Okay, next up is Antwon. A first-generation college student who is studying to become a registered nurse. Antwon shares his story of being nervous about having what it takes to become a nurse, but due to the encouragement of his professors, Antwon has seen his dream come true. Take it away, Antwon.
– Thank you for the intro, Alex. I knew from an early age that I wanted to go into the medical field and help others, but I was never exposed to the college decision-making process. On my first visit here, I really enjoyed how welcoming everyone was and the peaceful energy that seemed to surround the entire campus. I was nervous that as a first generation college student, I didn’t have what it took to make it through the nursing program, but the faculty and staff made me feel confident that I would be prepared to take the NCLEX, which is the national licensing exam. More than 95% of Carson-Newman nursing students pass the NCLEX on their first attempt. I’m thankful for my professors who have been there to push me further than I ever thought that I could go. An exciting addition coming to our campus in 2023 is the Drama & Ted Russell Center. This center will serve as the future hub for the nursing program. We will have access to additional classrooms, simulation labs, health assessment labs, and general skills labs. The nursing program at Carson-Newman helped me realize my full potential. Waking up early for clinicals and staying up late can be challenging, but is a part of the process. And I know that in the end I will be well-educated, and in the mission of a Christian university prepared to make an impact on the healthcare system. Back to you, Alex.
– Thanks, Antwon. I’m sure you and all the other nursing students are excited about the new health sciences center and all it will bring to campus. And speaking of the other nursing students, a big congratulations is in order on your NCLEX pass rate. That’s amazing. Well done.
Okay, everyone next, let’s meet Taylor whose love for children led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in child and family studies. As you will hear her explain, family and consumer sciences has five unique majors, depending on your area of interest. So let’s head over to the child development lab. Take it away. Taylor.
– Thanks Alex. Hey, y’all I’m Taylor. And when you first go off to college, it can be a little scary, but it’s important to find your home on your new campus. At Carson-Newman, I found my home through the Family and Consumer Sciences Department. One of my favorite things about this department is the community that I’ve built through my classes and labs. In fact, one of my professors always prays with us at the beginning of every class. This really means a lot, And I think shows how much professors care about us. My major includes an emphasis in early childhood education. Programs for Young Children is a course where I met many new people while experiencing the opportunity to interact with children in a preschool lab. In the Child Development Lab, students observe the physical, social, and emotional development of preschoolers. My favorite part is getting the chance to create different learning centers and activities for the kids. Other labs that give FCS students hands-on learning experiences include the Foods and Nutrition Lab in Duncan hall. I loved both of these labs because you get to learn the basics of food preparation and learn to cook great food. Also team building and time management skills are incorporated into both of these labs, which is important for any FCS major. In addition to early childhood education and foods and nutrition, FCS offers majors in interior design and fashion design. And no matter your major, you get to complete an internship course your senior year. I’m confident the FCS department is preparing me to become an amazing leader, communicator, and role model in my future career. That’s all for me. Back to you, Alex
– Taylor, I know your enthusiasm and personality will lead you to great success in your future and what a beautiful facility in which you get to learn. That was amazing. Thanks again for that.
From operation in as much where hundreds of students, faculty, and staff volunteer to help others, to Carson-Newman’s own Appalachian outreach program, which provides basic needs to families in the region, serving others is part of the DNA of Carson-Newman University. With that in mind, let’s meet Rita, a psychology and political science double major whose dream has always been to get a college degree. Rita has done so much at Carson-Newman, even starting an organization seeking to empower immigrant students like herself. Next, Rita will tell us a bit about the life of a student, and the opportunity she has had to engage in things that are important to her. Rita. Please take it away.
– Thank you for that introduction, Alex, when choosing your college, the resources, academic rigor, and financial aid are essential. As an immigrant, education has always been something important to me, despite the barriers to achieving a higher education. When transferring from my local community college, private universities intimidated me due to the size, costs, and opportunity. But here at Carson-Newman, I am able to graduate debt free, form relationships with my professors, and utilize the resources I need. Upon entering Carson-Newman, I was able to partake in the first cohort of equal transfer education scholars. This allowed me to pursue my Bachelor’s in Psychology and Political Science. It was here that I followed my passions for advocacy, mental health, and accessibility to a higher education. With the 14 to one student faculty ratio, not only have my professors supported me, but have pushed me to apply for internships, register for rigorous courses and seek a higher degree in my field of study. With over 40 student organizations on campus, students are able to invest and engage in opportunities that could help them grow intellectually, spiritually, culturally, and socially. The Eagle production company allows students to plan events and partake in the yearly college street festival. Student Government Association empowers students to advocate for others. I co-founded PODER, which stands for Pursuing Our Dreams. Embracing Our Roots. We seek to empower immigrant students while bringing cultural awareness. Carson-Newman has not only empowered me to be a local leader in my community, but it has prepared me academically in more ways than I could’ve ever envisioned. As a university with the mission to reflect the heart of Christ, we encourage our graduates to be servant leaders and make a difference wherever they go. Talons up, back to you, Alex.
