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Going Up Construction workers begin installing roof trusses on the first of fourteen new residential life buildings set to open in the fall of 2008.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Mailed from zip code 37229 Office of Alumni Services Permit No. 4398 1050 Union University Drive Jackson, TN 38305 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED 2 FROMTHEPRESIDENT U u ocsi rieadbwdorhat in hearts our bowed and praise in voices our lifted chapel. We our in service worship only standing-room- a in 19) (Feb. later weeks two community exactly a as campus on er grateful. most providential are protection we God’s For spared. Tuesday were evening that on campus on were who students the of all of lives the that fact the overwhelmed by been has hours 36 first the during campus the saw Everyone who heroic. bedescribed as only can 5 Feb. on team life student our of work The hospital. the released from been now have seriously Thankfully injured. all were hospital. Nine the to students 51 took evening, we That struck. tornado the when campus on were those of 1200 than More class. in students 3300 about had we 5 Feb. of morning the history.Southern Baptist On significant disasters in most the of one declared been has hit million $40 the pus, cam- buildings on key other several to and area residence life our of aspects all almost Unionite. Bringing destruction the to of okn oada toward Looking UNIONITE mznl,w eeal ogte togeth- gather to able were Amazingly, we hc sdsrbdtruhu hsissue described throughout this is which 5, Feb. on tornado EF-4 an from age University dam- suffered massive nion pca dto 2008 Edition Special Hope-filled forward-looking hope-filled ground- and a held we day next The 21). (Feb. Thursday on house packed a of front in games demolished. been now has that area residence life the from cated relo- been now have students 800 than More city. the around places various rescheduled in be to had have Numerous classes ship. creative leader- academic Union’s and gifted by revised been has schedule spring The mal. nor- but anything been have things yet, 20, behold. to joy a been have campus the across together working administrators, students faculty, and staff, trustees, our of efforts diligent The dorms. the belongings student from retrieval of recovery including efforts, the initial the with help to could whatever they do volunteers to as together came students faculty, and staff, Our faced. ever have us of any that lenging chal- demanding and most the of some were 19 Feb. and 5 Feb. between days 14 The campus. our across rubble the of out renewal bring to God asked have We God. on ence depend- deep prayer, our recognizing anew epae u is oebasketball home first our played We Feb. on again begin to able were Classes Future 09 odwlig elmr hn4,500 than more willing. Well Lord 2009, by recoveryrebuilding, efforts repair, and the of all complete us help will semester, and fall the with forward move us help will that path a mapped has but spring, this function to only not us enabled has that plan phase before. day the than busier seems day engineering Each firm. architectural single and a by led campus on work numerous subcontractorsand at contractors five have started. We now has buildings other the of all on work repair The important project. this God’s blessings on for pray all forward. We moving is project residential life new The grateful. be to which for much certainly have we us, of front in lengthy path a have ing.com). we While uurebuild- at now is news Websites (all the following on been have who you of those for “uurecovery” “uurebuilding”mergency” to to “uue- from moved have we as days past these itself. unto week a like seemed has weeks several past the for day each progress, though make to continue We complexes. residence life new 14 breaking for u rse or a prvdafive- approved a Trustee has Board Our over us to God’s grace for grateful are We ti negr ofdn xetto htsus- confident eager, expectation that an is It that. than more even is it something, but for desire a includes Hope life. in force driving powerful word--a a is Hope hope. with event agement friends around country. of from the God’s with enablement on ing encour- the and “essentialist an in press-ing are mode,” we but summer. uncharted in are We waters function- cancel spring this to and had have grams we considerable lost have revenue other from pro- also campus. We off moved who students to fees housing spring in million $2 than more refunded have revenue. We lost recovery of for also rebuilding, but for just not is this course, received. Of been already have that gifts the beyond and above million $9 tional addi- an need will insurance settlement, we grateful. are very we so which for in commitments, million and $9 gifts than gift. more every received and have We donor every for God We thank efforts. rebuilding and recovery our states respond to 50 all donors from 5,000 than more had have we date, To us. for help their offer campus to volunteers to come have emv owr rmti unforgettable this from forward move We the after even that estimates are Our eprsoeUinUniversity. restore Union are Things help themselves to of given have who all to ing heartfelt thanksgiv- our offer We weeks. past these for day every clock the around working literally been have campus this across People days. recent in students our or campus our for provided gifts and supported us, us, served encouraged us, us, for prayed have faithfully. work we watch, and wait we while that motivation so it gives and service our directs and faithfulness. God’s shapes Hope to us link to anchor an as serving lives, stabilizes our struggles, hope and lenges life’s chal- of midst the In now. and here the in living faithful energizing motivation for an is escapism, but not patiently. is Hope wait diligently and work we while us tains a’ a hn o nuht l who all to enough you thank can’t say I hlegn n hope-filledchallenging days. and most University these Union during to ment encourage- your friendship and your for God significant financial challenges. thankour We for provide to heaven of windows the open to God great our trust we as prayers faithful your need really we now, for But come. to months the in help more probably need will we immensely, helped and have who unteers vol- overwhelmed with been have We face. now we challenges massive that the us with help to come to days the in friends many of hearts the touch to God for pray will blessing. We and God’s care need who dents stu- injured students, particularly our our for pray prayers. Please your in remember us normal.” “new a least patterns, at work of terms in normal more bit a are directions that in move to starting eakta o laecniu to continue please you that ask We ai .Dockery S. David Gloria Deo Soli www.uu.edu UNIONITE 3 X I XII I X I XII I I X I X I I

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About the cover The Union University Magazine Junior Heather Martin and Julie Boyer (’01) Special Edition 2008, view the wreckage from which they escaped after UVolume 59, Number 2 an EF-4 tornado slammed the Hurt and Watters President complexes Feb. 5. Both women recorded their David S. Dockery thoughts about the experience. Read excerpts Senior Vice President of these and other inspiring stories of survival for University Relations in this special edition. Charles A. Fowler

Associate Vice President for University Communications Mark D. Kahler

Assistant Director of University Communications Juanita Cotner

Director of News and Media Relations Tim Ellsworth

Director of University Promotional Strategies Beverly Vos

Director of Creative Services Todd Mullins

Graphic Design Specialist Sarah Belcher

Director of Visual Communication Jim Veneman

University Photographer Morris Abernathy

Web Development Agent Cam Tracy CONTENTS Editorial Office Unionite February 5, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. 1050 Union University Drive 6 Jackson, Tenn. 38305-3697 A tornado rips through Union’s Jackson campus, Phone: (731) 661-5211 injuring 51 but killing no one. Eyewitnesses react Fax : (731) 661-5177 Web site: www.uu.edu to a defining moment in the history of Union University. E-mail: [email protected]

