It is unlikely that history will record many of our names or the events of our lives in this same way. Yet when we look around the Union University campus day in and day out, we see people making an incredible difference. The goal of Union University is to become a Great Commandment University where we seek to love God with all our hearts and minds, and where we seek to love our neighbor as ourselves. Living out this commitment will enable us to think and live Christianly—to make a difference in the lives of those around us. Union faculty and staff daily make a difference in the lives of Union students, pouring their lives into the lives of students. Union faculty rigorously challenge students to think critically and Christianly, creating rewarding experiences of learning. Union’s 12-to-1 faculty-student ratio makes it possible for a Union education to be more than the delivery of content; it involves shaping character, developing competencies, and learning to see life from the vantage point of a Christian worldview. They are making a difference. Some faculty members are expanding their research beyond the classroom through publications and presentations. Works are beginning to flow from the pens of Union faculty members influencing thinking in spheres of nursing, education, business, history, literary studies, science, as well as biblical, ethical, and theological studies. This is making a difference. Union faculty and staff are involved in the life of the West Tennessee community. This can be seen in the memorial to the tornado victims, the work in the arts community, the partnerships with the Jackson symphony, the helping hands extended at the child abuse center and at the Star Center. The leadership of civic clubs in our area, with their many community strengthening projects, are sprinkled with Union personnel. They are making a difference. Week in and week out Union students leave this campus to lead DiscipleNow teams, to serve with Birth Choice, Youth Town, Young Life, and other important organizations. Many stu-dents give of their time to serve as tutors for younger children, to offer their services in neighborhoods, with the poor and homeless, with the elderly, and with others in need. Many give of their spring breaks and summers to serve in ministry and missionary settings. They are making a difference. Union trustees regularly offer their work, their wisdom, and their wealth to advance the mission of this university. They do so without remuneration or the need for reward. The Campus Master Plan and the capital campaign largely move forward because of the selfless involvement and leadership of Union trustees. On December 1, 2000 we celebrated the completion of Jennings Hall largely because of the generosity of time, talents, and monetary gifts from Union trustees. These trustees also have provided scholarships, opening the doors for Union students to pursue a Christ-centered education. Almost 200 students are enrolled this semester because of trustee enabled scholarships. These godly men and women are making a significant difference. The specifics of each one of these stories is worth telling. Some of these are included in the pages that follow in this issue of the Unionite. These stories could be multiplied by current students and former students, by those who now serve Union University and those who have gone before us. Johann Sebastian Bach inscribed on every piece of music the words: Soli Deo Gloria!, “To God alone be the glory!” It is that motivation that encourages us to make a difference in all that we think, do, and say. We give thanks today for those who are making a difference in the life of Union University and for those Unionites making a difference in the church, in the community, and in the world. Soli Deo Gloria
David S. Dockery |
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