– Wow, Rita really is a leader and I’m certain she will be having an impact on the lives of others wherever she ends up after graduation. Congratulations, Rita and Talons Up.
Okay. Everyone let’s meet Alex. He’s not only a member of Carson-Newman’s men’s soccer team, but this junior is majoring in finance and economics. Alex is going to talk to us about the incredible opportunities he’s had to get a hands-on experience in the business program. And he’s going to share a unique program that gives students valuable investment experience. Okay, Alex, it’s all yours.
– Hey everyone. I’m a junior here at Carson-Newman and on the men’s soccer team. When I began my college search, I primarily based my decision off where I could play. But after being here for a few years, I’ve realized that there’s so many more opportunities than just soccer. Since being at Carson-Newman for the past two years, I’ve been able to connect with many teammates, professors, and peers that have helped me grow educationally and professionally. With Carson-Newman being a smaller Christian school, it allows our professors and advisors to take a more personalized approach to helping us reach our full potential, both inside and outside of the classroom. Our business program has a state-of-the-art building and faculty with real-world experience to help students succeed. Our McLean Investment Center allows students to work with a student managed investment fund. We work with professors to manage the fund and gain valuable investing experience. This personal approach has helped me keep my education and grades on track, but it has also allowed me to grow and take advantage of opportunities outside of the classroom, such as work and internship options. As a matter of fact, my recent internship with Northwestern Mutual will really contribute to my goal of becoming a financial advisor. And Carson Newman has a great MBA program, which I planned to enter after I finish my undergraduate degree. Be assured that whatever major you choose you can count on being prepared for the real world and enjoying your experience along the way. After being here at Carson-Newman, I can tell you there’s no place that I’d rather be. Carson-Newman has provided me with opportunities that I could not have imagined having as a college student. Okay. Back to you, Alex.
– Alex, thanks for sharing your experience as a business student here at Carson-Newman and all the exciting opportunities you have received here. Oh, and good luck getting your MBA. Thanks again.
Alex. Between classes, athletics and working on campus, our next student Kirby stays plenty busy. He’s a religion major and a member of the track team. As you will hear, Kirby wasn’t sure he could afford a private university, but through a variety of scholarships and Carson-Newman’s work study program, Kirby has seen his dream of being a university graduate coming true.
– Thanks Alex. Hey, y’all when searching for colleges, I wanted to find a school that reflected my Christian faith had an athletic program with which I could be involved, And most importantly, was affordable. I prayed that God would lead me to the university that could help me reach all three factors that I found important in my college search process. After I was accepted to Carson-Newman, the amount of scholarships available to me was a clear sign that this is where I was meant to be. With scholarships as a track athlete, and in the honors program, I’ve been able to meet a lot of different people and be involved in a lot of different kinds of activities. You may think it difficult to balance practices and competitions with the large academic workload that Honor’s demands, but here at Carson-Newman, the Carson-Newman Academic Advising Team has helped me with strategies to manage my time more efficiently. Carson-Newman also offers work study positions. I had the opportunity to work in the Admissions Department, where I was able to give campus tours to students and their families. The work-study positions are designed to be highly flexible in order to work around your busy academic schedule. They help you get involved on campus, meet new people, and most importantly, help pay for college, all at the same time, These scholarships help make college a reality for me, and they can for you too. Carson-Newman strives to offer an affordable Christ-centered education to everyone. Carson-Newsman has a variety of scholarships, including sports, honors, merit, art, music, forensics, and even community service. In fact, over 96% of our students receive some form of financial aid. No matter your major or interest, Carson-Newman has a scholarship for everyone. I know that Carson-Newman cares about my future and they are giving me the opportunity to succeed. What’s up next, Alex?
– Did you all hear what Kirby just said? More than 96% of Carson-Newman students receive some form of financial aid. That is amazing! That’s just one more example of the staff at Carson-Newman working to make a university education accessible to just about anyone. Thanks again for taking the time with us, Kirby. That was amazing.
The New York metro area is amazingly diverse. Home to people from every background, religion and culture. Adelphi, reflects that. So let’s head over to the university center and meet Jason. He was looking for a warm welcoming, and inclusive community, and he certainly found it right here. This bio major lives on campus and has a cool job as a resident assistance. Jason, please take it from here.