Numbers to Know (Area code 731) 36 Recovery Begins Admissions 661-5210 Possessions are recovered and wrecked buildings Advancement 661-5050 Alumni Services 661-5208 are demolished. Recovery begins at Union. Athletic Office 661-5130 Church Services 661-5281 Events/Info Dawg 661-5048 Financial Aid 661-5015 LifeWay Bookstore 668-9492 Rebuilding: Bigger, Stronger, Better Switchboard 668-1818 56 Union breaks ground for a 14-building residence life center Unionite is published bi-annually by Union on the site of the former Hurt and Watters complexes. University, 1050 Union University Drive, Jackson, Tenn. 38305-3697. Union University is an academic community, affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, equipping persons to think Christianly and serve faith- fully in ways consistent with its core values 62 A rebuilding campaign for Union University of being excellence-driven, Christ-centered, Needs remain as Union recovers. people-focused, and future-directed. ©2008 Special Edition 2008

www.uu.edu 5 UNIONITE February 5, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. I Winds estimated at 200 - 240 MPH I 86 injuries I 51 injured victims taken to the hospital I 9 injured victims admitted I No fatalities I 31 campus buildings damaged I 19 campus buildings with major damage

6 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 7 UNIONITE UNIONITE ebruary 5 had been a day in tracked the storm live. It seemed to be moving and the second floor of Hammons. region, the nation and even the world in of their students, often trekking through which common conversation in up Interstate 40 directly to Jackson. Prior to 7 Worst of all, 13 students were trapped mighty, life-changing ways. mounds of debris and glass shards with Jackson had included the mention p.m., civil defense sirens sounded across beneath rubble in the Hurt and Watters This special edition of the Unionite will cold winds blowing in their faces. of severe weather. Unseasonable Madison County. complexes. By the time the evening ended, tell only a small part of this complex and Best of all, read the stories of the survivors, Ftemperatures in the mid-70s, combined with At 7:02 p.m., an EF-4 tornado crossed 51 students were taken to hospitals, and remarkable story. It is a story of emergency, who are quiet about their losses but outspoken the impending passage of a cold front, pro- Pleasant Plains Road, striking a glancing nine were admitted. recovery and rebuilding. It is a testimony in their thanksgiving for God’s providence: jected the possibility of dangerous conditions. blow to White Hall and then hitting But when the sun rose the next morn- of hope and blessing. It is an opportunity for specifically, for the soft drink machine that fell Classes at local secondary schools, both Jennings Hall before it focused destructive ing, everyone who had been alive on cam- the world to see what makes Union University just the right way to create a space for them or public and private, had been canceled that power on the Hurt and Watters residential pus at sunset was still breathing. One of a unique place in the world of higher education. the door that wedged against a falling wall and day. At Union University, schedules were complexes and Hammons Hall. the most powerful forces in nature had Many of the pictures and accounts that kept the collapsing ceiling from crushing them. intact, but there was also a careful watch President David S. Dockery saw the fun- taken direct aim at the only area of campus appear on these pages were captured by stu- Read the story of February 5 and the on weather reports and radar scans. nel cross U.S. 45 Bypass from his office, with high concentrations of potential dent journalists, who at a difficult and terri- days of recovery and rebuilding that follow Just after 6 p.m., word came that the not yet knowing the extent of the damage victims—and not one single life was lost. fying moment left behind the comforts of as some of the most poignant moments in Memphis area had been hit with a system pack- it had caused on campus: Seventy percent Suddenly, the ugly remnants of those home and family to chronicle this amazing the 185-year history of Union University. ing hail, damaging winds and imbedded torna- of the residential housing destroyed or buildings turned beautiful to many who had story. You’ll also read about faculty mem- Join the campus community in praising does. By 6:30, WBBJ-TV in Jackson had inter- damaged beyond repair; hundreds of vehi- feared the worst just hours earlier. Immed- bers who worked for days to retrieve every God not only for what He has done, but rupted regular programming as two forecasters cles totaled; serious damage to Jennings iately, God’s providence was revealed to the possible possession in the wrecked rooms what He will do here in the months to come.

