I always tell people that God took me to Ashland because He wanted me to learn more about what it was to truly live for Him. And in the process, I earned my early childhood education license. I have so many beautiful memories from AU, from being involved in Religious Life groups to being an RA, to learning how to teach from some exceptional educators, to building incredible friendships with people with whom, to this day, I still share some of my favorite memories. Those memories include hanging out in the “alone room with God,” laughing with my best friend for hours after FCA and enjoying visits from my brother and sister on Lil Sibs weekends. I remember creating a “Mingo” walk around campus after “borrowing” some pink plastic flamingos, spending hours talking with friends at Convo, and going on my very first of many missions trips with HOPE Fellowship. I remember having dinner over at the Rineharts, who I invested so much more into people than simply knowledge, creating fun programs in one of the buildings where I was a resident assistant, and “studying” on one of the red leather chairs at the student center that we always dreamed of taking back to our rooms. I remember listening to powerful and enlightening speakers such as Eli Wiesel and other Holocaust survivors, playing in the fountain after dark and even waking up at September 11th when the world we lived in was changed forever.
Every memory I made involved other beautiful individuals that I may not talk to much anymore, but who played such a vital role in helping me become the person I am today. I always tell people that God sent me to AU because I was supposed to be an Eagle…at the last minute, I chickened out of going to another college far away from home where I would not know anyone. Ashland was a little closer to home and full of many high school friends, and this ended up being one of the best decisions of my life. God used my weaknesses to mold me, use me, enlighten me and show me who I am. I will forever be grateful for the people of Ashland, the relationships I was blessed to make and the opportunities I was afforded. Not to mention the fact that, along the way, I learned how to be a teacher and, 18 years later, I still love what I do! I always think fondly of my formative years at Ashland University.
