During Union's first Founders Day celebration,
President David S. Dockery unveiled a historical painting that captures Union's rich heritage. The work was painted by
Robert Nettles. Legend
Union celebrated Founders Day
for the first time in the
University’s history, Feb. 8.
Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr.,
President of The Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary,
led the service with an
address about Union’s historical
impact on the Southern
Baptist Convention.
Baptist colleges and seminaries
have a “responsibility to
perpetuate legacy of Christian
teaching in critical, turning
point times,” Mohler said. He
encouraged a reclamation of the traditions established
early in the life of
Baptist higher education.
As the oldest institution of
higher education in the
Southern Baptist
Convention, Union’s found-ing
principles played a
unique role in shaping the
face of Baptist higher education
today, Mohler
asserted.
Designed to become an
annual event in University
life, Founders Day was
established so that the Union
community could continually
celebrate its long and rich heritage
of providing a liberal arts
education in a Christian context.
Founders Day tradition is
“appropriate for this juncture in our history. As we contemplate
our 175-year history,
Founders Day will help us to
identify the major streams of
thought and influential persons
who have shaped Union into
what it is today.”
“As we move into the
future,” Dockery said, “learning
from our
past gives us a greater appreciation
for the heritage on which
we stand today.”
Founders Day will be celebrated
annually at the opening
chapel service of each spring
semester. Dr. James Baggett,
former Dean of the College of
Arts and Sciences and retired
Professor of History at Union,
will speak at next year’s celebration.
The event will coincide with
Baggett’s release of a new and
complete history of Union.
Kimberly Thornbury joined Union University
as its Dean of Students at the beginning of
the spring semester. Kimberly is joined by her
husband, Greg, who is Instructor of Christian
studies at Union.
The Thornburys come to
Union from The Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary in Louisville, Ky., where Kimberly
was Director
of Student Life. Her new role as Dean of
Students involves direction of Union’s
Student Services department, which includes
campus life, housing, career services and
other areas. Prior to her work as Director of
Student Life, Kimberly was Southern’s
Coordinator of Student Activities for three
years.
“Kimberly is a multi-talented administrator
who will make an immediate positive impact
on the Union student body. We are blessed indeed
to have her join our leadership team,”
Dockery says.
Working on her doctorate, Kimberly
expects to earn her
Ph.D. in organizational leadership from Regent
University in Virginia Beach, Va. by May
2000. Kimberly received a Bachelor of Arts
from Messiah College and a Master of Arts
from the University of Louisville. During her
studies at Messiah, Kimberly worked as a
radio producer, disc jockey and Promotions
Director for WVMM
FM 90.7 in Grantham, Penn.
Union’s School of Nursing will
begin the 1999-2000 academic
year with new leadership. Dr.
Susan Jacob begins her role as
Dean this summer, replacing Dr.
Carla Sanderson (‘81) who
became Provost in February
1998.
Jacob has taught at the
University of Memphis’
Loewenberg School
of Nursing since 1984. She is
most widely known in Tennessee
for her early involvement in the
development of hospice programs
in Memphis and her
research in grief and bereavement.
She was instrumental in
the development of Methodist
Alliance. Methodist
Alliance was the
first hospice program in
Memphis and the second in the
state of Tennessee.
Most recently Jacob has co-authored
and co-edited a major
nursing textbook, Contemporary
Nursing: Issues, Trends and
Management, which was
released earlier this year. The
book contains
a chapter written by Union’s
Provost Carla Sanderson; titled
“Ethical issues in nursing and health care.” Sanderson previously
served Union as Dean of
Nursing.
“There is no nurse educator
more suitable to become the
next Union University School of
Nursing dean than Dr. Susan
Jacob,” Sanderson said. “Dr.
Jacob is a scholar,
a scientist and a compassionate
Christian. What a blessing to
know that one who is so well
respected across our state and
region is
coming to invest all that she is
in Union.”
In other academic news, Jim
Patterson will join Union’s faculty
as Professor of Christian
Studies. Patterson has taught at
Mid-America Theological
Seminary in Memphis, Tenn., the
International Academy
of Modern Knowledge in
Obninsk, Russia, The Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary in
Louisville, Ky., and the Princeton
Theological Seminary, where he
received his
doctorate. At the beginning of the
spring semester, Barbara Perry
began work as Union’s Director
of the Master
of Business Administration pro-gram
on the Jackson campus.