8 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 9 UNIONITE UNIONITE nder 25 feet of rubble, Kevin “It felt like I was underground and had no Furniss had reason to think he hope and no future. I was 25 feet deep, and the was about to die. moment he touched my hand it was life.” He no longer had feeling in tried desperately to get someone – anyone – Though hurting, Kevin gladly granted Uhis legs. He questioned whether he’d ever be to hear their cries for help. numerous interviews from his hospital able to play tennis again. He feared for the Shortly thereafter, Jordan Thompson, one room. He spoke to FOX News’ Greta Van safety of his friends who were also buried of Kevin’s friends, managed to free himself Susteren, to the CBS Nightly News with just a few feet away. from the debris and simply sat in a cave-like Katie Couric, to Memphis’ Commercial Sometimes he even hoped that death opening in the darkness. He began talking Appeal and to The Jackson Sun, among oth- would come swiftly. to Kevin and his friends, encouraging them ers. He took every opportunity to talk to “I actually told myself that if they weren’t in their distress. the world about the Lord. coming quick, I wanted my lungs to lock “We started praying and reciting the “The reason I kept doing interviews was up,” Furniss said. Scripture,” Furniss said. “I sang a little bit. because those other guys couldn’t, and I But God had other plans for the junior Jordan joined in.” wanted the gospel out,” he said. from Bartlett, Tenn. Furniss finally began to Kevin could feel the emergency workers He was discouraged at times when pro- punch his way out through the sheet rock getting closer with their equipment. It didn’t ducers axed the most potent statements above him, and managed to stick his hand bring the hope that Kevin had expected. about his faith. The CBS story in particular out into the cold night air. “The sledge hammer and the chainsaw had been stripped of most faith references. “A firefighter actually grabbed it,” Furniss were the worst, because you could feel the But Kevin quickly points out there were five said. “It was hope, and it was life. It really sledge hammer jamming everything tighter. people on the CBS crew in his room who did feel like he gave me life just by touching And you could hear the chainsaw,” Furniss heard what he had to say. my hand.” said. “The scariest thing was not the torna- Upon his discharge from the hospital six For Furniss, the feeling brought back do. It wasn’t being trapped and thinking I days after admission, Furniss and his family memories of another time in his life when was going to suffocate. It wasn’t being drove straight to the Union campus. Kevin he needed to be rescued. afraid I was going to have broken bones. wanted to see where he had been trapped. “It felt a lot like when I prayed to receive The scariest thing was that the chainsaw was At first, when he approached the pile of Christ,” he recalled. “He pulled me out of a going to go into my back.” rubble that had enveloped him, a policeman lot of sin. As deep and hopeless as I was, But the rescue workers knew what they reprimanded him. Christ pulled me out. In the same way, it were doing. Slowly and skillfully, they final- “Hey, you’re too close. Get away from felt that way when the firefighter grabbed ly removed enough of the debris – in part that,” the man said. my hand and pulled me out.” guided by Kevin’s verbal instructions -- to But then someone explained to the officer The most frightening night of Furniss’ allow Kevin to punch his hand out. who Kevin was, and the man’s demeanor life began in the Watters commons, where “When I reached my hand out and start- changed. He helped Kevin walk onto the top Kevin was playing ping pong with friends. ed waving it around, I was hoping for some- of the pile, where days before Kevin and his He raced into the men’s bathroom in the one to touch it, or feel water on it, or friends had been buried alive. commons – the designated shelter area in “I sat up there with my dad,” Kevin said. times of severe weather. Three of his friends “We cried a little bit, and we prayed.” were hunkered down in that bathroom, Seeing the extent of the devastation for with another three friends taking shelter in the first time caused Kevin to wonder at the women’s room. God’s mercy in sparing him, and in sparing “I don’t remember anything from there everyone else on campus. until it was on top of us,” Furniss recalled. “I don’t know why no one was killed, “I don’t remember who was behind me or much less myself,” he said. “I don’t know how we got in the door or anything like why hundreds of girls weren’t killed.” that. It all happened and then everything The only thing he could think was that was on top of us.” God had a reason for him to be alive – that By Tim Ellsworth By “everything,” Furniss means the entire God somehow would glorify Himself commons building, which had collapsed through the events of Feb. 5. and trapped him and his friends under tons Kevin didn’t have to wait long to see what of rubble. They didn’t know how deeply somthing that wasn’t underground,” Furniss he considers to be at least a part of God’s pur- buried they were, so their first instinct was said. “And then out of nowhere the guy – I poses in allowing the tornado to happen. to push up in an attempt to escape. Furniss couldn’t see, I didn’t know who he was, but Only a few days after the tragedy, one of his and his friends soon discovered the futility it was another life, and he squeezed my close friends, Chris Lean, became a Christian. of those efforts. hand and told me that they were there. He “He realized he didn’t have what we had, and The first hour passed with much scream- actually tried to let it go, probably to help he is now a believer,” Kevin said. “To hear that ing, much chaos and much panic. They get me out, and I wouldn’t let him let go. news, it really made it all worth it.”

www.uu.edu 11 UNIONITE (Julie Boyer, a 2001 Union graduate, lives of me, and her hip was on my left lung. across the street from campus. Her second-floor The only sounds in the tub for the first apartment was not the place to ride out a tor- few seconds were me trying to breathe. My nado warning, so she bypassed shelter on the the floor on one side and tilted us at a slight first thoughts were similar to others’, “The first floor of her building and decided to visit angle. The wind was pushing from both the dorms are destroyed. All the students are some close friends (including Heather Martin) side and behind. I could feel the rotation. either dead or buried like we are, and they in the Jelks residence hall on Union’s campus. Heather told me later the wind was picking will never find us in time. Even if I can keep Julie became trapped in the rubble following her legs up, and she felt like it was trying to breathing, my air pocket is so small, I will the tornado. suck her out of the tub. She said I was still suffocate before they get us out. This is the The following are excerpts of Julie’s first- gripping her hand. She held on to me and end of my life. I have no regrets.” I was calm person account of her ordeal, taken with her to the side of the tub to keep from flying and accepting of this, but I didn’t stop fight- permission from a longer email she wrote to out. I don’t remember this, only that I was ing for air. I didn’t give up. I was realistic. friends and loved ones soon after the experi- thinking, “I can’t believe it’s actually hitting us!” It became harder and harder for me to ence. Note that Heather Martin’s first-person We heard crackling, and the second floor breathe, and the weight of the building account appears on the page 14.) suddenly dropped on top of us. We were increased more and more. My arms and pressed down further and further into the legs started to go numb. I wiggled my fin- ellie Roe, Suzanne Short, and tub as the weight of the debris settled on us. gers and toes to make sure one last time that Heather Martin were all home. It felt like the outside concrete wall fell on I didn’t have a spinal cord injury. At this The TV was on, and the girls us after the second floor dropped. I thought same moment, Heather realized I couldn’t were just hanging out. About the pressure from above was going to kill us. breathe. She had heard me before but didn’t Kfive minutes after I walked in, the sirens I don’t know quite how to explain my know it was I. sounded. Suzanne is an RA (resident position in the tub. My body will never She started talking me through the situation, assistant), so she grabbed her phone again be able to twist that way. My mouth telling me to breathe, trying to shift her weight and keys, and headed out to clear the top and chin were crushed against the right side to help. It only made it worse. I started to pray floor of Jelks, the building for in my mind, “Jesus, I need you… which she was responsible. There (Rescue crews removed debris were three girls who came down- carefully by hand until they stairs to join us. reached the trapped women. Julie About two minutes before the was in-and-out of consciousness, tornado hit, Suzanne opened our and Heather says Julie’s breathing door and yelled, “Get in the tub, stopped several times. Shifting in NOW!” We were the last room she the wreckage created new pressure told before she sprinted for Hurt points on her body. Finally, the Commons to check back in. She crews uncovered her position.) almost didn’t make it. Without We were free. The firemen her, though, we would all probably pulled me out and passed me from be dead. person to person. The last guy to The next moments are still a whom I was passed was instructed bit of a blur. I jumped into the tub to hold me only on my left side, on the end away from the faucet, since I was in so much pain on the and grabbed Heather’s hand to right. He held me so gently. I help her in. As I was sinking knew I was safe, and his body heat down, Heather was trying to find started to warm me up. It had space to fit. Kellie was almost in. been stifling under the building, After that, the lights went out, but the fresh air was freezing. I there was a pop (we think it was thought, “This is what the arms of the bathroom door flying open), God must feel like: safe, secure, and the bathroom wall blew into strong, and warm.” They tried to sit and over us. Not only did the storm sound of my chest all the way under my breast. me down, then lay me down, but I couldn’t like a train (or a thousand of them – as My jaw was clenched. My neck was curled breathe in either position. So, I stood. Heather said), but it truly seemed as if a up and exposed kind of like a swan when it I know my days are numbered, but I will train had hit the bathroom wall. The noise ducks its head. There was pressure from the not leave this earth until Jesus says it is time. I was deafening. The power of the storm was back of the tub on my right side. My right will proclaim His glory, His grace, and His absolutely indescribable. lung was so compressed that no air was able strength until then. I had peace about my Dirt and debris was pelting us, and we to get in or out. At the time, I thought I death that night, and I have peace about my were screaming as the bathtub ripped from had a collapsed lung. Heather was on top life right now.

