Freed-Hardeman University

For the 11 students enrolled in Freed-Hardeman University's Intro Engineering Course, the fall semester was more than just a series of lessons-it was a hands-on journey into the world of design, innovation and problem-solving. Guided by Dr. Ben Clark, who is the director of computer science and digital innovation, students were given the opportunity to create unique projects that challenged them to think critically and embrace the engineering process from start to finish. The goal wasn't just about building something impressive; it was about learning how to tackle real-world challenges, refining ideas and finding where their passions could take them.

Freed-Hardeman University has released the names of students who made the President's and Dean's Lists for the Fall 2024 semester. To be on the President's List, a student must be full-time and have a 4.0 grade point average. Students on the Dean's List have earned a minimum 3.4 grade point average for the semester. FHU congratulates all of the students on their academic success.

At the conclusion of a busy fall semester, psychology students in Dr. Chris Creecy's Research Methods II class gathered in the lobby of Brown-Kopel Business Center to present the findings from their ongoing research projects. Displaying posters that highlighted key factors in their research, groups conversed with teachers, fellow students and visitors who were interested in learning more about their unique findings.

Congratulations to seniors Morgan Milliken, Tori Robison, and Cooper Whitney, who were selected from nearly 300 entries across nine states to participate in this year's Bellwethers Exhibition. The Bellwethers is an annual juried exhibition for undergraduate art majors, hosted by UT Martin and displayed at the West Tennessee Regional Art Center in Humboldt. This year's juror was Beth Edwards, Professor Emeritus of Painting from the University of Memphis. FHU's artists showcased their work alongside 53 other students from major universities, including the University of Georgia, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina, University of Tennessee, and Mississippi State University. FHU students have participated in the Bellwethers Exhibition for 14 of the past 16 years. "We've had past students win 'Best in Show' or first place in '2D Media' over the years," said Brian Bundren, associate professor of art at FHU.

From Capitol Hill to corporate boardrooms, students in the Freed-Hardeman College of Business recounted the meaningful internship experiences that took them beyond the classroom and into their fields at the Third Annual Beyond BK Intern Recognition Dinner. Sponsored by Watkins Uiberall, PLLC, the event celebrated the hard work, resilience and dedication of students who tested their classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Of the 32 business student interns recognized at the dinner, seven were chosen to speak on their internship experiences and encourage other students to seek opportunities. Speakers were Daniel Grooms, a senior accounting major who interned at Ernst & Young; Griffin Collins, a sophomore finance and law and politics major who interned for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell; Aidan Harrison, a senior business analytics major who interned with Transcard; Elizabeth McKeeby, a junior accounting major who interned with UHY, LLP; Jadyn Hope, a senior marketing major who interned at DPW Manufacturing; Grigorii Sibilev, a graduate business major who interned at Integrity Music Company; and Zena Dorris, a senior marketing major who interned with 2-COM Communication Components.

For Freed-Hardeman University's Homecoming 2024: Thanks for the Memories, a fun-filled week of celebrations culminated in a coronation ceremony Saturday, Nov. 9, where two senior court representatives were named homecoming king and queen. This year, Spencer Bowen, a senior Bible major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was crowned king, and Harper Shelton, a senior kinesiology and secondary education major from Centerville, Tennessee, was crowned queen.

Eighteen students from Freed-Hardeman University completed their studies this summer, earning six bachelor's degrees, nine master's degrees and three doctorates.

Fifteen Freed-Hardeman University students played a key role in enhancing library services by serving on the Student Library Advisory Board (SLAB) during the 2023-24 academic year. Organized in early 2023, SLAB provides students with the opportunity to offer feedback on library operations and improvements, ensuring the library meets the needs of the student body. The SLAB members included Caleb Bond, Bre Tonkery, Brigitte Turner, Wesley Baker, Mallorie Gardner, Jackson Guin, Carly Price, Addie O'Brian, Ana Crowell, Eli Neal, David Okantey, Renae Tabor, Ella Williams, Orlando Whiteside, Emily Andrick, and Robin Winckler.

