Cole Dorman, a member of the class of 2023, began his Warner Pacific journey in 2021 when he was looking to further his education after receiving his associate degree from community college. “What intrigued me about Warner Pacific was the in-person classes. I missed the in-person learning experience. I was looking at some bigger universities, but it seemed like all the classes were going to be held online based upon the number of students enrolled,” Cole said. “Additionally, my mom, uncle, and aunt are all alums of Warner Pacific. My mom, Alissa Dorman ’97, encouraged me to reach out and find out more about the school.”
He enrolled at Warner Pacific for the fall 2021 semester and decided to major in Business Administration. “I knew I wanted to major in Business Administration because I always liked math, statistics, and numbers.”
During his last semester at Warner Pacific, Cole was one of the business interns. “He was one of the most faithful, consistent workers we’ve ever had,” said Dr. Ulf Spears, Dean of the Business Division. “He was always thoughtful, asked questions, very professional, and always communicated.” As part of the internship, Cole tutored students in business and math, helped nursing students and any students that needed help with their work, and assisted with various projects for the Business Division.
Cole received a job offer only a few weeks after graduation at HomeStreet Bank as a Customer Service Representative II. His plan is to continue working in this role while assisting his uncle in coaching basketball for his cousin’s high school team. “Eventually I might decide to become a financial advisor, but I am waiting to see how this year goes and where my path leads me,” he said.
Cole mentioned that Dr. LaToya Seawood was his biggest influence during his time at WPU. She taught two HR classes that Cole had. “She spoke at chapel a few times and I was inspired by her testimony and the way she described how God has moved in her life from when she was college until now.”
For Cole, this meant a lot as Faith plays a big part in his life. “I grew up going to church, so faith has always been a part of my life,” said Cole. He said he could really see a positive trajectory in the faith life at Warner Pacific when Lorenzo Peterson (“Pastor Zo”) joined the staff as University Chaplin. “Pastor Zo pushes people out of their comfort zone, and he is good at breaking through the darkness of life. He brings light and truth to the light in every student he comes across at Warner Pacific,” said Cole.
In his advice for upcoming seniors, Cole says, “I recommend starting the job search early while you’re in college. Some helpful advice I received is don’t limit yourself to the jobs you apply for. Also, don’t be discouraged if you don’t meet all the qualifications.”
One thing Cole is most proud of from his time at WPU is increasing his GPA from his first two years at community college to his last two years at WPU. He also received the Dean’s Award for Academic Achievement in Business for the 2022-2023 academic year. “At the end of the day, all glory goes to God for bringing me through the Pandemic and giving me the perseverance to keep on continuing,” Cole stated.