Ramsey-Michelle Pruitt- "Only love can break the barriers of pride and arrogance."

“I am a people person.” This phrase is often overused as an attempt to prove our interpersonal skills. But how many of us can say that we truly, unconditionally LOVE people?

Ramsey-Michelle Pruitt has a heart for people that is easily recognizable. Now in her junior year at College of the Ozarks, Ramsey brightens the world around her with a cheerful smile, positive attitude, and genuine kindness.

We found Ramsey behind the desk at the Dean of Work office, where she works as a part of the C of O work program. As she began to open up about her views on leadership, she shared about learning from life mistakes and her faith in God’s influence in her life.

“God has been guiding me since I was small. There is nothing more amazing than looking back throughout my life and seeing His hand in everything that I have experienced.”

As a child, Ramsey was anything but the sweet, demure young woman that people know her as today. Her frequent tantrums and fits would cause distress within her family and even earned her a very special nickname.

“When my moods would come on, my sister would always refer to me as VCR, which meant ‘violent child Ramsey’. We laugh about it now, but at the time, it was all too true. I was the youngest of six children, which was an adventure in itself.”

Ramsey accepted the Lord at age six and things began to change. The next stage of her life proved to be memorable, but unfortunately, it was for all of the wrong reasons.

“Things really started to fall apart after I got saved. My family was in turmoil and unimaginable things just kept happening to us. When I tell about all that we went through, most people think that my faith would have waivered. Honestly though, it only strengthened my relationship with God because I knew that I had Him to lean on through it all.”

After being homeschooled for her entire life, Ramsey began public school for her freshman year of high school. Her Christian faith was still something she loudly professed, but she soon realized that others were not as welcoming of her personal beliefs.

“When I started high school, I wanted be bold and strong in my faith. I remember looking at my situation from the perspective of Peter and thinking ‘I can do that.’ As it turns out, people do not really respond to the boldness of Peter in a 21^st century American high school.”

Challenged by the opinions of her peers, Ramsey began to reconsider her approach to leadership. After prayer and consideration, she refocused her goals to better reach the hurting and lost people of today’s society.

“I started to see a leader as a person who loves above all else. Leadership is not about forcing your convictions on others. It is not about right or wrong choices, but about following Jesus and displaying his love to everyone we come in contact with.”

This new perspective changed Ramsey and the remainder of her time in high school. As graduation was approaching, she began to consider C of O as an option for college.

“I loved the idea of a college where you could work and graduate debt free. We decided to make a visit, and although I really liked the campus, I still was unsure about being there. Honestly, it was the 

Patriotic Travel Program that sealed the deal for me. As I researched it more, I started to realize what an amazing place C of O was that they would support a program like that. It as completely a God thing!”

Once coming to College of the Ozarks, Ramsey set three goals for herself: become a Character Camp Mom, be a camp counselor at Camp Lookout, and participate in the Patriotic Travel Program. Since then, she has accomplished all three goals on her list, but she does not take the credit for herself.

Ramsey has especially fond memories from the Patriotic trip she took to England in May of this year. She says she will always remember the Veterans and what they taught her about war, sacrifice, and life.

“In America, we are encouraged to have this love for country, and although America is wonderful, it really is the people that make it great. We have all that we have because of those who served. I went on the trip expecting a swell of American pride, but instead I developed an intense love for these men and who they are. The best way to thank them is to love them like Christ loves us.”

In the future, Ramsey is keeping her options open to whatever God may be calling her to do. Her major in Biblical and Theological Studies with a Christian Ministries emphasis will prove to be helpful in many different career opportunities.

“I had always felt very passionate about working with women who are enslaved, specifically overseas. But lately, I have felt God really calling me to broaden my goals. Now I am looking for any opportunity to help hurting people. It is all about bringing the hope of Christ to those who have none.”

As she continues to develop her leadership skills, Ramsey is determined to stay down to earth and true to herself.     

“I will always try to be upfront about my flaws, even in leadership. I mess up all of the time, but it is okay because of the love and grace of God. Honestly, remembering that helps to keep me humble. Only love can break the barriers of pride and arrogance.”