Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

CARSON-NEWMAN, UNION MOVE CLASSES ONLINE

Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN — Union University and Carson-Newman  University addressed the coronavirus pandemic with their respective campus communities on March 12.

Union University in Jackson informed students, faculty and staff that it would move full semester classes on March 16 to an online or alternate delivery format.

In a letter to the Union University community, university president Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver said, “While there have been no confirmed cases (of the coronavirus) at the university and no one associated with Union is currently in self-quarantine, we believe that it is prudent to take necessary measures to protect the health and wellbeing of those in our community.” [Read more…]

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DOOLEY TO PREACH AT WEST TENNESSEE EVANGELISM RALLY

By Sarah Goff
Union University news office

Adam Dooley, senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, will be the keynote speaker at the fifth annual West Tennessee Evangelism Rally March 1 at Union University.

JACKSON, Tenn. — Adam Dooley, senior pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, will be the keynote speaker at the fifth annual West Tennessee Evangelism Rally March 1 at Union University. 

The rally, co-sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board and Union University, is designed to strengthen and equip churches in the areas of evangelism and outreach. John Kinchen, chair of Union’s Department of Music, will lead worship for the event.

“We are pleased to partner once again with the TBMB to host this strategic evangelism training event for West Tennessee,” said Ray Van Neste, dean for the School of Theology and Missions and professor of biblical studies. “We want to help Christians be better prepared to share their faith and make the most of every opportunity to call people to faith in Jesus.”

Breakout sessions will be led by Union faculty members, Tennessee pastors and TBMB leaders on topics such as “Creating an Evangelistic Culture,” “Urban Evangelism: The Harvest is Plenteous” and “Missional Hospitality.” The rally will also include a student track designed specifically for students. 

The rally will begin at 3 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Registration is free, but space is limited. More information, including a list of the breakout sessions and online registration, is available at https://www.uu.edu/events/wter/. Registration will close on Feb. 23. B&R

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UNION GRADUATES’ PLACEMENT RATE AT 98 PERCENT

Union University News Office

Union University graduates form a line during the school’s graduation ceremonies.

JACKSON — Within six months of receiving their degree, 98 percent of Union’s class of 2019 were employed or enrolled in graduate school, according to an “Undergraduate First-Destination Survey” conducted by Union’s Vocatio Center for Life Calling and Career.

Union’s 98 percent placement rate is about 12 points above the national placement rate average of 85.7 percent in 2018 (the most recent data). Union’s knowledge rate of its most recent study is 93 percent, which reflects how many placements of the 231 graduates are known.

“Being well above the national average, I think it shows the value of a Union degree,” said Alex Huguenard, director of the Vocatio Center. “The vast majority of them are meaningful placements.”

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TOMLIN SHARES STORIES, SONGS AT UNION SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET

Union news office

Chris Tomlin performs at Union University’s 22nd annual Scholarship Banquet at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

JACKSON, Tenn. — Chris Tomlin was 18 years old and had just finished leading worship at a weeklong youth rally. He’d never done anything like that. He hadn’t written any songs and admits that he had done a poor job.

At the end of the week, the speaker for the week’s rally – a man named James – approached him and told him two things. First, James told him that he had no idea what he was doing. And second, James told him that Tomlin had no idea how God was going to use his music in the world.

Tomlin, who has since sold more than 8 million albums and whose songs are sung in churches around the world, was the featured guest Oct. 15 at Union University’s 22nd annual Scholarship Banquet at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.  [Read more…]

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UNION UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT EXCEEDS 3,100 STUDENTS

By Sarah Goff
Union news office

JACKSON — Union University recently welcomed 400 new students to the Jackson campus. The freshmen hail from 35 states and 10 countries and have an average ACT score of 26.2 and GPA of 3.85.

“We are thrilled to welcome our bicentennial class of 2023 to campus,” Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver said. “We pray that this academic year will be a transformative one for all of our students — that they would not only grow in their academic knowledge, but in their relationship with Jesus Christ.” [Read more…]

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NEPALI FRESHMAN TRAVELS 8,000 MILES TO ATTEND UNION

By Sarah Goff
Union news office

Bishwa and Ramila Karmacharya traveled from Kathmandu, Nepal, to move their eldest son, Vishal, right, onto Union University’s campus for his freshman year as a mechanical engineering major. — Photo by Kristi Woody

JACKSON — Vishal Gaurav Karmacharya traveled farther than most freshmen to Union University: about 8,000 miles from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Jackson.

Vishal and his father, Bishwa, and mother, Ramila, arrived on campus Aug. 14 to move Vishal into his campus apartment. Bishwa and Ramila stayed in Tennessee for a few days before flying back to Kathmandu and their youngest son, leaving Vishal at Union for his freshman year as a mechanical engineering major.

So, what led an 18-year-old to travel halfway around the world for college? The answer goes back to 2010 in Spring Hill. Jay Strother and his wife, Tanya, were in the process of adopting their son from Nepal. Jay is the lead campus pastor at The Church at Station Hill, a regional campus for Brentwood Baptist Church. [Read more…]

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UNION TRUSTEES APPROVE MASTER PLAN ON CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

By Tim Ellsworth
Associate VP for Communications, Union University

JACKSON, Tenn. — Union University trustees at their Sept. 6 meeting adopted a campus master plan that calls for new buildings and an extension of the university’s Great Lawn all the way to Highway 45 Bypass over the next 20 years. 

In other matters, trustees approved new officers, established tuition and fees for the 2020-2021 academic year and approved Beverly Bone-Absher as professor emeritus.  [Read more…]

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UNION ALUMNI COUPLE USES ‘FAME’ TO SHARE FAITH

By Sarah Goff
Union news office

Juliana and Ben Wilson have had a busy year as he has competed in the American Ninja Warrior TV show and she won the Mrs. Tennessee pageant in March and finished in the top 10 at the Mrs. United States pageant earlier this month.

JACKSON — For Union alumni couple Ben and Juliana Wilson, 2019 has been a year of unexpected opportunities, from Ben competing on the “American Ninja Warrior” TV show to Juliana winning the Mrs. Tennessee United States crown and earning a top 10 finish in the recent 2019 Mrs. United States National Pageant in Las Vegas. 

“This has been a crazy year, to kind of sum it all up,” Juliana said. “A year ago, neither one of us expected to be doing the things that we’re doing right now. It’s just cool that God’s just given us this opportunity, and we want to try to make the most if it, however long it lasts.”  [Read more…]

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CONCRETE CROSS INSTALLED ON UNION UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

Construction crews recently installed a 17-foot high cross in Hadley Circle on the campus of Union University, Jackson. The concrete cross was made possible from donations through Leadership Union, a cohort of faculty and staff who are selected to serve by Union President Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver. Leadership Union member Nancy Cherry said the cross “is a visual reminder of what (God) did for us in sending His Son to die on the cross, and that’s just a constant reminder to us of His goodness and grace.”

— Union photo by Krisi Woody

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UNION HONORS IMB PRESIDENT

From Union University

JACKSON — Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board, was the recipient of Union University’s M.E. Dodd Denominational Service Award this year.

Union president Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver presented the award to Chitwood, a Tennessean who was reared in Jellico, earlier this month at Union’s alumni and friends dinner during the SBC annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. [Read more…]

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