Faith, Family and Forever Dutch
“When I was trying to decide on a college, I always wanted that smaller college feel. Seeing familiar faces around and actually getting to know people on a personal level was a huge part of coming to Central.”
— Brock Beck ’25
Hometown: Grinnell, Iowa
Major: Business Management
Scholarships: Mark and Kay De Cook Family Scholarship and Journey
Campus Activities: Men’s Wrestling, Campus Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, team leader for Service Day
Career Goal: Running the family construction company
Brock Beck ’25 has found a home away from home at Central College. Here, his faith has been ignited, a wrestling team has become family and countless opportunities await.
Hailing from Grinnell, Iowa, choosing Central was a natural fit for Beck. Central’s community feeling and personal touch have always appealed to Beck — not to mention a little nudge here and there from his dad, Chad Beck ’91. While staying close to home, Central has also allowed Beck the distance needed to step out on his own.
“When I was trying to decide on a college, I always wanted that smaller college feel,” Beck says. “Seeing familiar faces around and actually getting to know people on a personal level was a huge part of coming to Central.”
Campus activities such as his involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and The Calm, a weekly worship service sponsored by Campus Ministries, have been instrumental in his own faith development.
“Coming out of high school I had faith, but it wasn’t a big part of my life,” Beck says. “Here at Central, my faith has become part of my everyday life. I have people guiding me along the way and showing me the route. And that has made such a difference in my life.”
One of those key individuals is Matt Diehl ’87, assistant wrestling coach and Student Support Services program coordinator. Not only has he helped Beck grow deeper in his faith, but also connected that faith to other areas of passion in his life like wrestling.
For Beck, being part of the wrestling team is more than just an activity to be involved in. It’s given him the opportunity to make new, lifelong connections.
“Being part of the wrestling team has introduced me to so many friends and family over the years,” Beck says with a smile. “Those are the guys I hang out with the most. We eat together and do everything together, like showing support for other activities across campus. It’s a real family type of feeling.”
In the classroom, Beck’s interest in business started back even before his time at Central.
“Deciding what I wanted to major in was something I had always thought about in high school,” Beck says. “I thought of a few other majors, but in coming to Central I landed on business, seeing so much potential for myself. There are a lot of opportunities such as internships, and I would love to stay in Pella over the summer.”
Outside of his major courses, Beck has really enjoyed his time in other classes as well.
“At Central, you get to meet professors from different fields that aren’t your major,” Beck says. “And that has allowed me to make other connections with professors that I look forward to going into class with every day.”
The connections Beck has made with his professors bring a deep appreciation for the mentoring environment at Central.
“Central puts you in a good spot to succeed,” he says. “Students and professors are close. Professors are willing to guide you and take you under their wing. They show you what you need to do to be successful.”
The one word Beck uses to describe Central is “opportunities” — whether that be in the classroom learning from those professors or getting involved in other activities on campus and throughout the community.
“Find out more about yourself,” Beck says. “Don’t be afraid to take a visit. Talk to people, learn from their perspective and just follow your heart.
“At Central, I see how individuals find something and run with it. They find their passion here. That’s something I’m really looking forward to finding out more about for myself in the coming years — knowing how that will impact me in whatever my next step in life might be.”