Looking Ahead: Getting There From Here

In this issue of the Unionite you will see a brief reflection on the past year at Union University. It has been a year filled with the blessings of God, many of which are highlighted in the pages that follow. During this year new programs, new structures, new personnel, and new directions have been introduced on the Union campus. Yet many of these new initiatives, such as the Lexington Inn Snack Bar, are a direct tie to Union's past, symbolic of our commitment to develop "institutional memory" as we move forward together.

Day after day I am impressed by the quality, ability, and commitment of Union University students. It is so exciting to contemplate the impact many of them will have on our society in future days. Each day I offer thanks to God for a faculty and staff devoted to excellence, undergirded by their Christian convictions. What a joy to serve at a place like this that is rigorously academic and unapologetically Christian.

As we look back not only on this past year but the great 175 year heritage of Union University, we simultaneously look forward to God's continued guidance and blessings ahead. Central to that forward look is the new Campus Master Plan, which will begin initial implementation in 1998.

As we celebrate the past we ask that you join us in thanking God for His blessings identified in the following pages. For every act of service, for every gift, large or small, for every contribution of time and energy to the mission of Union University, we offer our deep gratitude.

Building on the work of the past eighteen months we look forward to exciting days. Will you join with us in your prayers and support as we seek:

To commit ourselves to a common University-wide vision for Union in the 21st century.
To develop a commitment to the Great Commandment, its implications and applications across the University.
To develop an ongoing University-wide ethos shaped by a commitment to a Christian world view resulting in the integration of faith and learning so as to produce a generation of students who will be servant leaders and change agents in the world.
To enhance relationships with Union's various constituencies and publics, particularly the Jackson community and the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
To create an expectation of continuous improvement in all aspects of University life.
To continually focus on the core values of the University: being excellence-driven, Christ-centered, people-focused, and future-directed.
To maintain faithfulness to the heritage of academic excellence and Christian commitment in liberal arts education as well as professional programs.
To build on Union's long history while developing a greater sense of institutional memory throughout the University to help wed our future with our past.

In that regard please join us for Homecoming 1998 this February for a wonderful time of celebration, thanksgiving, and reflection on God's goodness to this great University. I will look forward to seeing you then!

Reflections and Great Expectations