Wildfires continue to impact many in Los Angeles County, in Southern California. Although Harding University is physically distant from the fires, current and former members of the community have been affected by the natural disaster.
Freshman Rylee Moore has connections to several Pepperdine University students and family friends in the Los Angeles area who have been impacted by the fires.
“With all that they’re dealing with, it has been hard to be up-to-date on their circumstances,” Moore said. “I have heard back about how close the fires have gotten to my friends and all the precautions they had to take to make sure they were safe. Luckily, nobody that I am close to has lost their homes.”
Alumna Haylie Douglas, who lives in Thousand Oaks, California, and works as the children’s minister at the Conejo Valley Church of Christ, shared her experience.
“I was in Texas at a conference when the Palisades Fire started, but I had to text my roommate to create a plan in case we would have to evacuate our home,” Douglas said. “I had to think about all the things that were more important to me—passport, social security card, of course, but also special mementos from trips or family heirlooms. My roommate would take all of that to work with her each day just in case. We never had to be evacuated, but the closest evacuation zone was Calabasas, about a 15-minute drive from our house.”
Douglas also opened her home to friends affected by the fires. “My friends, who are also Harding alumni, live in Pasadena. They were close enough to the fire that they had ash in their apartment. They came to stay with us in our guest suite for about a week,” Douglas
said. “We wanted to make sure they had a place, and we tried our best to help them through all the logistics of safely evacuating.”
Pepperdine University junior and former Harding Symposium attendee Landyn Philips was also impacted by the fires.
“There was a fire that started near my apartment that got pretty close. It was only a few miles away so we had to evacuate,” Philips said. “There was smoke everywhere, and you could see the flames on the hills.
The wildfires have sparked significant discourse among the Christian community. Though much of the conversation has been supportive, some responses have taken a negative turn.
“It’s been really hurtful to see some of the things that Christians are saying about the fires in LA,” Douglas said. “It’s a natural disaster, so we should be showing of God to the people who have affected rather than saying that this is because they’re evil,”
reactions to the fires.
“Where I am, in the LA area, it’s been really cool and life-giving to see the overwhelming amount of support that people have brought into LA from other places,” Philips said. Seeing how the community has shown up for those affected has
At the same time, Philips has encountered negative responses online.
“I’ve seen a lot of negativity through social media,” Philips said. “I’ve seen people say that LA is an evil city and that God is judging them, as if the fires are some sort of retribution. I just think that makes a horrible tragedy so much worse when the opportunity to show up for each other and choose not to. But I have seen people showing up for each other across political and religious divides, and I think that is definitely the better
Moore encourages others to find ways to help.
“Donating in what ways you can, helping physically if you’re able, and keeping everyone in our thoughts and prayers is a great way for us to support a community that is really hurting right now,” Moore said.
Westbrooks move to York University
Earlier this month, York University, a private Christian university in York, Nebraska, and sister school of Harding, announced the hiring of Harding Bible and Ministry professor Tim Westbrook as the university’s 22nd president. Over the course of several months, Westbrook had several interviews as well as one campus visit to York in which he and Dr. Anessa Westbrook toured the campus and met with students, staff and faculty.
The announcement, made on the Jan. 8 by York board chair R. Wayne White, said that Westbrook’s position with York will officially begin on July 1. However,
Westbrook says that his work is well under way, as he balances his new job while still being a full-time professor and director of the EQUIP — Bible Online program.
“During the interview stage of this process, I’ve had to dedicate myself to Harding’s EQUIP — Bible Online program as well as put my best foot forward to become president of York,” Westbrook said.
Dr. Monte Cox, dean of the College of Bible and Ministry, has been one of the biggest proponents for the Westbrooks, and even worked as one of Tim’s references. Though he will miss the Westbrooks, both as colleagues and friends, Cox said he believes that Tim will fulfill his duties at York just as well as he has at Harding.
“I have had a firsthand seat to see Dr. Westbrook’s leadership skills, and have long seen his capacity for greater leadership positions,” Cox said. “I am very supportive, and I know that they will love York and do right by York.”
The Westbrooks know that the move to York will be a new opportunity to exercise their calling, which is investing in the lives of students.
“Harding has taught me the value in just helping one person,” Dr. Anessa Westbrook said. “The possibilities of them doing something incredible down the road, or helping others … you’re changing the world by just helping one.”
Thinking about his goals of changing the lives of students, Tim Westbrook told a story of Dr. Jack Lewis, who lost much of his research in a fire at the Harding School of Theology mansion building in Memphis. Dr. Lewis’s wife reminded him that the students of HST were his real life work. Westbrook said he hopes to dutifully carry that same message with him at York.
“We are excited for this opportunity to serve the people of York University and apply our education and years of experience in higher education to assist the school in its mission of Christ-centered education for the purpose of transforming students’ lives,” Westbrook said.
JACKSON TRAHANT beat reporter
Drs. Tim and Anessa Westbrook stand in the McInteer rotunda on Jan. 16. The Westbrooks are moving to York, Nebraska, due to Tim Westbrook’s hire as the 22nd president of York University.
Photo by ABIGAIL CALLICOAT
Luther King Jr. Day.
Students react to President Trump’s inauguration
AMANDA TOYE community editor
President Donald Trump’s second inauguration took place Jan. 20. Many voters expressed their concerns during his 2024 presidential campaign that he must find a way to bring the economy back to a better and more stable position.
“I don’t…I’m not a big fan of either of the two [Donald Trump and Kamala Harris],” freshman Deacon Lawley said. “But, granted now that Trump is elected, I do think it will be easier for the economy. Groceries were very expensive, housing was very expensive, everything was really expensive for a lot of middle class people, so I feel like he’s going to be able to help with that.”
Students have been met with the challenge to participate in politics, but not let politics consume them and their lives, especially with the 2024 election bringing so many surprises.
“I don’t like to spend a lot of time consuming things on the news,” senior Jacob Anderson said. “I love seeing the political process in America continue. I’m going to keep watching every inauguration that comes every four years. Because, to me, it’s kind of a celebration that the American political process of democracy is going to continue and is going to be preserved.”
Anderson is a history and political science major who says he is intrigued by the political process.
“The people spoke, and now I want to see how that person identifies himself to 300 million Americans. And, how are they going to try and diversify themselves to people who did not vote for them,” Anderson said.
Anderson is excited to continue to participate in the milestones of American politics.
Other students, however, do not have as much hope for Trump’s upcoming presidential term.
“He’s [Trump] actually done a really smart thing where no matter what happens, [the American people] are never going to see him negatively because they don’t believe anything in the news is real,” senior Andrew Allen said. “No matter what allegations or legal things happen, it can all just be dismissed as fake news. I feel like it’s kind of a sad day for a lot of people that aren’t white men because of Trump’s track record. Even when he was a real estate guy, he was doing racist stuff.” Allen said he is concerned that Trump won’t follow through with the promises he’s made to the American people.