12 Special Edition 2008 UNIONITE (Heather Martin, a junior nursing major, and spoke through her directly to me in lived in Jelks prior to the tornado. She became that moment. It was at that point that I had trapped in the debris following the tornado an overwhelming sense of peace. with Julie Boyer, who also supplied the Unionite we are. This is where I am going to die. No The tornado struck at 7:02 - the firemen with a first-person account. The following one will ever find us. We will be here for arrived around 7:15. We were told later that excerpts are from an email that was forwarded days and we won’t last that long.” We all when they arrived, the chief got out and was to scores of people around the world.) accounted for each other and tried to calm overwhelmed with the destruction. He sent each other down. off the team in twos to listen for voices. bout two minutes before the I began to think about what my death Students began to crawl out of their bath tornado hit, (roommate Suzanne would be like. I only had a small pocket of tubs. He heard muffled sounds near the pile Short) ran in and said “Get in air and my whole body was compressed. I of debris that used to be my dorm room. the tub, now!” (that would be realized I was going to pass out, and then I Rubble on top of us had to be removed by hand. theA last time I would see her and know that would be with Jesus. To some of you, that When the rescuers got close to us, it got she was alive until 11:30 or so later that may sound very morbid, but it actually really scary. Julie’s breathing was terrible at night). A mentor of mine from church, Julie allowed me to move on and not panic in this point and she was in and out of con- Boyer, decided to come over and ride out fear about the process of my death. sciousness. As the rescuers neared our tub, it the storm with us. We headed to the bath- I began to pray out loud - telling Julie to was terrifying because the rubble and debris room -- the three girls from upstairs got breathe, not to talk, just to breathe - I was would shift and the pressure would increase. into the tub. positioned on top of her in such a way that The firemen were telling us not to scream Our ears started popping. At that point, if I moved, she either couldn't breathe or it and panic, because they thought we were in (roommate Kellie Roe) was almost into the caused her excruciating pain. pain each time we did. At this point, I tub and Julie turned to me and said, “We could see one of the fireman’s faces. I have to get in, NOW!” We shut the door. screamed out, “I am not panicking. You Julie jumped in. She was holding my hand. have to listen to me. There is someone stuck The lights went off. Hail was pounding on under me and if I move she can’t breathe. our building, and I was almost completely Her neck is exposed, so you can’t slide the in (the tub) when the tornado hit. debris. You have to lift it.” Then, they lifted I still have not come up with adequate off the main piece, and for the first time in words to describe the tornado. I’ll do my 45 minutes, we could breathe in fresh air! best. Everyone asks, “Did it sound like a They got the other girls out, with just train?” It sounded like a thousand trains. Julie and I left. They tried to get me next, The noise was incredible. It was a roar. but my legs were still pinned. So, they got Julie Julie was still holding me at this point out. Then, a fireman came and held me. He and I felt my legs being pulled up by the held my torso and my head. He kept telling force. And then, everything collapsed. There me, “We’re gonna get you out of here.” was a tremendous amount of pressure and it I noticed there was a 2x4 right next to my Heather Martin and other rescued just kept pressing us and pressing us. Some right knee, between the edge of the tub and students went to the Jackson Fire of us were screaming - it was pushing the Department to thank the workers. the mass of debris. That 2x4 had kept just breath out of me, so I couldn't scream. enough of the pressure off of my legs so that All of what I have just described occurred I didn’t completely lose blood flow to my in about five or six seconds. As things were lower extremities. It saved my legs. falling and the wind was swirling around us, I realize now, Christ was guiding my As you have read my story, you’ve read a I remember thinking, “This is NOT hap- thoughts from the very beginning – after lot about God. It may sound a bit odd if pening to me.” coming to grips with the fact that this would you don’t know Him personally. But here's As quickly as it came, it left. And then most likely be the night of my death, I was the truth: I cannot explain ANY of the there was an eerie silence and darkness. I able to move on and focus on simply breathing. events of Tuesday without acknowledging couldn’t see anyone in the tub with me. It I continued to pray aloud, and then at that God was there - He sustained and cov- was so hard to breathe. There was a wall one point I had to tell Julie that I was out of ered us all with His protection. I should not pressing down across my back, and my legs breath and couldn't pray out loud anymore, be alive today -- but I am because He still hadn’t made it into the tub. One of the girls but that I was still praying in my heart and has plans for my life here on earth. He is was able to call 911. She had her cell phone mind. Please do not see this as my being good. If you don’t know Him, you need to. and thankfully could move enough to make “strong” or “brave” or “courageous” - this He loves you. He wants a relationship with the call. We found out later we were the was the power of Christ in me. you. I pray that through my story you have first call from Union. At one point, Kellie very calmly said, caught a glimpse of who He is - His love – My initial thoughts were: “Every student “Heather, it’s going to be okay.” Kellie now His sovereignty - His strength - and His on this campus is either dead or trapped like has no recollection of this. God used her grace - and ultimately, His salvation.

www.uu.edu 15 UNIONITE asmine Huang is a 19- doing it out of pity or because year-old senior engineer- they would want something in ing major from Heifei, return down the road. But J China. She was raised an atheist, but became a Jasmine told her that was not the case – that people Christian during four years as an exchange student were helping only because they wanted to spread the and college student in Jackson. love of Christ. Such a response made an impact upon Jasmine is praying that the fallout from the Feb. 5 her parents. tornado will cause her parents and other family mem- “I think they are getting to see how Christians act bers to be more receptive to the gospel. Like everyone because of Christ,” Huang said. “So, I think that this else on campus that night, Huang has her own is definitely an eye opener for them.” “Where were you?” story. Prior to the tornado, Jasmine was frustrated with She was crammed in the bathroom with 14 – yes, what she called a “gap of communication” with her 14 – other girls. They heard the walls shaking and the parents. They were on different wavelengths when it glass breaking, but they didn’t realize the storm’s severity came to priorities and purposes in their lives. But until they saw a guy coming in with blood on his face. then she told them about the tornado, about how she “That’s when we got nervous and smelled gas,” could have died, and about how her life was spared. Jasmine said. “We sang hymns and prayed. I was And the previous barriers she had been experiencing smiling the whole time. I was scared in my heart, but melted away, as she sensed anew her parents’ concern it was just really, really encouraging to me – just for her wellbeing. shocking – to see how peaceful and calm everyone “That brings warmth to my heart because we are was. I can see they were scared, but they definitely still connected,” Jasmine said. were not terrified. I can see that hope and peace in It also brought her a renewed sense of urgency in people, and that really impressed me.” communicating the gospel to the two people she loves What also impressed Huang was the reaction she the most. She relayed to them the accounts of how saw from so many different people after the tornado – people responded to the tornado. She told them students, faculty, staff, community volunteers – all about the peace and comfort that God had provided working together selflessly in a united effort to help her during a time of disaster and calamity. She told those in need. She told her parents about the way her mom how important it is to have a God upon everyone pulled together in a time of crisis, unified whom to depend in such times. because of their shared bond in Christ. “I think that showed her more of what I really “When I was talking with them about the help I believe, and showed her more that Christianity is not got from the community and just what everyone did just an activity or interest, but really what my life for me, they just did not understand,” Jasmine said. depends on,” Jasmine said. Her mom, especially, thought maybe people were “It’s who I am.”

