I came to Ashland from a rural Appalachian community in Eastern Kentucky. The first question I always get when someone finds out that I’m not from Ohio is, “Why Ashland? How did you find it?” I smile and proudly say that I’m a third generation Eagle.
Ashland has a huge level of significance in my family. My grandfather came here in the early 60’s and completed graduate schooling at Ashland Theological Seminary after graduating from Ashland College. On a mission trip down to my hometown, he first met a girl named Sarah, who would later become my grandmother. Once my dad was close to finishing high school and started looking into colleges, he didn’t even have to think about coming to AU. He met my mother at Ashland during their junior year and the rest was history. They both graduated with undergraduate degrees and my dad also chose to continue his education through the Ashland Theological Seminary. Both my father and grandfather have served as pastors for the Brethren Church their whole lives. I guess you could say Ashland University has always been in my blood.
In 2014, when I was a sophomore in high school, my parents wanted to take us on a tour of their old college stomping grounds. From the moment I set foot on the campus, I looked at my parents and told them AU would be where I would go to college. They looked at each other and chuckled, gently telling me the cost would be too much. But I knew in my heart that things would work out.
Now as I head into my senior year, I am grateful for my own time and journey at Ashland. I’ve made so many deep connections with this community. My first year I lived in Kem Hall, where my mother was a Resident Assistant in the 1990’s. Currently, I am an Assistant Resident Director in Jacobs Hall, the same one my grandfather lived in when he attended as an undergrad. Whether I’m taking a class with a professor my mom had, finding a photo of my grandfather in the student center, or attending a service in the chapel where my parents got married, I feel my family connections everywhere on campus.
Truly, the people are what make Ashland University what it has been to so many others for generations. I’ve had a personal connection with my professors, created friendships that I’ll have for a lifetime, and have maintained a family tradition that I’ll be able to pass down to my own children someday. My grandparents and parents never knew that their choices so long ago would have such a deep impact on my life. My story is a unique one and AU will always hold a special place in my heart.