Executive order postpones TikTok ban
President Donald Trump signed an executive order delaying the deadline for banning TikTok from the United States on Monday. The order protects app stores from receiving repercussions for hosting the app. It also extends the deadline by which TikTok must be purchased by an American company or be banned from the States by 75 days.
The executive order follows a bill passed by the Biden administration on March 14 that banned TikTok from devices in the U.S. and their territories.
TikTok temporarily suspended its services to American users from 10:30 p.m. on Jan 18, but restored their services the next day at noon, after then President-elect Trump said he would sign an executive order extending the deadline. In a message to users, TikTok cited Trump’s efforts for why the app was back online.
Sophomore Maddie Burk used TikTok
in middle school when it was known as Musical.ly and described the app’s hiatus as surreal.
“I was busy building a Lego set when it happened,” Burk said. “Comments weren’t loading, and I was like ‘Oh no.’ I got off and got back on, and the app said there had been a ban and to stay tuned and we’ll see what happens.”
Burk had amassed a large collection of videos representing her high school years that were saved solely on TikTok, and was forced to download the videos on her phone or risk losing them. She said she did not realize she had an emotional connection to the app until TikTok went down.
But connection also happens between creators and viewers; Burk described TikTok’s community as different from other social media.
“There’s a homey feeling to [TikTok],” Burk said. “You can get on the app, and you know what to expect, and you know the creators you can see, and people freely share their lives and freely share everything
they are going through.”
Junior Ana Rodas said she uses TikTok to find music and look for hairstyles. She will move to Instagram if TikTok is permanently banned in the States.
“I already like being on Instagram,” Rodas said. “It is basically the same content.”
The Office of Campus Life uses the site to push content showing Harding’s campus to prospective and contemporary students. Director of Campus Life Jane Chandler said she employed several student workers who created content for TikTok and used the platform to carve out a space to show the positive side of Harding.
“TikTok has always been more of a fun glimpse of campus and glimpse of being a student,” Chandler said. “How can we showcase things that are happening on campus that are fun and engaging and that people want to be part of?”
Library construction closes student parking lot
This semester, construction at the Brackett Library closed the Graduate Hall parking lot for students, limiting the amount of parking on the east side of campus. Harding’s Department of Public Safety emailed students Dec. 10, 2024, notifying them that the Graduate Hall parking lot, known to students as the Grad lot, would be closed for construction after Christmas break. Construction is estimated to finish in Jan. 2026, and the Grad lot will be closed until the project is completed. A second email Jan. 13, 2025 announced the lot behind the Rogers Lee building was opened for overnight student parking. Despite the additional parking, the Brackett construction caused the amount of student parking to decrease.
Parking and Transportation Manager Ed Daughety said 89 spaces were closed in the Grad lot, and the Lee parking lot has 79 spaces. Daughety also said he is worried about commuter students finding parking with the limited spaces.
“Are they going to have spaces to park, or is everything that’s halfway close going to be taken where a commuter who comes in from off-campus has to park a half mile away,” Daughety said. “I’m hoping that’s not the case. I’m hoping we have enough surrounding parking that it’ll be okay.”
Some students said they are not happy that the Grad lot is closed, but they quickly adjusted to the parking situation. Male students found parking next to the Ganus Athletic Center (GAC), the Reynolds and Swaid buildings. Sophomore Benjamin Tess, a resident in Keller Hall, said he goes immediately to the
GAC parking lot to look for a spot because it is hard to find parking near the residence halls. Daughety said increased enrollment also contributed to students’ struggle to find parking in recent years.
Additionally, the construction blocked access to the sidewalk behind the Brackett and affected students’ daily schedules.
Senior Zavdiel Ramirez, a resident assistant in Graduate Hall, said the closure of the sidewalk changed the paths students take to walk to chapel, classes and to get food.
“That sidewalk was used a lot by Grad people just to, like go get dinner and then come back to the dorm,” Ramirez said. “I think it’s just a matter of people getting used to maybe having to wake up a couple minutes, like leave the dorm a couple minutes earlier to get there, like to get to chapel on time, things like that.”
The construction is for the Harding School of Theology (HST) library, which will be connected to the Brackett. HST returned to Harding’s main campus in August 2024, and President Mike Williams announced the addition of the HST library to faculty and staff on Oct. 2, 2024. Both Ramirez and Tess said students are happy about the library and it is a good addition to Harding, but Tess expressed some frustration with the current pace of the project.
“I think the main issue has just been like we’re kind of restless of the fact that, you know, we don’t see any work being done on it yet,” Tess said. “Obviously we’re happy to get [the] extension of the library, but we’re just not seeing any of the effects of that starting to move in yet.”
The Graduate Hall parking lot is blocked off for student parking starting Jan. 13, 2025. The lot is closed for the construction of the new library addition.
Graphic by SYDNEY PALMER
ANDREW RENEAU asst. copy editor
KENZIE JAMES news editor
Graphic by BEN EVANS
Photo by ABIGAIL CALLICOAT
Guest Writer Delaney Harrington
I was recently named a student leader of the English Department with a few of my peers. If you had told my seventh-grade self that, I probably would have gone catatonic. This is the same girl who planned her ninthgrade homecoming party and then spent half the time crying, overstimulated in her mom’s car. Leadership had long been a scary concept to me and one of which I never felt myself capable of. I thought that “introvert” and “autistic” could never be synonymous with “leader.” This forced me to reevaluate my thoughts.
Be free, and go lead!
as well. Aware of these paradoxes, Parks titled her autobiography Quiet Strength. Cain mentions the differing personalities between the Civil Rights legends. She says “[A] formidable orator refusing to give up his seat on a segregated bus wouldn’t have had the same effect as a modest woman who’d clearly prefer to keep silent but for the exigencies of the situation. And Parks didn’t have the stuff to thrill a crowd if she’d tried to stand up and announce that she had a dream. But with King’s help, she didn’t have to.”
Graphic by ANNA CLAIRE CURTIS
Over Thanksgiving break, I read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I was hooked from the introduction. Cain advocates for introverts and argues that we can make good leaders too—that the world needs more quiet leaders who listen, who can read a room, who aren’t as susceptible to dangerous risks. She gives the examples of Rosa Parks and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Though today we might consider Rosa Parks as a boisterous, out-spoken protester, she was actually the opposite.
The Civil Rights movement needed both kinds of leaders. The world needs both kinds ofleaders. For a long time, I was, in my head, aware of this, but I still thought I should be more extroverted, deep down. For years, I was scolded before church services to make sure to look people in the eyes if they spoke to me. I hated Homecoming weekends in high school because I just didn’t get the hype.