16 Special Edition 2008 UNIONITE here had been talk survival inside a bathtub in of bad weather in Wingo. Jackson all day, but “Cheryl said that the wall on the evening of Feb. 5, sophomores Rachel fell completely on her,” remembers Rachel. DanielT and Laura Coggin weren’t too concerned. “Somehow she got out of the rubble. She was able to “In the past year, we’ve had quite a few different get herself out.” tornado warnings go off and nothing happened,” “She said, ‘Rachel, I thought I was going to die. I Rachel said. “So I honestly wasn’t that worried about didn’t expect to live.’” it and I don’t think a lot of us were.” Rachel and Laura are especially struck by the fact After eating with some friends at a nearby restau- that Cheryl began trying to help other victims once rant, the two faced what seemed like a routine deci- she was free, not thinking about her own injuries. sion: go back to their Wingo rooms in Hurt “She went to help one of the girls that was in there Complex, or attend a missions class at Englewood and picked her up and everything,” Rachel said. “But Baptist Church. Laura was leaning in the direction of once she picked her up, she realized (the extent of her going back to her second-floor room and taking a own injuries) and she was like ‘I think I broke my nap, but she decided to go to Englewood instead. ribs, I can’t breathe’ and she just laid down.” Says Laura: “It was a totally last-minute decision Cheryl Propst remained in Jackson-Madison not to be (in Wingo).” County General Hospital for several days with multi- After arriving at the church, they heard tornado ple injuries. Her roommates are likely to remember sirens. Calls were made to their roommates to be cer- that initial hospital visit with Cheryl for a long time. tain they were aware of the warning. “She was awake and everything when we were

But shortly after 7 p.m., both girls went from mak- there,” remembers Rachel. “She was so sweet, such an ing phone calls to answering them. amazing godly girl with such a sweet spirit and every- “We started getting calls from family and friends to thing and holding her hand and talking to her, it was see if we were okay,” Rachel said. “And they were say- so amazing just to see her alive.” ing ‘we just watched the news, Union just got hit’ and Equally amazing to Rachel and Laura is the fact it was just a nightmare. that they were spared the dangers of collapsing Wingo “Moment after moment, the news just kept on get- Hall by a friendly invitation and a last-minute decision. ting worse and worse.” “I just praise the Lord that I have roommates that Eventually, they heard the news that Union stu- got me to go to a class about missions,” Laura said. dents were trapped in the rubble, some had been res- Adds Rachel: “Even though we’ve lost everything cued and many were headed to the hospital. One of material-wise, it just taught us what’s important is those who suffered serious injuries was their room- that we have Christ and we have each other. And mate Cheryl Propst, the daughter of Kenyan missionaries. we’re just so thankful. Laura Coggin holds the remains Hours later, they went to the hospital to find “Looking around this campus, there is no way any- of her bedroom door Cheryl, and began hearing the harrowing tale of her one should have survived.”

www.uu.edu 19 UNIONITE ebecca Cobo lost sion. After that I didn’t really her wedding band know what happened.” and her wedding Cobo said it would have ring during the tornado. The ring is a been understandable if the uninjured students had Rfamily heirloom that is more than 100 years old. run away in confusion and fear. He says it amazes “I actually got the wedding band,” says her hus- him that they started searching for members of his band Mario, who served as a residence director in the family and other student survivors. Watters complex and holds the same position at The “We were just thinking ‘how many people died Jett, Union’s new residence hall in the former Old here?’ Then they started the search.” English Inn. Rescue crews were asking Cobo to identify rooms “I found it and I was so happy, I knew she’d be and buildings where students might be trapped. happy,” Cobo said. “Then one of the soccer players “I looked and saw the circle, and could see part of found the wedding ring.” the building, so I said ‘it’s somewhere around here.’ Mario, Rebecca and their two young children lost a They started excavating. After a little while they could lot of possessions in the Watters wreckage. Others, such hear voices.” as photo albums and those rings, were recovered because Cobo slept very little that night. Days later, when students pitched in to find them among the debris. he did get sleep, he’d awaken with a familiar feeling of Only a few nights earlier, on the evening of Feb. 5, uncertainty. Mario had helped pull some of those very students “I relive it all the time. The first couple of nights, out of the wreckage. In fact, his actions before the I’d be dreaming, then I’d wake up and think ‘did that tornado hit probably saved dozens of lives. really happen?’” “They are 18 and 20 year olds, and they always A native of Ecuador, Mario came to Union think, ‘you are immortal,’ nothing is going to happen University in 1997 on a tennis scholarship. He says to you,” said Cobo. “We had a very well-prepared and his relationship with God changed as a result of his

trained staff, and everyone knew what to do.” time at the university as a student. Some of the students experienced curiosity about “I just noticed that everybody around here was dif- the storm rather than fear, failing to realize how seri- ferent. They reached out and showed me Christ ous the situation had become until it was almost too through their lives, not just how they talked. I just late to take cover. fell in love with the people here. “ “I have a security radio, and the security people He also fell in love with Rebecca, whom he met at were yelling, ‘This is not a joke! Tell everyone to get Union. The two were married and lived for a short time in, it’s coming, it’s going to hit.’” in Indiana. When an offer came for Mario work as a The normally easy-going Cobo had to take on a resident director at Union, the decision to accept it and different persona in those final seconds. move his family back to Jackson was a fairly easy one. “I had some of my (resident assistants) trying to “I just love Union. It’s like a family.” push these students inside,” Cobo said. “We actually And like that priceless wedding ring found in the had to get pretty firm to get some of these people in. debris, Mario sees a valuable recovery underway as And I think God actually helped us to get people in students finish the spring semester. right on time. “After something like this, you see again how people “Before I knew, it just hit and it was like a big explo- were just truly like a family.”

