Finding Community for Life: Gracyn Oelke ’27

---

Gracyn Oelke ’27

A self-proclaimed extrovert, Gracyn Oelke ’27 loves to be with people. This love has prompted her to be involved with various organizations on campus that enable her to do just that. 

A chance personal connection with a Wheaton professor prior to enrolling shaped her trajectory at the College. Oelke, who has studied Spanish from a young age, met Senior Lecturer of Spanish Dr. Sharenda Barlar and her daughter while scoping out churches near the College. Barlar and her daughter, who was set to begin her Wheaton journey the same fall as Oelke would, were excited to learn about Oelke’s love for the Spanish language and easily convinced her to study Spanish at Wheaton and participate in the Wheaton in Spain program the College offers. 

Oelke decided to double-major, studying psychology along with Spanish, due to her fascination with psychology that began in high school. Now she’s a member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. She has had the opportunity to conduct research within the psychology graduate department, which enabled her to help a graduate student with their dissertation and a presentation at the Christian Association for Psychological Studies Conference in 2025. 

Oelke’s passion for psychology and Spanish is exceeded by her passion for people. The latter love made her want to apply to be a CLC, a Community Life Council member who works closely with the Residence Assistant, her sophomore year. She also applied to be a Deke, a campus tour guide, knowing she would enjoy that role. When she was selected to be a Deke instead of a CLC, Oelke felt disappointed since she hadn’t received her top choice. However, throughout the year, she realized she was in the role God wanted her to be in. “Being a CLC is very special because you get to pour into your floor community, but serving as a Deke helped me pour into a whole different community, prospective students,” Oelke said. “Some of those students are now like family to me.”

In her role as a Deke, Oelke enjoyed leading campus tours, sharing about her Wheaton experience with prospective students and their families, and hosting students in her dorm. “Being a Deke was one of the best years of my life,” Oelke shared. “I had so much fun sharing about my Wheaton experience and meeting so many young, bright students who were getting excited for college.” 

Since Oelke met those students, some of them have chosen to come to Wheaton, including one who is now serving as a Deke. “It’s been so heartwarming to see full circle moments and recognize how I actually helped play a role in someone’s decision to come to Wheaton,” said Oelke.

The team of Dekes Oelke worked with made her experience even sweeter. Through leading tours, hosting events like MyWheaton Days, and going on a retreat together, the team bonded and established community. Oelke and several of her female former teammates even plan to live together during their senior year. “We’re all still super close,” she said. 

The same love for people that compelled Oelke to be a Deke inspired her to join College Union (CU) during her junior year. She regularly attended events CU held, such as the annual GLO DANCE, talent show, Prez Ball, and Air Jam, and had been encouraged by previous CU members to apply for the team. Once she did, she knew she had made the right choice.

Oelke gained experience planning large-scale events, got to personally know various leaders on campus, and learned more about the importance of a team. “College Union has helped me realize the powerful impact a team makes on campus,” she said. “I also had no idea how important these events were to the student body. The events we put on help unify the student body and bring everyone together to make joyful, fun memories. Playing such a special role in contributing to that is a huge blessing.”

While Oelke has grown in practical skills, such as time management, through her student leadership experiences, she has also grown spiritually. Moments such as praying with prospective students on tours or with her team before events and gathering for devotionals at CU meetings have helped Oelke keep her eyes on Christ. Worshipping alongside her peers from across campus has also shaped her. “I’m so grateful for the opportunities we have to gather as a Christian community at chapel and All School Communion,” she said.

Anticipating life post-college, Oelke says she looks forward to taking this Wheaton community with her. “I’m so excited to see where my friends end up in 20 years,” she said with a smile. “I know I’ll have this Wheaton community for the rest of my life.”