“We’re getting dressed up for the sole purpose of judging women? Yeah, that makes sense.”
When she died in 2005, numerous people described her in obituaries as “timid and shy” but also having “the courage of a lion.”
Phrases like “radical humility” and “quiet fortitude” were often used to describe her
I vividly remember hiding my tears going to biology class during my sophomore year of high school after getting over-stimulated at a pep rally. The Extrovert Ideal that Cain describes in her book always seemed out of reach to me.
I found comfort in Bible verses like Mark 6:46, which documents Jesus leaving his
disciples to pray and spend time with God alone, and the story in 1 Kings 19:11–13 when God’s presence was in the wind and not in the more obvious fire and earthquake. God works through introverts in sometimes less flashy ways than he does through extroverts. That being said, introverts make great leaders too. Am I super extroverted now after experiencing college? Absolutely not. (Eye contact is still hard for me sometimes, though I am better at it.) However, college has given me opportunities to realize that I’m more suitable for leadership than I ever thought I was. In the years since junior high when leadership terrified me, I have used my knowledge to teach Bible classes at church on two separate occasions. I am the head copy editor of the Petit Jean and president of Souvenirs Poetry Club. I have spoken up for what I want and taken initiative in my friendships. I have led devotionals at English Department chapels. I am not afraid to ask questions in class anymore. I am a leader, despite never thinking I was capable of it.
That’s why it means so much to me to be designated to serve in a community I have grown up in and consider a safe space: the English Department. So introverts: Don’t be scared to step up. You might find you have a gift for it. The world needs more of us.
Malachi Brown
Opinions Editor, 2022-23
Recently, my dear friend, Emma Jones Milnes came back to write for The Bison. Emma and I became friends when my social club, Knights, queened her. We became such close friends that when she begged me to apply for Opinions Editor under her Editorin-Chiefdom, I obliged.
Later, when she begged me to officiate her wedding, I also obliged. I officiated her wedding over a year ago. It was my first wedding; I helped join together two of my dear friends who both happened to be in Knights. As I look at my calendar for the summer of 2025, I see three weddings, in which all three of the grooms were in my club, two of the brides were in my club, and all six of them are dear friends. Over a year later, I seem to be the designated officiant for my friends in Knights.
Per her article in September, a lot has changed for her since college; a lot has changed for me, too. Emma is married, working a job, living in Northwest Arkansas, reading for fun and living a slower life. Emma reflected that college was a season of life and particularly that it did not last forever. As I reflect on my time in college, I cannot help but reflect on how time has passed since some of my highlights.
Four years ago, I sat in my room watching the results of the 2020 election on my laptop while my roommate, Isaac, watched Breaking Bad. I thought to myself then, “I sure hope we have better candidates 4 years from now.” I entered college in the last semester of Trump’s presidency wondering who would be president when I would graduate seminary in May of 2026, not thinking in a million years that Trump would pull a Grover Cleveland.
My Harding reunion tour: different and yet the same
Three years ago, I stood in front of the Knights pledge class of 2021 and addressed them as their spiritual life director during club week. It seems so long ago, and so much of my life (two years when you’re 22 years old is nine percent of your life) was spent in that exact position, but now I’ve moved on. Last week, I stood in front of the Knights pledge class of 2024 as King Emeritus and esteemed alumnus to give them a devotional — boy, how my life has changed!
Four years ago, I took Dr. Peter Rice for Freshman Bible, listening to his goofy stories about his kids and his bad references to college football. I took his classes for 5 semesters in a row. After his 5th semester as my teacher, I remember him telling me he was proud of me, and that he was confident I’d learned what I could from him. Now, he’s the dean of my graduate school, and I’m relearning Koine Greek for the 3rd time to take his class in the Spring. Boy, how different my life is now!
Last year, after spending a long day in the library, either researching, writing or assessing someone’s paper at the writing center, I would come home to my roommate, Parker, playing whatever video game he was on at the time (Fallout 4 was one of his favorites). I’d zombie-march into my room and continue to write whatever assignment had been plaguing me all the day long.
Now, my life is so different! I will spend my day either in class, doing homework or grading assignments for Dr. Westbrook’s classes and come home to my roommate (wife), Karli, playing Animal Crossing. Once I make us dinner and we eat, I will continue to my home office and complete whatever Canvas tells me is next.
Three years ago, I wrote my first Bison opinion piece for opinions editor, Eric Johnson, one of my old Knights brothers (or, Krothers, if you will). Now, I’m writing what I assume will be my last Bison opinions piece for opinions editor, Helen Strickland, one of my old Delta Nu sisters (or, Disters, if you will). Oh, how my life has changed!
My dear friend, Emma Jones Milnes talked about how life changes after college. To the college version of me, who had been on the SGA, an editor for the Bison, President of a social club, beau for another club, participated in the honors college, worked as an RA in Allen, slung dumplings at Slader’s for two years, etc., her message of slowing down and living a different life was something I was sorely ready for.
Life changes and this is a beautiful and necessary thing, but you need not leave everything behind. You can still read books and learn from your favorite professors, you can still make the jokes you did in your social club (though, fewer people laugh at my jokes now), and you can still have your little traditions with a roommate.
The beautiful thing about moving on is that now you have something to bring with you. Even if you don’t stay in Central Arkansas like I did, your friends, your family, your professors, your mentors, your ministers and your students all hold a little part of your brain, which grows or withers depending on if you water it, if you check in, if you offer your services, if you share new insights, if you reach out. This is wisdom: to take the good parts of where you’ve been and to bring them where you are.
Abigail
Church and state schools
An education at Harding allows Christian students to deepen their faith and learn to think critically through the lens of a Christian worldview. Its rules and policies reflect just that.
However, a selling point for Harding that I often hear is that it is simply a safer and more wholesome place than any state school a student might consider.
According to the Education Data Initiative, 13.49 million students attend public universities, far more than the 5.08 million who attend private institutions. If we are called to go out into the world and make disciples and to minister to the hurt and the needy, we must not forget about the rich opportunity for ministry amongst those 13.49 million students — many of whom are Christians, but many of whom are not.
People attend college for many reasons. People choose public or private schools depending on countless factors, and some are better suited to one kind of school. Some people may thrive better in their faith and minister best at a private Christian university. I do not see any reason why we need to diminish the value of other schools to promote Harding’s value as a builder of faith. Other students will thrive in their faith best when they attend a public university and get plugged in with Christian organizations there.