20 Special Edition 2008 UNIONITE hey came from Debbie Kaspar has similar opposite directions feelings of thankfulness. Her to find their sons family watched as rescue crews on the evening of Feb. 5. worked quickly to free Jason, working around a sec- TDebbie Kaspar drove through heavy rain and ond major storm threat a few hours after the tornado around tornado damage between her Lakeland home struck campus. and Jackson. Mark and Annie Wilson talked their way “We watched them with the backhoe lift up the through roadblocks between Chattanooga and Jackson. heavy cement pieces, we watched the chainsaws come Both families arrived to find difficult circumstances. out,” said Debbie Kaspar. “We heard about the boys being trapped in a building,” “And then we watched a gentleman with a pick- said Debbie Kaspar, mother of freshman transfer axe, and he just feverishly slammed it down, and at Jason Kaspar. “Of course we envisioned a building that point we thought maybe that Jason had lost with debris up against a door and they’d move the consciousness and they were desperately trying to get debris and our children would walk out.” to him. We just kept praying and the people around But Kaspar says she had no idea her son was in any us just kept calling out to the Lord.” trouble. Although she had not been able to complete When rescue crews received word that a second a cell phone call, heavy calling prevented a lot of con- storm was about to hit Jackson, they refused to run nections that night. She arrived on campus with the for cover. The relentless effort paid off. Jason was thought of taking him home. But after entering the freed from the rubble that imprisoned him for more campus, she was met by a family friend and escorted than four hours. There were serious injuries, but to a spot about 50 feet from where rescue crews were miraculously, no broken bones, no head trauma and working in the Watters complex wreckage. no internal injuries. “It was at that point that they told us there’s still “At midnight they were finally able to get him out one student who’s trapped in there, and we found out and they said ‘we’re going to be making a mad dash that one student was ours.” to the ambulance and take him to the hospital,’” said The Wilson’s son David, a freshman soccer player, Debbie Kaspar. “We were maybe six feet away and we was among the most seriously injured Union students. just said ‘Jason, we love you’ and he said ‘Mom’ and He too was trapped, and his legs were crushed under raised a hand and waved.” the debris. A long road of rehabilitation awaits. When Mark Wilson visited campus the next day, But his life was spared, and David’s parents say he he had Jason and David on his mind, along wih five wants to share his thankfulness. other young men who were trapped. While still in intensive care, David asked his mother “I stood outside the building (where David had to find him a wheelchair. been trapped) and I just thought there is no way one “He said ‘I gotta go to (my old high school) and go person could live under that,” he said. to chapel,’” said Annie Wilson. “I’ve got to tell them “And yet, there are seven boys that God said ‘you’re what happened. I’ve got to share what God has done.’” mine, and I’m not going to let you go.’”

Mark and Annie Wilson talked their way through police road blocks to get to Jackson

Debbie Kaspar arrived at Union to find her son was trapped in storm debris

www.uu.edu 23 UNIONITE is informal dinner at a local Instinctively, Dockery called for emer- unfold before his eyes, but he also saw imberly Thornbury wasn’t thrilled different. This was something serious.” management software, and the students’ restaurant with two Union gency help. He was told it was already on inspiring feats of compassion. with the report from her husband This “something serious” was the rallying emergency contact cards were in the com- deans had been cut short by a the way. The debris was so deep and so “Courageously, many Union students Greg prior to the Feb. 5 tornado. cry for Kimberly, a master of preparation, mons buildings under tons of rubble. tornado threat, so President treacherous that it took skilled rescue crews gathered around, began talking to trapped She was at home with their who quickly made her way to campus to do So she quickly drafted students to help HDavid S. Dockery went back to his office on nearly five hours to free all the trapped students. students, making sure they were okay, stay- Ktwo daughters. Tornado warnings abound- what she does best – caring for the students of her send messages through Facebook and the southeastern part of the Jackson campus. Dockery watched the nightmarish scenario ing in touch with them.” ed. Sirens blared ominously. Greg called to Union University in a selfless, sacrificing way. locate phone numbers for all the parents of Sirens began to blare. Within a few minutes, It wasn’t the first time in his tenure that update her on his whereabouts. “This is her calling,” Greg said. “She is residential students. All the while, the rain he would become one of the very few people to tornado destruction had been seen on cam- “Don’t worry,” Greg said, “I’m safe in the called to serve the students of this university.” kept pouring down. see the funnel cloud exit the campus property. pus. A storm in 2002 did about $2.5 mil- president’s office.” When she arrived on campus, Kimberly “The ink on my paper is getting wet,” “I looked out my window to see the tornado lion in damage. Kimberly’s response: “Standing next to began the process of finding temporary hous- Thornbury said. “And I’m like, ‘Lord, it jumping over the 45 bypass,” Dockery said. This time, he says it wasn’t until sunrise the plate glass window in his office?” ing for Union’s 1,100 residential students in cannot get wet. I have to know what that “My initial thoughts were ‘thank God, on Feb. 6 that he completely understood the It was Kimberly pretending to be upset – the homes of faculty and staff members. She number is.’” I think we have escaped,’ only to hear full extent of Union’s losses. because anybody acquainted with her knows told herself that in two hours, she wanted She finally took refuge in an ambulance someone say ‘come quickly! I think it’s hit “We looked across the campus. The dev- that getting her upset is no easy task. She every single student in a bed in a home. to have a dry space to work and write. the residence life area!’” astation was far worse than anything we seems to have a smile permanently tattooed That process kept her occupied at first – so Thornbury quickly discovered that she The next few hours were the most even imagined at the time -- fifteen, twenty on her face. occupied that she hadn’t been able to see in had to trust God to provide people to help challenging in his 12-year presidency. times worse than 2002. But Kimberly, Union’s dean of students, detail the extent of the destruction to Union’s her with the monumental job before her – “My eyes saw what I could not believe. Again, that horrific scene was tempered would soon receive another phone call from campus housing. But as she was walking the responsibilities that allowed to her sleep The devastation was massive, the destruc- by other things Dockery saw on that memo- Union President David S. Dockery that was road with some students, she remembers what only six hours every third night for more tion was beyond comprehension.” rable day-after. certainly no pretending matter. She had she saw when she turned to her right. than two weeks. “Everywhere I turned in the residence life “Wednesday morning, the Union heard on the news that a tornado had hit “It was the first time I turned right, and I “You found a willing face, you looked area, walls were coming down, students University community was at its best. Union, but she had no idea how bad it was. saw the buildings, and I just lost it,” she them in the eye, if they looked credible and were coming out, some of them cut and People came together, cared for each other, “I remember Dr. Dockery calling me and said. “I had no idea. I could never in my competent, then you would give them bleeding, and then I heard these words: saying ‘we’re going to move through this.’ saying that the situation looked dire and tragic, wildest dreams imagine that devastation.” assignments,” Kimberly said. “You could ‘we’re trapped!’ and over here we had four Dockery says that attitude should not be that there could be deaths,” she said. “I remem- One of the most pressing needs not wait for someone to say, ‘Can I help women students trapped and on the other interpreted as false bravado or stoicism. ber the sound of his voice. He’s not prone to Thornbury had to address was contacting you?’ You just had to assume that the Lord side, a number of guys were trapped under “It’s because we have a hope in a providential hyperbole. He’s not dramatic. He’s not prone to parents. But without power on campus, she was going to put people in your path who the fallen walls.” God who had protected us the night before.” emotion. But I could tell this was something didn’t have access to the university’s data had the skills.”

