Being part of the track and field team was an incredible experience. Building those relationships with my teammates and Jud Logan opened up a lot of opportunities for me. In high school I was just a small town kid who only had offers from D-III schools. But Jud let me walk-on at Ashland and gave me the chance to prove myself, to become a team captain and a four-time All-American. I’m blessed to have the family I have here at the university.
My favorite memory from my time at Ashland was either winning the national championship title or breaking the D-II record at the conference meet at home. Both moments were really special and set me up for future success. I learned a lot of things here that I took with me as I competed and won the gold medal in pole vaulting at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Many of the lessons I learned at Ashland have followed me throughout my career. I’ve stayed close with my coaches, teammates and even competitors. There’s such a sense of community—and it’s the kind of community that doesn’t end when you graduate, but instead stays with you over the years. Ashland is a special place.
The coolest part of my Ashland experience was that I graduated in 1992 and my son currently attends here. I played tennis back then, and now he’s on the tennis team. He now lives in Kilhefner on the same floor I lived on during my undergrad years. The relationships I built with the professors here were incredible. I was a Spanish major and I’m still in regular contact with Barb Schmidt-Rinehart, who has had a big influence on my life.
I came to Ashland primarily to play tennis. I love the coach and the atmosphere. The coaches and my teammates are great. What has stood out to me most about my time here is the one-on-one relationships I’ve built with the faculty. Those connections are a big part of what makes this place so special.
As a student at Ashland, I was cheerleader in the late ‘70s. At the time, we had to cheer on a mud track. When we tumbled, we would have to pick dirt from our clothes, hair and skin. Back then there was no athletic trainer, so when someone would get hurt, the youngest girl on the team had to run to the concession stand for a bag of ice. The current squad is blessed to have everything they have now, but we made a lot of memories during our time at Ashland.
Sherrill Beckswith (Burley) (Right)
Alumna
Class of 1982
My best memory of Ashland was meeting my husband here. And now, our sons Brian and Adam have decided to go to Ashland. It’s been a wonderful experience for all of us.
Coming from Texas, Ashland University has been an incredible experience. My faith is really important to me, I was on the debate team in high school and my parents run an independent film company back home: I couldn’t decide which of these three things outweighed the others, so I’m currently a triple major in Religion, Political Science and Theater. I’ve had a really unique learning experience all around. It’s a beautiful time in a really interesting place.
The Ashbrook Scholar Program first drew me to Ashland. The people I’ve met here have made it feel like home. The scholarships I’ve received have been a huge opportunity for helping me get a great education. Through the Ashbrook programming, I’ve been able to meet a lot of prominent people – politicians, political leaders and other really important people. Finding your place here and having a ton of opportunities to learn and grow make Ashland a great place to spend your college years.
I want to follow in my dad’s footsteps and run my own company. The smaller classes here help you focus and the one-on-one attention from the professors has made a huge difference as I prepare to own and run a business. My favorite AU moment so far was walking on to the soccer team freshman year. One of the goalies broke his arm and they needed a replacement. I tried out, got the nod and I’ve been part of a great team ever since! If you’re into connecting with people, engaging in on-campus opportunities and are into great food, Ashland is the place for you.
As an athlete interested in actuary science who really loves snow and coming from Georgia, Ashland University felt like a perfect situation for me. I’ve since switched to education and I love the idea of inspiring others to learn and grow. Orientation was a great moment here...meeting new people and collecting canned food door-to-door, it was a lot of fun. I’ve made real, lasting connections with professors during my time at Ashland and it’s encouraging how much they want to help you succeed.
