After graduating from high school a year ahead of his class, Moses DeHart was still unsure of what direction he wanted to go in life. When the school of his dreams ended up being too costly, he finally gave in to his parents’ nudging to just take one visit to Cairn. It was during that visit that he met Dr. Harding, and he knew that God wanted him at Cairn.
“I was shocked,” Moses said in reaction to Dr. Harding’s enthusiasm over his banjo-playing interest, “I thought that Cairn was a place that only accepted the ‘tight-laced’ classical stuff, and I assumed that they wouldn’t even want an oddity like me.” Knowing that he could keep his grass-rooted musical style, along with a financial package that made tuition more than affordable, DeHart began his journey at Cairn. “I feel that my worship of God has been deepened by studying the mechanics of music. Understanding the depth and complexities in just one group of notes reminds me of studying anatomy; with both of these studies you gain so much more appreciation for God’s creativity.”
DeHart’s interests though could hardly be attributed solely to music. In addition to a BA in Music, DeHart will also be graduating with a degree in Bible, a passion that is reflected in his role as the president of the Student Theological Society (STS). DeHart commented that he appreciates the “biblical integration [that] is drilled into my classes,” and that this interdisciplinary nature of the university allows for a non-pastoral major to benefit from or even be in charge of STS.
Off campus, DeHart also enjoys the opportunities for discipleship that come from learning and teaching trade skills. He has spent the past three summers teaching welding to high school students in Philadelphia’s Hunting Park section, providing a sustainable job opportunity for underprivileged teens to explore. “That is something I love doing,” he said, “I think there are so many connections between the Gospel and teaching practical skills. It is something that I love doing, and I will continue to do after I graduate from Cairn.”