We are positioning ourselves against our fellow Christians by downplaying the value of Christian organizations at state schools. We are looking down upon them because they have a different perspective on ministry than we do. Division over something as trivial (in the grand scheme of things) as attending a university is not constructive; it is judgemental and unnecessarily offensive to the many people seeking to do real good on the campuses of their public universities. My parents attended a state school — they met as active members at the school’s Christian Student Center. My father is a theology professor and has served in youth and campus ministry roles. My parents are active church members and lead servant-hearted, Godly lives. They instilled Christian values and critical thinking skills into my siblings and me. I can confidently say they have an incredibly positive impact on this world. Their time at their university deepened their faith in beautiful ways, and they still look back on that time fondly and carry what they learned into their lives as parents and participants in society.
The person makes the experience. You can lead your life as you choose wherever you are. There will be temptation wherever you go, but there can also be faith and community, too. Someone you know may thrive best at a public school (maybe you do, and that is okay!), and instead of frowning upon this, be glad there are so many perspectives in this world that hold great value for the Kingdom.
HELEN STRICKLAND is the opinions editor for The Bison. She may be contacted at hstrickland@harding.edu.
Katherine
Malachi Brown
Delaney Harrington Aja Griffin Kessler Baker
Julia Jenkins
Graphic by SYDNEY PALMER
Graphic by BEN EVANS
Gold in the sand
Prosaics and the little things So you think
When I was a sophomore, I took a class called Russian Literature and Theology. This was, without a doubt, the most impactful class I have ever taken. I didn’t skip a single class period, that’s how much I loved it. The class was comprised of about 20 people and two professors, with the occasional guest speaker. The students I was participating with were some of the most intelligent, well spoken people I have ever met, and the professors made every class a book club with their banter and wisdom. I enjoyed class with those people, but it was “Anna Karenina” and “The Brothers Karamazov” who were the real stars of the class.
Part three, chapter six of “Anna Karenina” reads, “These joys were so small that they could not be seen, like gold in the sand, and in her bad moments she saw only griefs, only sand; but there were also good moments, when she saw only joys, only gold.”
The character in question is Dolly, who lives a difficult life with many children and an unfaithful husband. Dolly’s life is full of trials, but it is these small moments that are gold in her otherwise sandy life.
Tolstoy, the author of the novel, writes a world where this is the secret. It is the little things, the daily habits, that make up a life. Critic Gary Saul Morson, coined the term “prosaics” to describe this worldview and it can be seen throughout the entirety of “Anna Karenina.”
It is possible to read the novel and leave believing that the characters were fated to their endings, but they are actually determined through the choices they make habitually about things they consider unimportant. According to prosaics, when the big, dramatic moment arrives, we have already made our decision 400 pages earlier in the habit we began in a seemingly banal moment.
Ever since I read “Anna Karenina,” I have strived to live prosaically. I want to live as though it is the little moments petting my cat, laughing with my friends or simply doing homework with my roommate that matter the most, because I believe that is the truth. I want to determine my character and what I stand for in the small, petty moments, so when I am faced with a difficult decision or an ethical dilemma, I am already prepared. My life will not be defined by a wedding or graduation or even the day I die, but by the boring, normal things, and isn’t that more exciting? Any moment, or more likely every moment, is what life’s about. I don’t have to wait until the big moments to celebrate the joy of living. It is more natural for me to think that it is the big moments that make up a life, but I hope to change that thinking by habitually noticing the importance of the ordinary things I once prayed for.
Throughout this semester, I hope to use this column as a place to highlight those seemingly insignificant moments that are really gold in the sand.
If you love to perform, Harding University is a great place to be. Whether it be shows, chorus, anchoring for HU16 or the Pied Pipers, you can do what you love if you look hard enough. Harding also offers classes to elevate your strengths to new heights, including voice lessons, guitar and piano, all of which produce incredible singers and instrumentalists. However, if you were looking closely you may notice that one aspect of performance is strangely missing: dance. As you may know, dance is an essential skill for any well-rounded performer. There are opportunities to dance at Harding, such as the annual homecoming musical or Spring Sing ensemble held by the Harding Theatre Department.
What seems to be missing are dance classes teaching fundamentals you wouldn’t learn in performance. Lack of dance classes for any theatre department, especially when compared to the sheer number of vocal and acting classes available here, would be a major oversight. Theatre majors complain yearly about the lack of dance classes on campus and express desire for more. How surprised do you think they would be if I told them that Harding does have dance classes, and
has had them in their catalog for over 20 years? Harding offers tap and ballet classes, where you can learn the fundamentals of the respective dance styles. As someone who has taken the tap class, I walked away a far
better performer because of what I learned. You’re not alone if you didn’t know that these classes existed. There could be plenty of reasons, but I believe the main one would be their course names. Rather than being called “Tap 101” or “Fundamentals of
Ballet”, these classes are known as “Percussive Movement” and “Creative Movement.” Why would Harding offer both classes under such misleading names? Back when these classes were introduced, Harding’s administration would not have been excited about offering dance classes. If you can’t imagine why, I suggest you watch Footloose, then get back to me.
The only way those classes were able to be offered was if the word dance was suspiciously absent from the class descriptions, and even today the word dance is nowhere to be found, which is rather funny. Of course, times change, and slowly more dance has been integrated into Harding’s performances, such as the homecoming musicals and Spring Sing. I’m sure today’s Harding would be proud to call both classes by their more appropriate titles, but you wonder why they haven’t. I long for the day when I can eventually tell my family and friends I learned how to tap at Harding in my neat tap shoes, rather than simply move percussively in my percussive movement shoes, but who knows when that day will come.
Remembering Jimmy Carter (1924-2024)
American history is full of second acts. In the 1930s, membership in the Herbert Hoover Fan Club plummeted. While of course one man can’t cause a Depression, the Crash of ’29 happened on Hoover’s watch and took his stock down with it. When he ran for re-election, one writer suggested that the President himself should vote for FDR and “make it unanimous.” After Roosevelt’s landslide victory, it seemed that his predecessor would simply fade away.
But then a strange thing happened. After World War II, Europe was in shambles, and people desperately needed food. President Harry Truman sought someone to coordinate relief efforts, and he called on Hoover, who had done something similar after
a humanitarian.
The late Jimmy Carter, who died December 29 at 100, had a troubled term in office to say the least. An economic recession, double-digit inflation, gasoline shortages, and a hostage crisis dogged his Presidency. Republicans complained that he bloated the federal bureaucracy and gave away the Panama Canal. The popular narrative was that the peanut farmer from Georgia was out of his depth in Washington. Yet everyone agrees that Carter’s greatest achievement was the Camp David Peace Accords between longtime
enemies Egypt and Israel. Egyptian President
Anwar Sadat said it should have been called the “Carter Peace Accords” for his crucial role. In his term, Carter also championed environmental protection and Civil Rights.
