Living Life Free

Sophomore Finance Major, Jack Dykema’s Unexpected Path to IWU

Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?

Jack Dykema had the perfect plan. His high school summer caddie job at a country club in Chicago, along with good grades, financial need and volunteer work as a special needs camp buddy made him a top pick for the Chick Evans Scholarship for Caddies. Receiving this scholarship meant free tuition, room, board, and a ticket into a scholarship house at Indiana University (IU).

He packed his bags full of excitement about a big college experience and the chance to study in the coveted Kelley School of Business.

But, sometimes, reality is not what you expect.

Walking into a class with 300 students, he quickly understood that professors could not invest in each student. But more concerning, Jack found that his living arrangement was not an environment that would encourage his growth as a Christian.

“It was very hard because it never crossed my mind that, ‘if this is bad, I’ll just drop the scholarship,’” said Dykema. “I was committed to IU, I loved the Kelley School of Business and the strength of academics. This was the start-up for my career, I thought. But within weeks, I had a sense that God was leading me on a new journey.”

After one semester, Jack walked away from the full-ride scholarship and transferred to Indiana Wesleyan University where he joined the IWU men’s golf team.

Upon reflection, Dykema says, “I believe God did gift me with the scholarship because it was an experience that I needed to have to gain a different perspective on life in general. To see how people who live in the dark have no idea what the light even is; that is the biggest thing that I have learned… I realized I’d be a hypocrite for keeping the scholarship and staying in this terrible environment for free tuition.”

Eight weeks after transferring, IWU classes went online due to COVID-19. “But I grew more in those eight weeks at IWU than I would have been able to in four years at IU,” explains Dykema. Being a part of athletics has given Jack a wonderful source of community.

“Everything about this place – community, Christianity, friends, golf, academics – is all just amazing,” said Dykema. “God’s timing is just perfect and it all works out for good.”

As a sophomore finance major, he is passionate about the mission of the IWU golf team. Their team philosophy is based on I Corinthians 9:19, “Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.” (NLT)

“The golf team travels a lot,” explains Dykema. “During each tournament our team’s top priority is to show Christ’s love and His light through all that we do—to show love to the people we meet along the way.” Playing the game with this mindset allows them to play “FREE” - Fearless, Relaxed, Engaged, and free to Enjoy the game.

In the end, the plan really did come together.

Dykema is playing free, growing in his relationship with Jesus, improving in the game of golf and looking forward to how God will use his love for numbers, love for people and skill as a golfer to impact this world for Christ.

Written by Jill Pederson

To hear more about how God is moving and using sports as a platform for His Kingdom please visit iwuwildcats.com/mia.