24 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 25 UNIONITE UNIONITE Elizabeth Walker, The door into the Residence Director’s office junior, digital media studies, Louisville, Ky. had come down and wedged against the wall “We could see the actual funnel coming. behind us, which was very good. By the grace of Lightning struck and we could see the tor- Chris Reinke, God, it stopped the ceiling from falling on us. nado and then we got blown back.” vocal performance, sophomore, Louisville, Ky. I remember seeing people walk out of “I told my roommates, ‘let’s get in the nowhere, walking on the rubble with cuts Evangeline Webb, commons’ and right as I shut the door and all over, bleeding everywhere. I would ask freshman, nursing, Wappingers, N.Y. got my roommates in the common area, it them if they were okay and they were like “I was in a room in the Dodd dorm. There hit. The windows exploded and it was real ‘I’m fine, let’s get this stuff off of these guys.’” were about 15 of us in the room. Since I was the noisy for about five seconds, and then it was last one in the bathroom, I had a lot of sticks and over. It was just windy outside after that. Mikias Mohammed, dirt thrown into my face. Three days later, I am A lot of students will say ‘we’re not going freshman, computer science, Ethopia still finding residue in my hair.” to get a tornado.’ When the alarms go off, a “All of a sudden the lights got crazy and lot of students might not go downstairs. But then the big one. Lights went off, came back on Matt Carter, I’m glad they did -- that they did the pre- and went off again. Then came this noise. I freshman, business administration, Steele, Mo. cautions necessary.” thought it was a train. After that I couldn’t hear “I ran to the Adams dorm and held on to anything -- the windows shattered and the the first door I saw. Once the glass shattered Aaron Gilbert, wind smashed me against the wall. Everything in the window, I jumped in the room to Christian studies, junior, Brighton, Tenn. just started to fall down. It was not a good take cover. Amazingly, I came out of the (Aaron was a resident advisor in the Watters Complex) experience, but thank God we are all alive.” storm without a scratch on my body.” “It was very crazy, it was very loud. It did not sound like a freight train, it just kind of Kate Johnson, Luke Burleson, came out of nowhere. It was very spontaneous. marketing, sophomore, Elizabethtown, Ky. sophomore, biology, Jackson, Tenn. I can’t say I was afraid for my life, I just “I can see into my room because all the “The tornado was west of us. We were able to kept saying to myself, ‘I can’t believe this is walls are gone. My TV is in the parking lot; see the shingles flying off of Jennings, and we happening’ and I just asked the Lord to the door to my room is on the stairs; my knew we had to get inside…. Suddenly, the have mercy on us. room is pretty much destroyed.” noise of bursting and shattering glass filled our My life didn’t flash before my eyes or any- ears and we were thrown against the wall.” thing…my ears popped, the windows bust- Claire Hamilton, ed out, it was very loud and then all of a senior, learning foundations, Dyersburg, Tenn. Katy Pope, sudden it was over. (From Fox News television interview) sophomore, digital media studies, Sylacauga, Ala. “At the time, I was just so calm. God just “There were six people in the bathroom really calmed my nerves. We were so thank- already, and six of us were sitting in a bed- ful to be alive afterwards.” room, looking out the window, keeping an od in the Whirlwind: eye on the storm. We jumped up and ran “ Stories of Grace from Sarah Logan, toward the bathroom, but we did not make G the Tornado at Union sophomore, intercultural studies, Franklin, Tenn. University,” written by Tim it there in time. As the storm hit, one of my (From NBC’s Today Show) Ellsworth, Union’s director of news “We just felt God’s hand of protection friends was thrown in the direction of the and media relations, is set for a over us. When you look at the desolation couch and was knocked out. We were all June 1 publication date. The book crying and screaming, not sure of how we is being published by B&H and destruction on our campus and realize were going to get out. None of us was wear- Publishing Group of Nashville, Tenn. there were 1,200 students here and not one ing shoes, but luckily, we found some before It consists of 20 chapters, each a single fatality, you can’t help but say that is a the firefighters helped us out of our room.” different story about a Union stu- miracle and God was here protecting us.” dent, family member or employee. Nathan Tilly, Interspersed throughout the book Drew Head, political science, senior, Dyersburg, Tenn. are brief first-person testimonies sophomore, journalism, Leesburg, Fla. “I was in night class in the Penick Academic from students about their experiences (From the Memphis Commercial Appeal) Complex when a woman came in our class during the torna- “With collapsing buildings, it is a shock do. Also includ- room and told us we were under a tornado that no one was killed. That was God, and ed is a 16-page warning. All of the sudden, we felt the walls if you can’t recognize it, then you need to insert of color put on some glasses and open your eyes.” begin to shake and seven of my classmates photographs, all and I took shelter under a table. Soon after, stu- taken by Union dents from all over campus began flooding photographer Student journalists Elizabeth Wood (’10), Claire in (to the academic building). Women were Morris Yates (’09) and Alison Ball (’08) gathered crying and lots of people were bloody.” Abernathy. interviews for this story.