And when Iranian terrorists seized 52 American hostages in 1979, Carter worked tirelessly to get them home. Yet the fact that eight American servicemen died in a failed rescue attempt on Carter’s watch worsened his reputation. Ronald Reagan won in a landslide, and in a cruel irony, Iran released the hostages on Reagan’s first day in office. Then the booming economy of the mid1980s seemed to seal the narrative that the former Georgia governor had been in over his head. Many assumed he would retire into quiet obscurity.
But a strange thing happened. Carter lived longer than any former president, and you could make the case that he lived better. This modest man spent decades teaching Bible class in his hometown of Plains. The Maranatha Baptist Church was packed week after week with tourists who came to hear the spiritual wisdom of a man who once occupied the White House. He and Rosalynn—they would eventually be married 77 years—would then sit for pictures with everyone. Think about it. The former leader of the free world taught Sunday School.
If he had only done that, history would have smiled, but the Carters also spent decades building houses with Habitat for Humanity. I don’t mean writing checks so other people could build houses—I mean working with hammers and power saws well into their nineties so that the less fortunate could have affordable homes. Again, the once
most powerful man in the world sweated in the hot sun as a carpenter, following the example of his Lord, and setting a servant model for an amazed nation.
If he had only done that, history would have admired his legacy, but Jimmy Carter also spent decades working for world peace. He helped free a hostage from North Korea. He convinced a Haitian dictator to step down. He monitored elections in Nicaragua and many other troubled places. He worked to eliminate Guinea worm disease, saving millions of lives throughout Africa. For his efforts, he received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002.
Yes, he sometimes drove successive presidents crazy, heading off on diplomatic missions on his own. He tried to normalize relations with Communist Cuba and urged the U.S. to recognize Hamas—controversial views to say the least. But Carter staunchly defended his views. When he boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympic games as president to protest Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan, many athletes were devastated, and millions of Americans were upset. Yet even those who disagreed had to admire his courage.
Carter was the first president elected during my lifetime. When I was a kid, I was learning about the presidents and where they were born. My grandmother, a proud Tennessean, told me that her state had produced three. I answered that Georgia only had one and felt bad that I didn’t vote for him. Of course I didn’t. I was 4.
In 1980, when he ran for a second term, my parents stood in line for hours at the polls to cancel out each other’s vote. Dad voted for Reagan, and Mom voted for Carter. They laughed about that. Of course, this was back in the day before social media influencers told people to boycott relatives over elections. Carter would have rejected such advice. He worked with his political opponents and modeled what it means to put others first. Rest in peace, Mr. President.
Narrative Columnist
Michael Claxton
Guest Writer Kessler Baker
Graphic by ANNA CLAIRE CURTIS
Editor-in-chief Maggie Samples
Graphic by BEN EVANS
Graphic by BEN EVANS
Basketball teams hitting stride at halfway point
As students traveled home following the fall semester, the Harding basketball teams continued their 2024-2025 season in the Great American Conference (GAC).
The women’s team sits in first place after winning their first eight conference games. The Lady Bisons home dominance has propelled them to new heights throughout GAC play.
Starting on Jan. 9, Harding defended the Rhodes-Reaves Field House against two talented opponents. The Lady Bisons defeated Southern Nazarene University by a final score of 67-63. Senior guard Rory Geer led the team in scoring with 20 points.
Geer said the team has continued to work hard following their national tournament push in the 2023-2024 campaign.
“It has taken a lot of work to get to where we are at,” Geer said. “Being in good standing at the halfway point through conference play is really big for us.”
Two days later, the Lady Bisons took down Oklahoma Baptist University 73-62. The win notched Harding’s 12th straight win against the Bison.
Along with their conference success, a member of the Lady Bisons made NCAA history. Fifth year forward Sage Hawley surpassed 2,000 career points Jan. 16 against East Central University. Hawley became the 45th player in NCAA Division II history to amass 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Senior guard Aubrey Isbell said it has been a blessing to play with Hawley for four seasons.
“It has been amazing to walk alongside her as she achieves all of these amazing things,” Isbell said. “She’s very humble and
it is not about her. It is about the name and team she wears across her chest.”
Along with Lady Bisons, the Harding men’s basketball team has battled through thick and thin throughout the GAC regular season. The team sits in fifth place in a tightly contested conference standings.
Despite recent struggles, the Bisons picked up a crucial upset victory Jan. 9 against No. 23 Southern Nazarene University. Harding controlled the game against the Crimson
Storm from start to finish with a final score of 75-55.
With this win, the Bisons broke a 14-game losing streak against ranked opponents. The guard duo of junior Keyln McBride and senior Wyatt Gilbert combined for 31 points.
Gilbert said the Bisons took advantage during the physical matchup against the fatigued Crimson Storm.
“It is difficult to make that six hour road trip, and I think we just caught them at a bad time,” Gilbert said. “Our offense was clicking at the time, and we got our defense going again.”
Both teams will travel to Arkadelphia tomorrow to take on Ouachita Baptist University in conference play. The Lady Bisons will tip off at 1 p.m. The men’s team will tip off following the women’s game at approximately 3 p.m.
Expectations high as Bisons kick off 2025 baseball season
Harding University’s baseball season will begin on Jan. 31 in a series at home against
Missouri Western State University. The team is coming off of a successful 2024 season in which they finished in a three-way tie for first place in the conference and made it to regionals for the first time since 2011. Head Coach Patrick McGaha expressed the team’s enthusiasm for the upcoming season.
“Expectations are high, and guys are excited to be back and have a chance to compete together again,” McGaha said.
Senior and All-American Honors recipient Maddox Long shared his satisfaction with his previous season and its implications for this season.
“[We] have a good year to bounce off of,” Long said. “We’re excited to potentially have an even better year than we did last year.”
Sophomore Ty Kirkbride also voiced the team’s excitement, saying the team wants to “do big things.”
McGaha expressed optimism regarding this team’s energy and potential.
“I really believe these guys want to be playing in the postseason again, to have a chance to play deep into the summer,” McGaha said.
Two starting players and a weekend pitcher graduated, but many starters from the 2024
season remain. Some returning starters include Long, senior Sebastian Martinez, junior Collin Helms, senior Colton Doyle, junior Logan Lacey and junior Cooper Newsom.
Harding acquired multiple players from the transfer portal over the summer. McGaha spoke highly of the team’s new players.
“We’re really excited about the recruiting class that we put together,” McGaha said.
Long also expressed optimism regarding his new teammates.
“We lost a couple of big guys that helped us out a lot, but we [have] a lot of guys coming in too, so we [have] a chance to be really good,” Long said.
McGaha expressed gratitude for his coaching staff and their contribution to the 2025 team.
“It’s a blessing to have a coaching staff that works so hard and really helps our guys and gives us a chance to be successful,” McGaha said.
