JACKSON, Tenn. — Aug. 17, 2018 — Parents, faculty, staff and students filled the parking lots at Union University Friday morning as they helped about 450 new students move into student housing at the start of Welcome Week.
For Kennedy Ward, a new freshman from Cairo, Georgia, being swarmed by new people to help her move in was the perfect way to kick off her time at Union.
“I’m very much a social butterfly, so I’m excited to meet new people and to be in a completely new environment,” she said.
Ward is a fourth generation Union student, and she said she initially ran from Union because she wanted to blaze her own trail and not go to the family school.
“I was asking God to send me to a place where I can thrive in a Christian atmosphere and grow in my faith and my education,” she said. “God kept working on my heart, and he just showed me that that place was Union.”
Ward will be studying political science at Union, and she said she can’t wait to get going on those classes. Being from southern Georgia, she said she is also hoping to see some snow.
Anders Rider, a student from McKenzie, Tennessee, said Union was his first and only choice when he was looking at colleges.
“It’s close to home, but more importantly it’s a faith-based learning environment,” Rider said. “That’s really important to what I’m studying.”
Rider is majoring in cell and molecular biology and hopes to go on to medical school after graduating. He said he is excited to get settled at Union and explore everything the campus has to offer.
Stacie Bailey of Nashville will be studying applied linguistics at Union. She said the Christian environment was also significant in her choice to attend the university.
“I wanted to be in a place that was centered around Christ because I know that’s where I need to grow most,” she said. “That’s the kind of community I need around me.”
The new students will participate in Welcome Week activities over the next few days before classes begin for all students Aug. 21.