Fourteen Freed-Hardeman University students were officially inducted into the Tennessee Iota Chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society Monday, Oct. 21, in Old Main Administration Building's Chapel Hall. Membership in Alpha Chi is open to students who have earned a minimum GPA of 3.75 on 80 credit hours and who are in the top 10% of the junior and senior classes. This semester, all inductees have a minimum GPA of 3.92. The following students were inducted into the organization: Hannah Ballentine, Molli Deere, Darden Goode, Mia Griffin, Aleia Klamm, Noah LaRue, Elizabeth McKeeby, Mia Morris, Kanvas Phelps, Brenley Ramey, Campbell Scott, Jensen Smith, Ben Wade and Brooke Webb.

The Lions and Lady Lions traded their jerseys for suits and dresses as the Freed-Hardeman University athletic department honored their student-athletes during the second annual Roar Awards held in late April. The student-athletes joined the athletic staff as well as family and friends to join in a meal before each team recognized three student-athletes. Voted by their teammates, each team selected a "Best Teammate," "Best Christian Example" and "Team MVP" honoree. Capping off the celebrations, the athletic training department honored three student-athletes before the top four awards were announced. The sports medicine department honored Haley Suggs as the "Workhorse," Devin Tomlinson as "Diligent Dan" and Brinley Cousar as "Overcomer." "The Roar Awards are special because it is all about the student-athletes," FHU Director of Athletics Jonathan Estes said. "We have some of the best student-athletes in the world. They embody the spirit and attitudes that we want in our families, in our churches, in our communities and in our world. We want to honor their commitment to the classroom, their commitment to each other, their commitment to the Lord and their commitment to their sport." Voted by the coaches and athletic staff, women's basketball's KJ White was selected as the Outstanding Female Student-Athlete. Men's basketball's Quan Lax was honored as Outstanding Male Student-Athlete, adding to a list of accolades that included first-team All-NAIA tournament, first-team All-American, first-team All-MSC and MSC tournament Most Valuable Player. For the Outstanding Individual Achievement, the staff voted for baseball's Colton Huntt. Men's basketball's Hunter Scurlock was voted as the 2024 recipient.

Two Freed-Hardeman University students have been recognized by the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society for research scholarships and fellowships. Daniel Chang, a junior biology major, was chosen over hundreds of applicants from across the country to receive a $2,000 Alfred H. Nolle Cooperative Scholarship. Josie Gannon, a senior double majoring in biology and English, was chosen as an alternate for a $3,000 H.Y. Benedict Fellowship for her ecological research.

Several Freed-Hardeman University members of Xi Chi Delta spent their spring break spreading the gospel and encouraging the Church around the country. The club sent a total of 36 people to Taylorsville, North Carolina, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Kayenta, Arizona. In North Carolina, the students worked with the Liledoun Road Church of Christ. One of the students on the trip, Isaac Amar said the congregation's excitement was inspiring. "Just by us being there made me want to serve them so much more. Their excitement was contagious, and it really inspired the team," Amar said. Students on the Massachusetts trip performed an outreach campaign to publicize the church throughout the area and completed several service projects "The experience made me appreciate how good God's people can be in encouraging each other, and how blessed we are to live in a place where our faith is such a common thing that can be openly acknowledged," Scott said. While in Arizona the group served with the Kayenta Church of Christ encouraging youth and completing service projects in the community. They provided blessing bags with food and encouraging notes to visitors of the local farmer's market. "As a group, we were able to learn so much from the kids and community about showing unconditional love to those around us," said Brenna Hobgood, a junior social work major.