– Thanks Alex, for that introduction. What’s going on with everyone? Being a part of community was a huge part of my high school experience. And I was starting to look for a college that was warm and welcoming. Thankfully, I landed at Adelphi University, and it’s in this very campus where my journey began. When I started, I didn’t really know anyone, but with the help of the Center for Student and Community Engagement I became an orientation leader summer of 2019. I find myself making more connections with other leaders while helping the incoming first years create their own amazing college experience. There are run a hundred different clubs and organizations on campus. Academics, diversity, art, the environment, waste to get back. Almost any interests. Personally, our branched out to other areas such as becoming a resident assistant, and going into Greek life. Adelphi’s Greek community introduced me to so many of my closest friends today. My favorite events are Greek sing and Greek week, wherever every organization on gets together, competes in awesome events and shows and creates long lasting memories with each other. Adelphi’s welcoming you into a community for students of all backgrounds, such as first-generation and international students is another one of my favorite parts of being a Panther. There are students from all over the world here. As a resident assistant, I got to meet people from many different countries and put on programs for all, to make Adelphi feel like a second home. Diversity programs have also been put on to help capture representation and provide education. Hopefully, you’re all able to catch a glimpse of the opportunities that Adelphi provided me to helped me grow as an individual. Adelphi welcomed me with open arms and I will do the same to you. Back to you, Alex.
– Wow, Jason. So good to hear how a Delphi made you feel so welcome and how you’re doing the same by helping first year students feel at home. Adelphi has so many diverse clubs, and so many diverse activities to build a feeling of community and a sense of belonging. That was great.
Okay, so what if you already have a career and a family, but you want a new career? Meet Zareen, a physician assistant and mother of two, who’s getting top training in her profession. Despite having very little free time, she’s getting her masters in healthcare administration from the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business. Her story is very compelling. How she’s balancing work and family. Zareen, over to you.
– Hi Alex, thank you for giving the opportunity to share my story. I lost both my parents at a very engaged in Pakistan. I was raised in East Africa, Tanzania. Even at a young age, I knew I wanted to be in healthcare. So now, I currently practice as a cardiothoracic physician assistant. I love the Adelphi University MBA program. It is designed to help everyone succeed, especially being a mother of two beautiful kids and a wife and working full-time in cardiothoracic service, I was able to work with the university, taking weekend classes. The best part of being an MBA is networking with teammates from all other professional fields. While completing my MBA, I was offered a leadership role at St. Francis Hospital Heart Center. I also won Eileen McDonald’s Scholarship and a trip to Germany. After my MBA, I’m planning to proceed my studies even further. I will definitely be able to teach in any PA program with the experience I now have. I want to pass this message to my kids and every student out there. It doesn’t matter what religion, what skin color or what nationality you have, if you put your 110% in an education, you will never regret it. This is my story. Back to you, Alex.
– I’m blown away by your stories, Zareen, it’s so inspiring to hear how you’re able to do it all. You’re setting a great example for your kids and for all of us. When it comes to the professions like business, education and social work, Adelphi is changing lives. Thanks again for that.
All right everyone, let’s head up the hill to the Luce physical activities center and home of Asbury athletics. Student athletes represent one third of the student body and compete in 16 sports, including cheerleading. Let’s meet one of these 360 student athletes, two time captain of the volleyball team, senior Bethany. Bethany is competing athletically on team AU, while also get a world-class education. And as a part of NCAA division three, these athletes are getting quality athletic experiences while also creating margin to be a true student athlete. Bethany, the court is all yours.
– Thanks Alex. Since childhood, sports and a team player identity have been an integral part of my life. When it came to choosing a college, I knew that I wanted to play volleyball and attend a smaller university where I would be personally known. Asbury was the perfect fit for what I loved and wanted to pursue. I feel blessed to be able to compete and represent Christ and Asbury through volleyball. Being an Asbury Eagle has given me a community like none other. On the court and off, leadership is a big part of my story. I represented athletics in Asbury student Congress, served as the president of the student athlete athletic advisory committee, and been voted a captain for two years on the volleyball team. Volleyball at Asbury has also given me the opportunity to give back. In 2019, I fell in love with Puerto Rico on our team’s mission trip and came back to serve people again, two years later. I credit Asbury athletics for these amazing opportunities. And I’m so grateful for the deeply impactful connections that I have made here. Being a part of team AU means being a part of a family. There’s never been a moment where I haven’t felt known by the faculty or other student athletes. This program is about developing team players who embody the light of Christ through their actions on the court and off. Also, athletics is entering into the NCAA division three, and I am ecstatic for our program, faculty and athletes to compete and represent Christ for a new audience. Asbury athletics has blessed me with the amazing opportunities to develop my work ethic, communication, time management, and leadership skills, in addition to empowering me to humbly walk with Christ in my next steps after Asbury. Back to you, Alex!