Aside from the team’s goals of success, Long also emphasized the importance of a positive environment amongst the players. He highlighted the value of “continuing closer as a family” and “enjoying the time we have together.”
Kirkbride said the importance of the game surpasses individual players.
“The game is bigger than us,” Kirkbride said. “When we win, it’s all about showing [God’s] praise.”
McGaha echoed this, expressing that the cornerstone of Harding’s baseball program is to foster a sense of unity and to encourage players to “be good Christian men that represent the University the right way.”
Harding football offseason recruiting pays off in transfer portal
It’s said in college sports that recruiting never stops, and in recent years thousands of college athletes across the country who seek a better fit attempt to transfer out of their old programs for better ones. The transfer portal is prominent in all NCAA sports, and the popularity and increased attention to college football makes the football transfer portal above and beyond the biggest in the country. In recent years, according to NCAA transfer data, the number of student athletes
in the portal has nearly doubled since 2018, with over 3,700 entries to the portal during the 2024 cycle. This season, that number is expected to increase.
For example, back in 2018, student athletes who transferred schools had to wait a full season before playing with their new school. When that rule was lifted in 2021, it allowed student athletes to play immediately with their new school and use their redshirt year for another year.
With thousands of players entering the portal all at the same time during a small window of time, it’s a stressful time for coaches trying to find the best players for their programs and for the student athletes who are trying to manage numerous phone calls from coaches and figure out which school makes the most sense for them.
Junior linebacker Kaden Henley transferred from the University of Arkansas to Harding,.
“I’d say for me, it was just time for me to find a new home,” Henley said. “I’m very thankful for [University of] Arkansas, and just being there and the things I got to experience, but it’s time for me to find a new home. And as I entered the portal, it just felt Harding was the perfect fit for me and what I wanted personally, and it had all those aspects.”
For Henley, the environmental fit and the chance to play with his brother and recent
Harding commit Carter Henley put all the right pieces together that put Harding over a lot of other football programs across the country. Henley said that he’s excited for the fall and what comes next for him.
“I thought this would just be the best place for me personally, from a faith basis all the way to a football basis, and now I just want to serve this team in any way I can,” Henley said. “And now with the opportunity and chance to play with my little brother in the fall, it’s a cool chance for me and a cool deal for it all.”
Other times, transfers don’t have much choice in entering the portal, as was the case with freshman running back Preston Godfrey. After 117 years, Mississippi College announced in November that they would be shutting down their football program, which sent Godfrey scrambling to find a new college home if he hoped to play football in 2025. Godfrey said he could tell the difference between his high school recruitment and his portal recruitment.
“It was like recruiting on steroids,” Godfrey said. “I didn’t think I was going to get recruited a lot because coming out of high school, I didn’t get recruited a lot at all. [But I would be] in class and coaches are calling me, spamming me. I had probably 15 coaches call me right after I hit the transfer portal. It was insane.”
Godfrey said that one of the big things he was looking for in a new school and football program to play for was faith and togetherness, and he said that he found that in Harding after only a few visits.
“Everybody was so close and really together,” Godfrey said. “I fell in love with the coaches; Coach Underwood, Coach Simmons, they are all just great, God-fearing men. My last school was a Christian school, and I just want to be around that Christ environment.”
Sometimes, the stark difference between big DI programs and smaller DII programs like Harding can create an adjustment period for a player seeking more playing time or a better environment. For junior linebacker Andrew McCall, he joins the Bisons after two years at Oklahoma State. The difference between a student body population of 26,000 at OSU versus Harding’s student population that’s under 5,000 is definitely a different environment to experience for McCall, but he said he’s finding positives in all sorts of ways after his first few weeks at Harding.
“The best part is that people here care about other people,” McCall said. “If you’re at a big university and you’re in a class with like 400 kids, the professor will tell you kind of what to do, but won’t show you how to do it. So that’s a big aspect. And here, people want to know me personally. So it feels like home.”
NIC FRARACCIO guest writer
Junior Keyln McBride looks to find an open teammate during a victory against Southern Nazarene University Jan. 9. The men’s team is 9-7 on the year, while the women’s team is 13-3 and first place in the Great American Conference standings.
Photo by EDGAR CARDIEL
Photo by ELI DEAN
Senior pitcher Maddox Long
HELEN STRICKLAND opinions editor
Senior outfielder Johnathan Jackson
Photo by ELI DEAN
ELI DEAN sports editor
Graphic by BEN EVANS
Chipotle, David’s Burgers now open
excitement about the variety of vegetarian options available. Sophomore Emma Gaskill voiced her excitement about the new options.
The culinary landscape of Searcy has received a major boost with the recent openings of two highly anticipated eateries: Chipotle Mexican Grill and David’s Burgers. Both restaurants, now open, have quickly become go-to spots for residents and college students alike.
Since its opening on Race Avenue, Chipotle Mexican Grill has been a consistent hub of activity. Known for its customizable burritos, bowls and tacos, the restaurant has attracted steady crowds eager to enjoy fresh and flavorful meals. Students have expressed
“I’m really excited about the Chipotle opening.” Gaskill said. Freshman year, I struggled to find vegetarian options in Searcy, so I’m happy I’ll have more options for the next two years,”
The restaurant’s focus on fresh ingredients and made-to-order meals has resonated strongly with students and locals.
David’s Burgers has also been warmly welcomed by the community. Located on Race Avenue, the Arkansas-based chain has become a popular choice for families, students and professionals alike. Its freshly ground burgers and hand-cut fries, paired
with excellent customer service, have made it an instant hit. While the restaurant is drive-through only for now, they will soon open their lobby, which is under construction.
The restaurant’s open kitchen design, allowing diners to watch their meals being prepared from scratch, adds to its appeal. Families have praised the welcoming atmosphere, while students appreciate the affordable and delicious meal options.
“I enjoyed the burger, but as a college student, I was also happy about the pricing,” junior Josh Roolf said.
The openings of Chipotle and David’s Burgers reflect Searcy’s growing appeal as a destination for both businesses and consumers. For Harding University students, the new
dining options are especially exciting.
“David’s Burgers has the best burgers I have ever tasted,” sophomore Conner Butt said. “I’m thrilled that they have opened a location in Searcy.”
Chipotle and David’s Burgers have settled into the community and show no signs of slowing down. Their success highlights the potential for more diverse dining options to flourish in Searcy, as the town continues to grow and evolve.
Whether you’re craving a savory burger or a hearty burrito bowl, these new spots are ready to serve. Searcy’s dining scene has never been more exciting.
