Jason ’s Column

By jason rutland, Associate Vice President for Alumni & Parent Engagement

As a former collegiate baseball player and coach, it pains me to say that football is king in the South. When university officials announced Anderson University football would kick off in 2024, the excitement was palpable. If you drive by any stadium on a fall Saturday, you can feel the roar of the crowd. People are drawn to the passion of the players, the shrill of the whistle, the intensity of a well-timed hit, and the camaraderie of a collective mission. The announcement of Anderson University football has created a buzz around campus and the upstate of South Carolina.

Why?

Anderson University has a robust history when it comes to athletics. We‘ve had strong basketball, baseball, wrestling, softball, golf, track and field, cross country, and volleyball programs. Our athletic programs are in the upper echelon of a top tier conference. Is this history why everybody is excited about football? I think it goes deeper than that.

Since 1911, Anderson University has been blessed with strong leaders. These leaders have not only been insightful regarding when to introduce new initiatives but also have known that these initiatives must be excellent to represent Anderson University. When Anderson University’s nursing program was announced in 2012, the reality of becoming one of most respected programs in South Carolina came quickly with a 92% passage rate of the NCLEX nursing licensure exams by our inaugural graduating class. This success seems to be the theme among programs that have started at our beloved Anderson University.

First Corinthians 9:24 tells us, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (This is also a favorite go-to reference for Anderson University’s Vice President for Athletics Dr. J. Bert Epting, Jr.) The Apostle Paul, the writer of this passage in First Corinthians, was encouraging the church at Corinth to walk in the light of Christ with all their might. As a whole-hearted Christian university, we share this drive for excellence; if we do everything for the glory of God, are we not required to do it with excellence?

While football will change the landscape of the Anderson University athletic campus, I want to make sure that the takeaway for everyone is one of a unified expectation. The year 2024 is quite a few years away. There will be things that happen on campus prior to then. We will have degrees conferred to approximately 3,000 students between now and 2024. We will have many alumni make groundbreaking strides personally, in their field, and for the Kingdom. We may win conference championships and achieve individual athletic honors. We will have students in our performance disciplines continue to make Anderson University shine. We will have students be recognized for research that we may not fully comprehend but may be life-saving to us in the future. We will see a few seasons of a lacrosse facemask at Anderson University before one is ever worn by a quarterback. All of these will be done with the excellence that you have come to expect from Anderson University.

Oh, and we will also raise $3 million to meet the challenge gift set forth by the transforming generosity of Dr. Melvin Younts, the Upstate South Carolina philanthropist who contributed the initial $3 million to raise funds for Anderson University football. We will also raise millions to fund student scholarships and other initiatives. We would greatly appreciate you being part of this fundraising effort, regardless of what amount you can give.

In addition, the Anderson Fund helps pay for computer and laboratory equipment, course development, art exhibitions, athletic enhancements, theatrical performances, library books, student mission trips and so much more, that all have a positive impact on students. The Anderson Fund touches the lives of thousands of students each year and provides hope to our world as Anderson University sends forth inspired Christian leaders and servants who will make a difference in their local communities where they will live, work and serve.

Make your gift today with the enclosed envelope or visit: AndersonUniversity.edu/giving/online. You may also contact our Office of Development at 864.231.2147.

Anderson University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or religion in its programs and activities. Please direct inquiries to Dr. L. Dianne King, Associate Vice President for Student Development/Dean of Student Success/Title IX Coordinator, Thrift Library Office 203, 316 Boulevard, Anderson, SC, 29621, (864) 231-2026, ldking@andersonuniversity.edu or to the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-421-3481 or ocr@ed.gov.