FHU College of Business held its annual Senior Awards Chapel and Luncheon to celebrate the academic achievements of students as they prepare for post-graduate life. Ten seniors and one graduate student were recognized for their work in several disciplines including accounting, marketing, management, business analytics, finance, financial planning and sport administration. In addition, six undergraduates received the Sewell Scholarship, which awards a rising sophomore, junior or senior with a minimum 3.0 grade point average with a $5,000 scholarship ($2,500 a semester). Recipients must demonstrate leadership, integrity and professionalism. "Deciding these awards is never easy," Dr. Matt Vega, dean of the College of Business, said. "We're so thankful for all of your efforts. We know whatever your next chapter is, you will not only glorify us, but you will glorify God."

Freed Hardeman University honor students spent one weekend in April visiting New Orleans, Louisiana, to experience the rich historical culture of the area. The trip was offered as an educational experience to Honors Council members as well as senior students in the Honors College. The following students took part in the four-day tour: Clark Endsley, Emma Robison, Jessie Segars, Josie Gannon, Lily Simpson, MacKenzie Scarborough, Matthan Smith, Matthew Kuhl, Sarah Henley, Thomas Hastings and Tyler Stafko. Dean of the Honors College Dr. Jenny Johnson led the trip.

For the third consecutive year, Freed-Hardeman's analytics teams brought home honors, this time at the Bluegrass DataFest held in late April at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. In this competition, students had 48 hours to evaluate a complex, real-world dataset and present their findings. This year, Freed-Hardeman fielded two teams of five students each, doubling in size from the team's inaugural appearance in 2022. Team members Lou Joseph, Eli Combs, Justin Steward, Kate Fitzgerald and Taylor Guess secured the Best in Show and Best Visualization honors. Meanwhile, John Robinson, J.T. Moore, Justin Ellis, Carson Kizer and Aidan Harrison won the Best Use of External Data award. "These results continue to demonstrate our students' academic competitiveness nationwide," said Charlie Smith, one of the DataFest faculty advisors. "Their insights into the data and recommendations for action were on par with professional data analysts. I'm proud of their dedication and abilities."

Sager Blackman, a Freed-Hardeman University freshman from Lithia, Florida, was officially sworn into the U.S. Army National Guard earlier this month. Blackman is currently studying to earn his Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity from FHU and is also an active participant in the ROTC program. His enlistment into the Tennessee Army National Guard will ensure that his remaining FHU tuition will be taken care of.

Seven Freed-Hardeman University students studying Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) attended the Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists (TAASLP) "Day On The Hill" in Nashville, Tennessee, this month where they met with state legislators to discuss professions, answer questions and share issues facing their fields. The students - Allison Collum, Gracie Doyle, Alexa Neglia, Kenzie Pressnell, Elizabeth Roberts, Taylor Triplett, and Gabe Watts- arrived prepared to meet with Senators and Representatives to discuss how they can help the audiology and speech pathology professions as well as those they will serve. These students were able to meet professional SLPs and audiologists as well as students from other undergraduate and graduate CSD programs. FHU instructor Susan Lankford and Dr. Meagan Spencer, director of FHU's CSD program, organized the day for students whose itinerary included delivering one pagers (information sheets) to share with legislators, participating in letter-writing campaigns with Tennessee's StAMP and SEAL representatives. They discussed reimbursement, dismissal of mandated school-age hearing screenings, and reasons why students choose the CSD field. "The goals for the event were to share information with legislators about the fields of audiology and speech-language pathology and to advocate for improved access to services for all Tennesseans," Lankford said. "The FHU Communication Sciences and Disorders department believes strongly that our undergraduate students are ready to take part in this aspect of their future profession. They proved us right with their participation in the TAASLP Day on the Hill."

FHU's Principles of Management class participated in an eye-opening poverty exercise with Missouri's Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) and West Tennessee's WestStar Leadership class in late February. In the exercise participants take on the roles of individuals and families with limited finances and how they must navigate life's challenges such as unemployment, homelessness and strained financial resources. The simulations raise awareness, foster empathy and inspire participants to make a difference. The project certainly had that effect on FHU sophomore Renae Tabor, who participated in the simulation. "This simulation brought to light how large this problem of poverty really is and how I need to be a part of the solution. I can make a difference in the lives of people I meet if I just talk to them, get to know them and their situation, and actively look for ways to alleviate some of their burdens," said Tabor, an English major. "It would be incredibly selfish, uncaring, and ungodly to sit by in relative comfort and watch this suffering continue." Tabor was one of 28 FHU students to participate in the simulation. Students in principles of management learn how to achieve organizational objectives and cover the history and purpose of organizational management. Students also learn the four core functions of planning - organizing, leading, controlling, and the development of basic management skills.