Fitness establishments welcome everyone to participate
JIANA MANGLICMOT lifestyle editor
“What if you moved your body not to change the way it looks, but for how it makes you feel?” This mantra is central to Nooma’s philosophy and approach to offering classes in Searcy. With the new year often comes new year’s resolutions, and many are tempted to set personal wellness goals to visit the gym daily or eat healthier.
In recent years, there has been a positive shift on campus toward viewing movement as a way to honor the body as a gift from God. Several local establishments in Searcy approach movement with this sentiment in mind.
Nooma Studios, a hot yoga studio, is a favorite among Harding students. Senior Layne Medler has enjoyed attending their classes.
“Nooma stands out to me because of their convenient hours for students,” Medler said. “Nooma is such an inviting and friendly space, even though it may seem intimidating at first. I recommend trying different classes and instructors to find what best suits you.” The studio offers a consistent schedule, with many classes
being offered in the early mornings and later afternoon hours.
WellBar is another fitness establishment in Searcy. The studio offers a variety of classes, catering to diverse fitness goals. Freshman Haley Tancinco, an instructor at WellBar, highlighted the range of options.
“There are so many different class options” Tancinco said. “You can take cardio classes if you want to get some cardiovascular workouts done. We even offer yoga classes if you want to do something a little more light and soothing. If you’re just starting out I recommend you do a Define or Tone class. Define is where you use dumbbells and have light to heavy weights. It’s a full body workout. Tone incorporates matwork and elements of pilates. It’s barefoot and done in a slightly heated room. It can be hard to get up and go to the gym, but at WellBar, it’s fun and everyone is so encouraging.”
Mindful State Yoga provides a cozy, welcoming space for those interested in practicing yoga. Laurie Swain, who opened the studio in 2020, believes that the establishment emphasizes inclusivity.
“All bodies and all people are welcome here.” Swain said. “We want it to be accessible to anyone that wants to try yoga. If you can breathe, you can practice yoga,”
The studio’s focus extends beyond fitness.
“Although yoga has many health benefits, such as improved mental and physical wellbeing, our focus is on community connection and mindfulness,” Swain said. “There’s something very powerful about breathing, moving and meditating together.”
One unique thing about Mindful State Yoga is the absence of mirrors in the studio.
“We have a trauma-conscious approach. We’re very focused on being safe and finding what’s best for your own body, because all bodies are different,” Swain said.
Each studio is offering special deals for the new year.
Nooma’s Searcy studio has a “New Year Deal” for newcomers, offering three weeks of unlimited classes for $38. Students also have the option to purchase four months of unlimited classes at the Searcy studio for $275 or 30 days of unlimited classes for $75.
WellBar has deals for both newcomers and existing members, as well as special discounts for students. Students can receive 50% off one month of unlimited classes as well as 10% off of the student unlimited four month semester pass.
Mindful State Yoga has a “Newcomer Special” offering ten consecutive days
of unlimited yoga for $10. The studio also provides a “Gratitude Discount” for teachers, students, civil servants and those 65 and older. These promotions are only offered for a limited time, making now the perfect opportunity to explore these studios and their offerings.
Graphic by SYDNEY PALMER
Chipotle (left) and David’s Burgers (right) both open on East Race Avenue in Searcy Jan. 22. These two restaraunts add diversity to the culinary scene in Searcy and provide students and residents new variety in town.
Photos by ABIGAIL CALLICOAT
Graphic
Dr. Amy Qualls returns to teaching
nice time. That was towards the end of my time at Harding, and it was a nice way to wrap up that time.”.
Dr. Amy Qualls, a favorite English professor to many students, has returned to guest teach a hybrid class in Women’s Literature this semester. Qualls previously taught at Harding University for 10 years before leaving in 2023. She taught many different classes, including writing classes, documentary film and women’s literature, which was one of her favorite classes to teach.
“My favorite thing about teaching is learning,” Qualls said. “I think the best teachers learn every single day.”
She also served as an Hono rs College Fellow.
“I liked the community of the Honors College in general,” Qualls said. “It was a
Senior Abigail Howell, an environmental science major who is minoring in English, was one of Qualls’ students. She took her nature writing class in which students learned about the writings of transcendentalists and discussed the effects of nature and the environment on writers. Howell remembers Qualls as being one of her favorite teachers, a knowledgeable woman with great critical thinking skills. According to Howell, “She really gets like the interdisciplinary nature of, like a lot of English classes, I think, and she is, that’s one area in which she particularly excels.”
Qualls is currently finishing her master’s in clinical nutrition at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and has interned with Ohio State University. Nutrition had been a subject that she was interested in for many years, and she was inspired to learn ways to reduce her and her family’s risk factors for disease. Upon her departure, Dr. Jon Singleton, chair and associate professor of the Department of English, asked her to return to teach at Harding. This semester, she was able to.
“She has very strong expertise as a literary scholar,” Singleton said. He remembers her as a knowledge teacher who looked out for her students, winning the teacher achievement award while at Harding. According to
Singleton, Qualls’ guest teaching has brought much excitement to the English Department. “I think it has been an encouragement to the students and our faculty to have her working with us again this semester,” Singleton said. As Qualls pursues her new career, one lesson that she hopes students learn is that choosing to pursue one interest does not mean forever leaving other interests in life. “I think we don’t do a great job letting students know that life doesn’t have to be linear, that there can be untraveled paths that can open back up later in life, and in order to do the thing you just have to take one step at a time,” Qualls said.
Spring Break Missions looks forward to a new schedule
JIANA MANGLICMOT
lifestyle & features
Harding University’s Spring Break Missions program has undergone significant changes for the 2024-2025 school year, including updates to its trip locations. The list of domestic trips includes Houston, Texas; Laconia, New Hampshire; and Tuba City, Arizona. Harding used to offer a mission trip in Searcy, Arkansas, but they cut the trip this year.
Senior Jenna Gaessler attended the Searcy mission trip during her freshman year.
“I stayed here in Searcy my freshman year because I didn’t have enough money to go home and gas was really expensive at the time,” Gaessler said. “It was only $50 to stay here for the week and it was an easy jump into the water of Spring Break Missions. I had an absolute blast with the people who led it. I also learned a lot about Searcy and the services it provides for the community.”
Gaessler attended a different spring break mission trip each year she had been
a student. She said she noticed the shift in the available options.
“The trip locations have pretty much stayed the same every year that I’ve gone, except for this year,” Gaessler said. “Actually, all three trips that I’ve been on are no longer options.”
In recent years, Harding students would take a spring break mission trip group to Kayenta, Arizona. Associate director of spring break missions Joy Tittle was aware that a group of students from another university was already scheduled to work with the church in Kayenta during Harding’s newly scheduled spring break week.
“Instead of going to Kayenta, we’re going to Tuba City,” Tittle said. “Harding students went to Tuba City before the COVID-19 Pandemic, so we already have a history and established relationships there. It was a good, easy transition back to a place we’ve already been.”