– Bethany, what a shining example of using your talents, abilities and leadership, all for the glory of Christ. It’s inspiring to hear your story and how Asbury athletics has shepherded a love of serving all over the world. Thanks again, Bethany, and good luck to the volleyball Eagles and all team AU this year.
Okay everyone, now it’s time to meet 2021 graduate, Grace. Grace has a story to share with you about her academic journey and how Asbury professors supported and encouraged her in a successful college career. I can’t wait for you to hear her story. Grace, take it away.
– Thank you, Alex. Hi friends. When I first started looking at colleges, I had no idea what I wanted to study. All I knew is that I wanted an academically rigorous institution with impressively high standards. And that’s exactly what I found at Asbury. The benefit of small classes meant I was quickly seen and known by my professors. At AU, your academic journey is highly personalized, based on your deepest passions and skillset. My double major of English and art and design put me in the cross hairs of some of Asbury’s finest, who became mentors on more than just academics. From the moment I stepped on campus, I was given opportunities to grow my capacity for leadership and learning, out of which I also made some of my dearest friends. From joining our scholar leaders forum, which included monthly dinners in my professor’s homes , to joining academic clubs, taking travel courses, like the one I took to Chicago to study urban sociology, to becoming an ambassador for the institution and signing on as a teaching assistant. After the COVID-19 pandemic shifted my plans to study abroad in Savia, Spain, I started on a year long independent research project with my art history professor. She was there every step of the way, with weekly meetings to discuss how my research would culminate in a senior project in partnership with Asbury Search symposium, a showcase and competition of student research. It’s a program unlike any other in the country, where students on projects that make us ask big questions and propel us to seek new possibilities. I created an original series of art events for our campus community that provided me with invaluable curatorial practice. After installing a temporary art exhibit in our student center by world renowned artist Steve Prince, we built a panel discussion and artists workshop with Steve as a guest of our campus, to promote and celebrate fine arts scholarship at Asbury. Asbury University has prepared me in extraordinary ways for my professional pursuits. Not only has this place strengthened my resolve to be a lifelong learner in a variety of disciplines, but it’s also provided me with real world connections and experience as I launch into this next phase of my life. And I know that my professors will continue to be mentors and friends as they push me to be my very best self. Just a piece of my story. Back to you, Alex.
– What an inspiring story of adaptability and perseverance Grace. The way you were able to shift your outcomes for good, even in the midst of a global pandemic, is inspiring. And the support you received from your professors and mentors is so encouraging. Thank you again for sharing your story.
Okay next we will hear from a graduate student pursuing his MBA and getting real world experience in sport management as a graduate assistant in the athletics department. Colton, who spent three years as a captain on the Asbury baseball team, earning multiple honors over his career, including first team all conference his senior season, will share his story of transformation with us. Let’s meet him at the iconic Hughes auditorium, affectionately known as Chapel. Colton, the floor is all yours.
– Thanks Alex. Hey everyone. I arrived at Asbury over three years ago and I can honestly say these have been the best three years of my life. I came into Wilmore at a challenging point in my life. Transferring from another school, I was struggling to know what my identity actually was. I came to Asbury because it was close to my hometown, but also so I could continue to play baseball, and God ended up using this place to change my life. As soon as I arrived on campus, I began to experience how spiritual life is a priority at Asbury. God began to fill me with chapel messages, three times a week, about who He is and what my identity is in Him. I was also surrounded with people who were showing me love and kindness that reflected more of Him. I was truly cared for and supported by professors, coaches, and staff at Asbury, who were passionate about helping me grow into adulthood, but also to deepen in my faith. God used Asbury to provide me with mentors who would invest in the man that He was calling me to become. Through Bible studies and the other tools, I was surrounded with people showing me what it looked like to live for God. Asbury offers these types of relationships that God can use transform lives. I was also able to be a part of a baseball program, where Christ is honored and reflected, through the way that we compete, but also through powerful relationships. In this past season, we were celebrated as the winningest baseball team in program history. Currently I’m earning an MBA degree, while I get to serve as a graduate assistant in the athletics program. God has used as very in incredible ways to shape my life by drawing me into a relationship with Him. And now I get to watch Him to continue to do this with new students. And He’s allowed me to join in on this work. That’s my story. Back to you, Alex.
– What a powerful story, Colton. Thank you for sharing how spiritual life is a priority at Asbury. And through chapel, mentorship, and group Bible studies, God truly worked in your life. You’re an inspiration and we can’t wait to see what you do with what God has given you. Thanks again.