Perry coordinates the administrative
aspects of
the MBA program, recruits students
and performs the duties
of an assistant professor.
Before coming to Union, she
was the director of the Success
Program at Bethel College
in McKenzie, Tenn.
Perry received her undergraduate
degree at the
University of Michigan and her
master’s degree at Robert
Morris University in Pittsburgh,
Penn.
Mark Campbell will be the
Lady Bulldog’s new Head Coach
beginning next season. Campbell
has served as Assistant Coach
for the men’s basketball team
for the past five seasons.
Campbell will take over the
women’s basketball program
after
the retirement of Head Coach
David Blackstock. Blackstock
has spent 17 seasons leading
the Lady Bulldogs and will be
stepping down from coaching
but remain at Union as Athletic
Director and Instructor.
“To follow the lofty standard
set by David Blackstock is
both
a challenge and a privilege for
any young coach,” Union
President
David S.
Dockery said. “Mark Campbell’s
overall commitment to Christ-centered
excellence, his knowledge
of the game of basketball,
and his love for Union University
make him an ideal candidate for
the head women’s
basketball coaching position.”
Campbell is a 1994 graduate
of David Lipscomb University
with a Bachelor of Arts in history.
Campbell also received a
Master of Education from Union
in 1996. At Lipscomb, Campbell
currently ranks 12th in all-time
scoring and scored over 1,500
points in his career as a Bison.
After redshirting his freshman
season,
Campbell helped guide the team
to five national tournaments, a
129-19 four-year record and a
national record of 42 wins in a
season.
The University kicked off its
inaugural Union Forum luncheon
series with Stephen Carter, popular
author and Yale University
Professor, and Kyle Rote Jr.,
former professional
soccer player and now
one of the nation’s premiere
sports agents.
Designed to be a forum for
lively conversation with the
nation’s leaders and thinkers,
the Union Forum will host two
speakers each spring.
Stephen Carter opened this
year’s series, March 5, in
Union’s Coburn Dining Room. He
spoke on one of his most recent
books, “The Culture of
Disbelief.”
Carter — called “one of
America’s leading public intellectuals”
by The New York Times
— is a former Law Clerk to
Supreme Court Justice Thurgood
Marshall. He is widely known for
his books on politics, integrity,
religion and race. Both Civility ,
published in 1998, and The
Culture of Disbelief , published in
1993, have received favorable
reviews in The New York Times.
An African-American, Carter
established himself as a
spokesperson on contemporary
issues in 1991 with his first
book, Reflections of an
Affirmative Action Baby. He has
since been interviewed at length
on “The MacNeil/Lehrer
Newshour” and has been the
subject of debate for many
political columnists.
Known for his past success
with the Houston Hurricanes,
Rote is now the CEO of Athletic
Resource Management, Inc., a Memphis-based sports agency
that represents about 70 pro
athletes, including NBA
player Scottie Pippen and NFL
Pro Bowl Star Reggie White.
Rote has also become a popular
motivational speaker. His
current speaking schedule
includes AT&T, Polaroid, IBM and
Pillsbury. Rote has appeared in
several films, including “The
Flying Scotsman,” the documentary
sequel to the Oscar-winning
“Chariots of Fire” and
“More Than Winning.”
Value, self-worth and faith in
God should play as big a role in
college life as pizza, late nights
and cram sessions, Frank Lewis
said at Union University's Spring
Bible Conference, April 8 and 9.
Lewis, pastor of First Baptist
of Nashville, was the featured
speaker at this year's conference,
"Discovering Your Personal
Worth."
Focusing on the book of
Philemon, Lewis emphasized the
need for an academic and spiritual
mentor. "Students are in
such a moldable, stretchable
time of life right now," Lewis
said, as he recalled influential
professors at college and seminary.
Offering and accepting forgiveness
freely are other essentials
for college students, Lewis
said. "Everyone is hurt or will
hurt someone at some point in
life.
Forgiveness is the key.