Tittle said another change to the trip was the flight cost.
“With our spring break aligning with the breaks of many other schools, we have seen the cost of flights significantly increase,”
Tittle said. “This year, we will be flying out of Memphis instead of Little Rock in order to stay within budget.””
One of the most significant changes to the spring break missions program was a change made to the offered international trips. Instead of having three international Spring Break trips, there are only two: Cozumel, Mexico and Jinotega, Nicaragua.
“I think the hardest change to Spring Break Mission trips is that we’re not able to go to the City of Children in Ensenada, Mexico this year,” Tittle said. “They already have a group that was scheduled for the week of our spring break. There’s a longstanding Harding tradition of bringing a group of students there, but we hope that we’ll be able to return there in the future.”
Recent events at the City of Children campus affected the decision to pause the trip this year. Many students who attended the City of Children trip have opted to go on the Cozumel, Mexico trip instead. As a result, this trip filled up quickly, with 25 students making up the team.
Senior Avery Nicks, who is one of the leaders of the Cozumel trip this year, explained the significance of the trip.
“It’s inspiring to see everyone on our team is giving up their entire spring break to do God’s work,” Nicks said. “I think a big fear of mine before I ever went on a spring break mission trip was that I didn’t want to give up a week of rest and be with my family. I realized that when you’re serving alongside brothers and sisters that want to help, you are restored and renewed. You feel like you got replenished in a different way than you would have if you were just at home. It’s life-changing.”
With new locations and opportunities on the horizon, the University’s spring break missions program is set to continue its legacy of supporting students with a love and passion for service and outreach.
MACI STEPHENS guest writer
Dr. Amy Qualls works with students in a hybrid class on Women’s Literature Monday nights in the American Studies building. She has returned to Harding to guest teach, having previously been with the University for 10 years.
Photo by BRILEY KEMPER
Graphic by MAKAYLA MCDONALD
HU students inspired at Passion 2025
AJA GRIFFIN guest writer
Over Christmas break, several Harding University students traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the Passion Conference where thousands of college students united for worship, teaching and spiritual growth.
For sophomores like Dusty Lee and seniors Ann Clayton Beason and Carlie Shelton, the experience left a profound impact.
“I absolutely loved Passion, I would definitely go again and have been telling my friends they have to go next year,” Lee said. “It’s hard to describe the feeling of being in a room with thousands of other college students worshiping God. It was incredible.”
The conference drew tens of thousands of students from across the country. Shelton emphasized the intentionality required to attend.”
“It’s not easy to get to Passion,.” Shelton said. “It’s expensive, and you have to really want to be there. To see 40,000 other students from places like California and Minnesota coming together for the same reason—it’s so encouraging.”
For Beason, the conference served as a powerful reminder of the strength found in faith.
“It’s just super encouraging to start off the year with college students because we kind of feel like we’re in a bubble at Harding,” Benson said. “It’s really encouraging to see so many students from other universities choosing to do what we’re doing. It’s empowering because, while our generation gets a lot of negative attention, what other generation is starting their year off intentionally worshiping the Lord and learning about him?”
The sermons delivered during the conference struck a chord with all three students. Beason
reflected on a message by Christine Caine, who spoke about David and Goliath.
“She talked about how it’s not the weapon but the anointing that matters,” Beason said. “David’s faith and God’s anointing made him victorious, and as believers, we are all anointed through Christ. That reminder came at a perfect moment for me. It was just so special. It reminded me to seek the Lord every day and to focus on him first.”
Shelton found encouragement in Jonathan Pokluda’s teaching on the armor of God.
“He explained how to actually ‘put on’ the armor—things like the sword of the Spirit and the shoes of peace—and what it looks like to live marked by true faith,” Shelton said. It was such a practical and powerful message.”
Beyond the sessions, students cherished the spiritual conversations sparked by the event. Lee recalled late-night discussions with friends.
“We’d talk about what we heard that day and how it impacted us,” Lee said. It allowed us to share insights and learn from each other. Those conversations were one of my favorite parts.”
Beason shared a moment of reflection with friends during a lunch break at the stadium.
“We talked about how heavy the past year had been, with so much sickness and loss, and asked why Satan attacks so much,” Beason said. “Then we looked around and said, ‘This is why.’ Seeing thousands of college students worshiping God—it’s dangerous to Satan.”
The Passion Conference offered these Harding students not only an opportunity for spiritual renewal but also a reminder of their shared purpose with others around the world.
“It’s not about how worship looks, but about giving God all the glory. That’s what matters,” Lee said.
Students arrived on campus early before snowstorm hit
JULIA JENKINS guest writer
Harding University’s campus was blanketed in a rare snowfall Jan. 9-10, just before the start of the spring semester. Snow days are uncommon on Harding’s campus. This particular snowfall was expected to hit Searcy during the days students typically choose to drive back to campus. Many students decided to return early in order to ensure they were settled before the severe weather hit.
“It was good that I came early so I had time to unpack and get ready before classes started,” freshman Ainsley Whitman said.
In the day or two before the snow hit, students trickled into campus to unpack and settle in. Like Whitman, many students used this time to prepare themselves for the start of a new semester. From taking a few more days to rest and recuperate to mentally preparing themselves for a busy semester, this time was used as an “adjustment period” as freshman Meredith Smith said.
“My original plan was to not come back early to spend as much time at home as I could,” Smith said. “It gave me the mental
space to be at Harding and not have to think about classes, so that when classes came I was ready.”
It is important for students to be prepared for an upcoming semester, so this weekend was beneficial to those who took advantage of it.
“Waking up on Friday with a clean blanket of snow, it was a good visual indicator of the fresh start of the semester,” Smith said. “The excitement of the new semester was in the air, even though everyone wasn’t back yet.”
Many students who arrived early embraced this rare opportunity to play in the snow with other friends in town. Freshman Avery Calendine described how campus had a slow but energetic atmosphere for the snow day.
“We got all suited up,” Calendine said. “Everyone was building snowmen. We were playing in the snow and having snowball fights. It was the most random group of people, and we went to Waffle House for lunch. I sat in my dorm, watched my TV show, went for a walk with a friend and did nothing.”
The snow weekend wrapped up with all other Harding students coming back to campus and kicking off the semester on a cold Monday morning.
Thousands of Passion Conference attendees participate in worship in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena. The conference’s attendees included several students from Harding University.
Photo provided by Dusty Lee
Photo by ABIGAIL CALLICOAT
Two snowmen stand tall in front of Harding University’s Starbucks. Many students arrived early for the spring semester in order to avoid dangerous road conditions. Some early arrivers took the opportunity to enjoy the snow-blanketed campus before classes began.
