ORU: Where the Spiritual and the Academic Aren't Separated: Ariel Anderson's Path to Becoming a Christian Filmmaker

"Why did you choose ORU?"

This is the first question that's asked in a student interview. Usually, the answer, in some form or another, is "I chose ORU because …." Sometimes, however, a student-like Ariel Anderson-gives an unexpected answer.

"I did not want to go to ORU," Ariel said. "When I was looking at colleges, my sister was already enrolled here. It's the only university she wanted to attend. But I wanted a place where I could be my own person. ORU wasn't on my college list because my plan was to go anywhere but ORU."

Keep Your Heart and Mind Open

Ariel calls herself stubborn, so stubborn that her ORU visit only happened because she made a deal with her parents. The deal was this: she'd visit ORU but only if she could also visit a Christian university in California. Her parents agreed, and in holding up her end of the bargain, Ariel toured the ORU campus. Again, stubbornness won out.

"I stayed in the dorms overnight," Ariel said, "and everyone was talking about how amazing their visit had been. A lot of the girls felt a sense of peace being on campus, and they'd already decided to attend ORU. But I was still thinking, 'I'm definitely not going here.'"

Sometimes, what you think you want helps you decide what you really want. After ORU, Ariel flew to California, where she toured the other university. During this visit, the tour guide said the school would build up Ariel's academic "part" and her spiritual "part." It was a distinction that didn't sit well with Ariel's parents.

"I was an education," Ariel said, "separated from Jesus, and my parents didn't like that. The spiritual and the academic should not be separated. Together, they're a whole thing, which is what ORU's whole person education is about. The mistake I made was in thinking that I could go to any college as long as I had the Lord with me. Looking back, I can see that my mindset was all wrong. I should've been more open to ORU when I toured campus. When you keep your heart and mind open, you'll see what God has for you, and it might not be what you expected."

Which Side Do You Want to Be On?

For Ariel, the question isn't "Why did you choose ORU?" The better question is "Why are you here now?" As a Cinema and Media Arts major, Ariel's "why" is to become a better storyteller … a "whole" storyteller. It's like she said, the spiritual and the academic should not be separated.

"Here, we have an honor code," Ariel said, "so we have certain standards for the way we live. And within those standards, the purpose of our art, on some level, is to always glorify God. Some might think that because we create with values, our creativity is limited. It's actually the opposite; when you create with values, it strengthens your creativity. You're a better storyteller because staying true to your values can help you think outside the box."

At ORU, Ariel says the next generation of Christian filmmakers is being trained to think bigger and better. In class, film analysis looks at a variety of movies across different genres. The teaching is in-depth, but it always returns to the same thing … creating art that glorifies God.

"From different sources," Ariel said, "we learn things about lighting, sound, and camera work. As a storyteller, I've learned that if you tell a story about forgiveness, your character lighting might start off very dark. As the film goes on, you might then increase the lighting to show what's going on inside of the character's heart."

As a next-generation filmmaker, Ariel says Christian storytelling can be both redemptive and interesting, targeting the people who really need it. Art that glorifies God doesn't have to be boring, and it doesn't have to be overt. When it comes to Christian filmmaking, Ariel's goal is to both entertain and introduce people to Jesus.

"In terms of Christian storytelling," Ariel said, "I want to tell stories that are compelling and intricate but also, from a biblical standpoint, contain a deeper message. A scene might not talk about Jesus, but it'll still be about Jesus and Christian values. I think 'The Lord of the Rings' does this well. There's an obvious good, an obvious evil, and a lot of characters in between. That's a reflection of real life, and it asks this really important question, 'Which side do you want to be on?'"

A photo collage highlighting moments of AJ with his ORU friends.

Nationally Ranked, Globally Recognized

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 17 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor's level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. In 2024, the Carnegie Foundation recognized ORU with a "Leadership for Public Purpose" award, a distinction earned by only 25 universities nationwide. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 176 nations in the last 7 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.