"Above all, students should realize
their worth in God's eyes, Lewis said. "The person in the
mirror is valuable," Lewis asserted.
"God redeemed you. He
saved you. He made you the
way He wanted you to be."
 Barbara McMillin and Karen
McWherter were honored May 10
for their outstanding contribution
to
the University.
McMillin, chair
of the department
of English and associate professor
of English, was named Faculty
Member of the Year. She joined the
Union faculty in 1992.
 Before coming to Union,
McMillin taught at Northeast
Mississippi Community College,
Blue Mountain College and the
University of Mississippi.
McMillin is a graduate of
Northeast Mississippi Community
College with an associate of arts.
She graduated from Union with a
bachelor of arts in English and
received her master of arts and doctor
of arts in English from the
University of Mississippi. McWherter
(‘81), director of administrative computing, was honored as Staff
Member of
the Year. She has
been with Union
since 1981.
The spring 1998 issue of The Torch
recently received a gold medal award from
the Columbia Scholastic Press Association
based at Columbia University in New York
City. The Torch is the Union University literary
arts magazine.
In addition to the gold medal, The Torch
received two All-Columbian Citations for its
concept and design. This award is based on
the careful review and judging of many other
college literary journals from around the
country.
A panel of independent judges evaluated
each entry in four areas that included concept,
content, design and creativity. The
spring 1998 edition received the highest possible score in the area of design and nearly
perfect scores in all other categories.
The editor of the award-winning issue was
Union senior Tobie Hannah, who is now a
graduate student at Penn State University.
The rest of
the staff was comprised of Emily Wiltshire,
Wendy Wexler, Melissa Sanders, Jonathan
Hickey and
Adam Hasty.
The graphic designers were
Ron Picard and Robyn Jones. Tabitha
Glowacki served as Art Editor
and Mike Atkisson as Photographer. Bobby
Rogers, Associate Professor
of English, is Faculty Sponsor.
General Colin L. Powell, USA
(Ret.), former chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff and Gulf War general,
will speak at Union University's
Third Annual Scholarship Banquet,
to be held on Veteran's Day,
Nov. 11, at the Jackson Civic
Center.
Last year's Scholarship Banquet
featured Lady Margaret Thatcher,
former Prime Minister of Great
Britain. The event raised approximately
$225,000 for scholarship
support of Union students.
General Powell served as chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff —
the highest military position in the
Department of Defense — from
1989 to 1993. During this time
he oversaw 28 crises, including
Operation Desert Storm in the victorious
1991 Persian Gulf War.
"General Colin Powell is recognized
around the world as a great
leader, and we count it a genuine
privilege and honor to host General
Powell at our Third Annual Scholarship Banquet. It will also be
a special treat to have this
American hero in Jackson on
Veteran's Day," Union
President David S. Dockery said.
The Union Scholarship Banquet
is sponsored by the university's
Board of Presidential Associates, an
organization whose members support
the mission and work of the
university. Participation in
the banquet will be available
through a series of sponsorship levels,
ranging from $15,000 to
$1,000. BancorpSouth of Jackson is
the Lead Sponsor of this year's event.
"BancorpSouth (formerly
Volunteer Bank) has been a part of
this community for over 100 years.
As Jackson-Madison County has
grown and prospered, so have we.
Our sponsorship of Union's
Scholarship Banquet is our way of
saying thanks to Jackson for its
support," Bill Buckley, President of
BancorpSouth-Jackson Division, asserted.
In addition to the Lead Sponsor,
several Premier Sponsors have
made commitments to the event.
They include Benny and Norma
Fesmire, FirstBank, Jack and Zan
Holmes, Carl and Alice Kirkland, Ted
and Tricia Nelson, Porter-Cable,
Union Planters Bank of Jackson and
Roy White.
General Powell is chairman of
America's Promise-The Alliance for
Youth,
a national crusade to improve the
lives of our nation's young people.
The movement was established at
the Presidents' Summit for
America's Future in Philadelphia in
April 1997 and was endorsed by
every
living United States president.
For additional information about
the Scholarship Banquet and sponsorships,
contact Union's Office of
Institutional Advancement at (901)
661-5050 or
1-800-338-6644.
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