CAMPUS NEWS
Arriving at the destination—Together In the spring of last year the Office of Admissions informed me of an unusual circumstance—fourteen applicants from one church for the new school year*—and suggested that a Treveccan story might be worth pursuing. In the fall after students had registered for classes, I contacted the six freshmen from that church who had enrolled in order to set up interviews. Because I wanted to avoid a “group think” conclusion about their decision, I interviewed them individually. The article that follows is the composite of their individual stories. The editor Those six freshmen—Derek Brinkman, Michael Follis, Preston Hunt, Jake Resor, Daniel Smith, Tanner Webb—are from Hermitage (Tennessee) Church of the Nazarene. They report some shared experiences that influenced their individual decisions to attend Trevecca. Some of the six come from families
If family influence or tradition was not the main factor, what was? Their answers to that question form Continued on page 27 Freshmen from Hermitage (Tennessee) Church of the Nazarene (Front row—Tanner Webb, Daniel Smith; back row—Michael Follis, Preston Hunt, Derek Brinkman, James Waters (their classmate and roommate), and Jake Resor
E. Streight
When several students from one local church enroll in Trevecca together, questions arise. Why do teenagers from different parents, different homes, different schools decide to follow the same path, head in the same direction? Are there some commonalities? What are the factors that influence members of a group to make the same decision?
with a Trevecca history—parents or other relatives who are Trevecca alumni—but some had no family connection to Trevecca at all. In fact, a family-Trevecca connection may actually have encouraged some of the six to look at other universities where they could have new experiences and create their own college traditions.
SPRING 2009 • TREVECCAN 23