A scientist, a journalist, a law enforcement officer, a minister and a financial planner were among approximately 40 Freed-Hardeman University alumni to return to campus to share their professional journeys with current students during homecoming week in early November. Now in its sixth year, ALUMination Day has grown from a single day to several days of alumni visits in classes as well as guest speakers in daily chapel. This year's chapel speakers were Chuck Morris, class of 1995; Drew Kizer, class of 1997; and Elizabeth Gentle, class of 1996.

Freed-Hardeman University welcomed a new class of freshmen and transferring students into the FHU family this semester with another successful week of "Interface." While many university campuses around the country offer new student orientation, FHU goes the extra mile to build relationships and a strong sense of community on campus by providing incoming freshmen additional opportunities to bond and make their first of many college memories.

Freed-Hardeman University's Honors Council recently traveled to Chicago in early November, where they explored, learned and gathered new ideas. The 58th annual National Collegiate Honors Council held its conference from Nov. 8-12, with the theme "Liberty, Equality, and Humanity." Session topics included student moderator training, research and honors, student socials, as well as networking opportunities. FHU's honors program promotes the free exchange of ideas, and students are regularly invited to make honors presentations at the conference meetings of the Tennessee Honors Council, the Southern Regional Honors Council and the National Collegiate Honors Council. "It was helpful in planning the honors competition for high school seniors looking to attend Freed-Hardeman," said Matthan Smith, a senior double major in accounting and financial planning. "I think our advisor, Dr. Jenny Johnson, gathered fun ideas for the competition." Johnson is the dean of the honors college and director of FHU study abroad.

Freed-Hardeman University students have chosen king and queen candidates from members of their classes to represent them on the Homecoming Court. They will be presented to the student body during chapel Tuesday, Nov. 8. The king and queen will be crowned Saturday, Nov. 12, at halftime of the women's basketball game. King candidates, elected from the senior class, are Nathan Brown, an accounting major from Manchester, Tennessee; Ethan Buckner, a finance major from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, and John Sadler, a biology major from Katy, Texas. Queen candidates are Morgan Perkins, a kinesiology major from Iuka, Mississippi, Brooke Roberts, a biology major from Knoxville, Tennessee; and Kayley Wadlington, an elementary education major from Cadiz, Kentucky. Junior class representatives are Sara Browning, a marketing and digital design major from Lewisburg, Tennessee; Addie Everson, a public relations major from Mesquite, Texas; Keegan Maguffee, a marketing major from Flint, Michigan, and Omer Shifris, a sports administration and speech communication major from Kibbutz, Israel. Representing the sophomore class are Mattie Barkley, a marketing and digital design major from Bethel Springs, Tennessee; Sam Elrod, an accounting major from Rockvale, Tennessee; Lily Robinett, a nursing major from Bessemer, Alabama; and Luke Wamble, a youth and family ministry major from Lebanon, Tennessee. The freshman class elected the following: Kate Boyd, a public relations major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Jacy Haislip, a marketing major from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; Grady McCall, from Winter Garden, Florida, who wants to pursue film and television production; and Jack Zondervan, a finance and marketing major from Hudsonville, Michigan. Utilizing a theme of "The Story of Us," FHU students will enjoy multiple activities during Homecoming Week, Nov. 6-13. In addition to the many alumni and families who are expected for the weekend, high school juniors and seniors are invited Saturday for a special Maroon and Gold Day. A complete listing of Homecoming events is available at fhu.edu/homecoming/schedule. The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, FHU offers associates, bachelor's, master's, specialist and doctoral degrees. More information is available at http://www.fhu.edu.

