Seventy-eight percent of students polled said they did not come to Multnomah Bible College expecting to get married by the time they graduated.

Seventy-seven percent of the women surveyed and 70 percent of the men did not expect to be married by graduation when they became a student at MBC. Eighty-one percent of returning students said that they do not intend to be engaged by graduation, compared to 65 percent of the 18-year-olds.

Kara Bushnell, a freshman, voiced the opinion of five of the 39 people who said they don't plan on getting married while in college. "[Marriage] is not why I came here," Bushnell said. "My focus was to grow closer to the Lord."

Twenty-six percent of the students polled said they are waiting on God's will. "No, I don't plan to be [engaged or married], but if God wants me to, I will," Ryan Smith, a freshman, said. "I'm not going to tell Him 'No.'"

Beth Coleman, a sophomore, said she did not come to MBC for the purpose of marriage. She was focused on her education.

Five women said they just didn't want to think about it. They considered so many other things when coming to college that marriage did not even cross their minds.

"It didn't hit me that there'd be a whole new world of people," Liz Spiger, a junior, said. "At freshman year orientation, I was disgusted with my female gender for continually looking for guys."

The men polled said that finding a wife should be taken seriously. "I don't think that's something you should expect," Mark Benshoof, a sophomore transfer, said.

Benshoof's idea hasn't differed since attending MBC. "Except that you should make people quit shopping. This isn't K-Mart. There are no 'blue light specials'!"

"I think that to come to a new place and expect someone to give you their whole life is pretty bold," Mike Deckon, an engaged senior, said. His views have not changed since attending MBC.

Tre Wilbanks said he is "single and bitter," but he does have expectations concerning marriage.

Hailey McAfee and Megan Ryland are not focusing on getting married while they attend Multnomah, but they feel pressure to think about marriage--being at MBC.

"I've thought about marriage more here than I have in my entire existence," Micah Stickler, freshman, said.

When Christa Weller came to MBC, she did not want to get married during college. She is now engaged and has changed her viewpoint. "I didn't want to be [married]," Weller said. "I actually met a guy that turned my world upside down."

"I'm a lot more open to getting married. I think of it as more of a possibility," Laura Wutzke, a sophomore, said. "But I'm not interested in dating unless God brings someone along."

Eleven people out of the 50 polled said that they expected to be married by the time they graduated from MBC. Two of the students came to Multnomah already in serious dating relationships. The others view MBC as a good place to find a spouse. Ryan Connole, a sophomore, wants to find "a woman who loves the Lord and wants to serve Him."

Other reasons students gave for finding a partner in college included being ready, being at the marrying age, and being around people who are also ready. Jacquie Wetmore, a freshman, said, "There's the obvious. It's 'bridal' college!"

Fifty people, men and women, were asked if they expected to be engaged or married by the time they graduated from Multnomah. They were also asked if their ideas concerning marriage had changed since attending MBC.