Rebekah Sayre: Artist Entrepreneur

Published January 31, 2017

Meet Rebekah Sayre, a junior Business Administration major from Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania.

“Business Administration initially attracted me because I hoped to bolster my art business,” she says. “The more I looked into the major, the more I realized it was a great blend of my interests and strengths. The versatility of the degree also opens doors into many other careers, which is an excellent perk in today’s job economy.”

Artist Entrepreneur

After taking private art lessons in high school, Sayre started taking commissions, primarily doing pet portraits in oil and portraits in charcoal, pastel or pencil. She invested in giclee prints of her original oil paintings and began selling them on Etsy and at art shows through Rebekah Sayre Studio. “The time and cost of investing in my own art business surprised me. It takes years of dedicated and intentional marketing to build up your name and gain a following,” she explains. “Once I became aware of the time and money starting my own business would require, I decided to pursue a degree that would compliment my ambitions, while also opening doors to other career paths.” She sought a degree in business to grow her studio and equip her to find a job outside of the studio as well.

Practical and Personal Business Experience

Sayre continues, “The business classes I’ve taken have always been very personal. The conversational style has led to great discussions because it creates a close-knit atmosphere that encourages questions. I believe this approach to teaching is rooted in my professor’s desire to get to know me as an individual, rather than just a student.

“Professor Bosket has a teaching style that has really allowed me to flourish. He highlights the unique way that each person learns, and he tailors classes and projects to help us grow to our fullest potential. I have been very encouraged to have a professor who is as interested in nurturing me as a person as he is in helping me achieve a grade.

“This semester I was given the opportunity to intern on campus with the Office of Institutional Advancement. Through this I have gained deeper relationships with staff and a better understanding of how Clarks Summit University operates. I’ve also been able to directly apply what I’ve learned, which has helped me translate concepts discussed in class into practical skills I can apply at work.”

Christ-Centered Learning

“The focus of my business classes has very evidently been Christ, she explains. “The ability to learn about different facets of business from a biblical perspective has been a true privilege. It has also allowed me to learn more about who I want to be, not only as a businesswoman, but as a Christian. From my work ethic, to my attitude, to my interactions with others in the business world, everything must be saturated with biblical integrity and reflective of the 1 Corinthians 10:31 charge to ‘do all for the glory of God.’

“God has grown me in so many ways since I came on campus two years ago! The greatest transformation has been in my interactions with the body of Christ. Through some key relationships and teachers, God showed me the joy of letting Him love others through me.

“When I graduate from CSU, I will not just walk away with a diploma, but with experiences and lessons that will apply to the rest of my life. The motto at CSU is ‘Christ Is at the Center of Everything We Do,’ and I can truly say that when I leave the classroom I am equipped with both academic knowledge and an underlying understanding of Christ’s influence in that area. During my CSU experience I have been encouraged to be first and foremost a follower of Christ–in my personal life, in the business world and beyond.”

Looking to the Future

Sayre’s favorite class so far has been Dynamics of Discipleship, an elective that intensely pushed her relationships with God and His church. She’s been a teacher’s assistant for this class for two semesters now, and she says, “Each time I learn something new that applies to my life as a whole and makes my relationship with God grow deeper.”

In addition to a student, teacher’s assistant and intern, Sayre is also a barista in the on-campus Underground Café and member of the Chapel Band. She serves in her local church as a singer on the worship team, janitor and youth group leader.

She hopes to work for a ministry or other non-profit that helps families and children, such as a crisis pregnancy center, adoption agency or foster home. As number nine of 11 kids raised in a Christ-centered home, she aspires to enable kids to have the same loving home life.