After a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FHU Study Abroad two-week tour of romantic England returned with approximately 22 travelers who set off for their great adventure in late May. They left as strangers but returned as good friends. Six FHU students traveled in the group - Josie Gannon, Caroyln Smith, Ashton Rose Duke, Hannah Sprouse, Molly Clemons and Emma Grace Owens - although not all of them are English majors, the students said the trip gave them a greater appreciation for the authors they studied while visiting England. The Romantic England tour is organized by John McLaughlin, who teaches American literature, romantic poetry and prose and renaissance drama. "The trip is set up to complement the course I teach, English literature of the romantic period," he said. "While visiting different sites, we discuss the writers from that period, experience nature and the countryside." McLaughlin's wife, Debbie, also serves as a leader on the Romantic England tour. "We got to do so much - from group activities, free time, and small groups," Debbie McLaughlin said. "What I remember most are the bonds that were created, that's my favorite part." FHU student Molly Clemons, an English and history major, enjoyed her first trip abroad and what she learned about the writers she admires. "I really appreciated being where the writers were and seeing the landscape and understanding what they were seeing," Clemons said. "But the best part of the trip was the people and getting to know them," Clemons said. FHU nursing major Emma Grace Owens agreed with Clemons. "I didn't know anyone but my friends on my trip, but by the end, we were like 'this is family,'" she said. Learning about the authors encouraged Owens to read more of their works. "I've always been about science and math, but learning more about the writers opened my mind." Owens purchased Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" while touring the author's home, now a museum, in Chawton, England. "I planned to spend my summer reading while sitting and looking at things more." In addition to touring, hiking and sightseeing, the group tried to leave no stone unturned during this trip. "We got to do so much - we were able to see a lot all over England," Debbie McLaughlin said. "The goal is to broaden everyone's horizons and see what the rest of the world does and is like. We use public transportation, trains and buses, because it adds to the knowledge gained about the world. That's valuable to young people and benefits everyone." The next Romantic England study abroad trip will take place in 2024.

Approximately 400 new students are expected to arrive on the Freed-Hardeman University campus Saturday, Aug. 13, for a week of making new friends, learning about their new home-away-from-home, worship and service, and planned and impromptu recreational activities. Leading them through all these new experiences will be a 36-person team of current FHU students. Interface coordinators Julie Gann, a junior kinesiology major from Harvest, Alabama, and Patrick Frans, a senior youth ministry major from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, have chosen a theme, organized the team and planned activities. Gann and Frans have dubbed the 2022 edition of Interface "Ohana," a Hawaiian word loosely translated as "family." "We decided that since 'Ohana' means family, and family means no one gets left behind, it sums up what Freed-Hardeman is as a school, community and people. We are welcoming the freshmen class to an unfamiliar environment. They are probably really scared and nervous for this new phase in life," Gann said. "Interface is all about taking away the fear and unfamiliarity of college life." "The theme conveys that, number one, we are God's family, and we will take care of one another and, two, we are a family here at Freed-Hardeman who love each other and feel at home here." Franz explained. "We want the freshmen to come in and feel God's love and that they are a part of His family and that as the week goes on, they will feel a part of the FHU family and call this place home."

FHU's undergraduate enrollment for fall 2021 jumped 4% for a record 1,797, including the greatest number of first-time freshmen in 11 years. The full-time equivalent of 1,630 is also a record.

The fall semester was pretty busy for Freed-Hardeman University's Student Government Association. Members met with the university's administration on behalf of the student body and logged several hours of community service since the fall semester began. The student leaders plan to continue their efforts in Spring 2022. With a new group of freshman leaders serving as officers, SGA President Cameron Miller is excited about the work ahead. "Our vice president, Kayley Wadlington, and I met with the cabinet and discussed how we can be more effective," Miller said. "We also talked about plans for campus buildings, facilities and renovations in the residence halls."