Welcome to Rocky

During this season of Lent, we spend time in preparation, participating with Jesus in his time of preparation for temptation. Jesus was led to the wilderness by the Spirit of God in order that he would be prepared for the temptation in store for him. Lent allows us time to identify with Jesus, to prepare ourselves, to know Christ so that we might know ourselves.

But the wilderness is not a comfortable place.

The wilderness is a challenging thing in the scripture. The people of Israel spent a generation in the wilderness, waiting to enter the promised land. They endured hardship, hunger, thirst, and deprivation. And they learned, slowly, how to follow God and rely on Him. In the story of Jesus, he fasted for forty years, depriving himself of food and water to commune more closely with His Father. The wilderness he entered was the beginning of a trial but was also preparation for a trial. It may have been a time when God was quieter. But Jesus never forgot that it was God who led him there in the first place.

The wilderness is a metaphor we use fairly regularly when we feel like God is distant, like we aren’t able to see what’s coming. It has other names, like a time of silence, or a dark night of the soul, but they all mean the same thing: a time or place of God’s quiet and our struggle. It is a time where we can feel like life is too hard, too heavy, and God isn’t caring. But the time in the wilderness can also be a time where we seek the presence of God more strongly, with greater desire and longing. 

The wilderness provided the people of Israel a time to learn who they were and who their God was. They struggled through, and entered the promised land.

The wilderness provided Jesus a time to seek the face of his Father. It gave him time to lean into the identity he’d just heard from his Father: “this is my Son, whom I love. With him I am well pleased.”

The wilderness provides us a time to know our God and to know ourselves. It allows us time to pause, to drown out the many voices around us with silence, and to hear the affirmation of God that we are His children, who He loves. It allows us to hear the pleasure in His voice when He speaks to us, even in the quiet.

The wilderness can be a time of testing, but it can also be a time of blessing. This Lent, spend some time in quiet. Stop listening to your stomach, your phone, and all the other voices that intrude. Instead, hear the voice of your Father, who speaks His love over you. 

All the best,

President Rev. Dr. Mike Swalm

Joining Rocky Mountain College has felt like a perfectly timed next step in my career; an opportunity to steward my finance and operational experience well while bringing early improvements that save time, increase clarity, and better support our faculty and staff.

Over the years, my career has taken me across industries and leadership roles, with a strong focus on finance, operations, strategy, and organizational growth. While those experiences sharpened my skills, they also clarified something important for me: success is most meaningful when it aligns with values and passion. I’ve always been drawn to environments where people matter, where integrity is non-negotiable, and where work contributes to something bigger than individual achievement.

Rocky Mountain College stood out to me because it embodies those principles. From my earliest conversations with the leadership team, it was clear that this was a community grounded in faith, excellence, and a genuine commitment to developing both character and competence. I was inspired by the College’s mission to equip students not only with academic knowledge, but also with quality Christian learning and confidence needed to lead with purpose in the world.

As Vice President of Operations, I have the privilege of supporting the systems, people, and processes that allow our faculty and students to thrive. My role spans budgeting and forecasting, writing and rewriting policies, operational planning, and ensuring that the College continues to grow sustainably while remaining true to its mission. What motivates me most is knowing that the work I do behind the scenes directly impacts the staff and student experience and helps create an environment where learning, faith, and leadership can flourish.

Outside of work, my greatest joy is my family. I love spending time with my husband and our boys, whether that’s fellowshipping at our Church, New Covenant Assembly (NCA) here in Calgary, traveling/planning my next trip, enjoying a good romantic movie, or sharing a quiet meal together. I also truly value connecting with friends, sharing meaningful conversations, and laughter . These moments keep me grounded and constantly remind me why values-based leadership matters because the legacy we build at work should reflect the values we live at home.

Joining Rocky Mountain College has been both a professional milestone and a personal calling. I’m grateful to be part of a community that leads with faith, invests in people, and believes deeply in shaping leaders who will make a meaningful difference. I look forward to continuing this journey together and contributing to the impactful work God is doing through this institution.

Our unique model of education allows us to celebrate our graduates individually, and this month we celebrate Laura Petrillo, whose graduation ceremony took place in Abbotsford, BC, earlier in February. It was a great privilege to visit British Columbia to recognize Laura’s hard work and dedication alongside her friends and relatives.

Laura was a partner student with Lifeteams (one of RMC’s partner organizations) before graduating from Rocky with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services.

Please join with us in praying for Laura as she steps into the next chapter God has already written for her. We wish her God’s richest blessings as she pursues His call on her life to bless the world for the sake of His kingdom!

Discover our Human Services programs, designed to equip students with practical counselling skills and a strong foundation for supporting individuals, families, and communities. Explore certificate, diploma, and degree pathways that prepare graduates for meaningful careers in areas like addictions counselling, mental health support, and community services.

Your donation to Rocky Mountain College directly empowers students to achieve their goals and create lasting impact in their communities. With your support, we can continue to foster Christian education, growth, and leadership for tomorrow’s trailblazers. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps shape the future of higher learning and transforms lives.

Lifeteams offers a one year program that is accredited by Rocky Mountain College.
Upon completion, this year worth of studies can be applied towards a program at
Rocky Mountain College.

• Pray for our upcoming open house, that we would celebrate well together what God has donePray that our new recording studio would produce incredible content.

• Pray for our Board of Governors as we meet at the end of March, that we would make Godly decisions as we direct RMC

• Pray for our Course Developers as they work to refresh and renew courses to bless our students long into the future