for helping connect her with internships and research presentation opportunities. 

“I’m not sure I’d get that at a larger or more prestigious school,” said Pokharel.  
“Everything at Calvin seems collaborative. We’re seeking the collective good.”

Equipped for what’s next

After graduation, Pokharel will complete an internship at Indiana University Medical School as she applies to graduate programs in psychology. Her long-term goal is to integrate what she’s learned in philosophy about cultivating flourishing in communities with her training in mental health. 
 
“I’ve always wanted to work in the field of mental health,” said Pokharel. “I grew up in a community where it was stigmatized, and I saw people around me struggling. I love people, and I’m fascinated by how they think and act, but also by how one person’s struggle can affect an entire community.” 
 
Through her experience at Calvin, Pokharel says, she has been equipped to pursue this passion of working to help create healthier communities.