www.uu.edu 27 UNIONITE arty Clements is the director hospital, but no ambulances had yet arrived. under at least 20 feet of debris wasn’t great of Jackson-Madison county’s So crews commandeered a radio station van, enough, a second strong line of storms moved emergency management clearing equipment to make room for the through before all the students had been freed. agency. Throughout the day first patient to be transported. A few other It too brought the threat of tornadoes, but Mon Feb. 5, he and his crews had planned transports followed in pick-up trucks and Clements says no one chose to seek shelter. for a possible rapid response somewhere private cars until ambulances arrived. “I can’t make anybody endanger their in the mid-south region because severe Union students also helped free a few own life,” said Clements. “That has to be weather was expected. temporarily trapped students by lifting a choice. I heard the sirens for the second But when he arrived on the Union away debris. But the more difficult rescues wave of storms. Everyone chose to stay. University campus shortly after 7 p.m., he – in particular the final seven – required Nobody left and ran for cover.” encountered the unexpected. expert precision. The dedication of the crews was “My very first thought was ‘I don’t have Moving the wrong thing at the wrong described repeatedly by rescued students enough body bags,’” Clements said. “You time could have created a second tragedy. like Kevin Furniss. could hear some people screaming.” “We used a lot of the Union students,” says “I met the guy who said he actually Clements turned on some initial lights Clements. “A lot of them wanted to help. I climbed into the hole and put an IV into and set up a triage area. He called for the asked for volunteers and a bunch of the guys me,” Furniss said from his hospital bed Tennessee Task Force, a search and rescue ran up and said, “What do we need to do?” several days later. Furniss says his memory team that brought 31 professionals and The Jackson Fire Department incorpo- of that moment is fuzzy, but that the dedi- search dogs to campus. But he says some of rated students on the perimeter of the cation of the rescuer is very much in focus. the best initial help was already on campus. search and rescue area. “That next morning, he came to see me.” “Fortunately for us, there were quite a few Union President David S. Dockery wit- By the time the final student, Jason Kaspar, nursing students there and other EMTs who nessed that same effort. had been freed from the rubble, nearly five gave us help immediately,” Clements said. “Students followed each other, they hours had passed. Clements had a few “The people I was really happy to see there embraced each other throughout the process,” moments to reflect on an effort that, at its were the nurses, who jumped in and helped. said Dockery, who also said he watched a peak, involved as many as 150 rescue workers. They started bandaging people up and then number of students simply talk to those who “It really gets to be stressful when it’s such a we could help relocate them.” were trapped in an attempt to keep spirits up. large thing, especially at night,” Clements said. Clements says the nurses identified a vic- “Teamwork was evident.” “The training that these folks have is tim that needed immediate transport to the As if the challenge of rescuing students from excellent.”

www.uu.edu 29 UNIONITE Andrea Turner (’08) contributed to this story.

eyond the residence life areas, the “I was really surprised that (the damage) Some books were just a loss, some looked worst damage on Union’s campus wasn’t any worse than it was,” said Ray Van like they were fine.” occurred at Jennings Hall, a build- Neste, director of the Ryan Center and asso- Three other rare books were kept safe in ing on the west campus that houses ciate professor of Christian studies. “When the case alongside the Geneva Bible. An Bthe departments of music and communication I saw the stuff laying on where the Geneva English Hexapla, a Beza New Testament arts as well as the School of Christian Studies. Bible was, I was excited that it was still and a copy of the Wycliffe New Testament Half of the Jennings roof was ripped from under the glass case and was not damaged.” are all undamaged. The library also contains a the building and scattered across a parking Van Neste and students boxed the books page from a Luther Bible which received water lot to the immediate north. Heavy rains that and moved the entire library to its tempo- damage, but is currently being restored. quickly followed the Feb. 5 tornado created rary home at Cornerstone Community Some classes that met in Jennings Hall extensive water damage throughout the Church. The future location of the Ryan and other damaged buildings moved to the building, especially on the third floor. Center is uncertain, but Van Neste and Penick and Blasingame academic complexes. The R.C. Ryan Center for Biblical Studies others are continuing work to prevent But other classes had to move off campus lost approximately 10 percent of its library further water damage to the other books. entirely. Music, for example, conducted holdings. The Ryan Center is immediately “What we have to do now is get (the some classes at West Jackson Baptist below where the roof damage occurred. books) out (of the boxes) and let them air,” Church; Continuing studies classes that Water, mold and mildew caused the Van Neste said. “The moisture could continue met in Hammons Hall moved to Trinity largest problems. to cause trouble. Christian Academy. A 400–year-old Geneva Bible, the oldest “The books, though, were on shelves. In Drywall has been ripped from much of book in the library's possession, was undam- some places the shelves were shielded; in the building, and a timetable for getting aged. It is kept in a glass case along with other places the shelf itself was water-logged Jennings Hall fully operational again is three other rare books. so that (moisture) came out into the books. expected by the end of spring semester.

www.uu.edu 31 UNIONITE he day after the tornado hit mentioned in more than 1,700 news know, this is a unique place, because it Union’s campus, Senior Vice reports. Union students provided inter- is very close-knit…” President for University views for at least 14 local television Hamilton: “It really is…” Relations Charles Fowler markets outside of Tennessee; CNN A Google News search on Feb. 14 wasT in the Bangkok airport, trying to and FOX News were on campus follow- showed 3,979 media stories in which return home as quickly as possible from ing the tornado, as were Good Morning Union University is mentioned. In some a trip to Thailand. America, The Today Show, The Early of those stories, Union is mentioned “Some of the television monitors in Show, MSNBC, The Weather Channel only in passing. Others are major fea- the gate area were tuned to Sky News,” and network affiliates from Memphis, ture stories about the university. WBBJ coverage emphasized seriousness of storm said Fowler. “They had picked up news Nashville, Atlanta, Boston and St. Louis. Most major American newspapers iewers of WBBJ-TV who tuned in did live updates at the top of each hour. “Gary and Mike specifically mentioned feeds from American news programs. So Union University representatives did carried the story, including New York for news at six o’clock or “Wheel of By the start of the station’s 5 p.m. on the air that Union was in the path.” said I was standing there in Bangkok getting live or taped radio interviews with a Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Fortune” Feb. 5 found weather newscast, weather anchors Gary Pickens Grantham, who just moments later sent the my first look at Hurt and Watters after dozen programs. Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles coverageV in its place. and Mike McEvoy were tracking the first news crews to campus. the tornado.” Typical of the many live interviews Times, Chicago Tribune and Detroit WBBJ News Director Brad Grantham progress of a threatening storm cell. By Among those first responders was Keli News coverage of the disaster spread conducted with Union students was this Free Press, among many others. says at that point, there was never any 5:15 a tornado touchdown was reported McAlister, a Union graduate who recently across the world, but started at home exchange Feb. 6 between Claire Hamilton, But the list extends to the world’s question the station was going to stay in Cordova, near Memphis. returned to the Jackson market as a news with teams of reporters and photogra- a senior learning foundations major leading publications as well. Reuters, an with the storm coverage and forego reg- Radar images provided what McEvoy anchor after working in Oklahoma City phers from The Jackson Sun. from Dyersburg, Tenn. and Fox News international news service, sent the ularly scheduled programming. called “textbook” signs of a dangerous and Seattle as a reporter. The newspaper fed content to wire anchor E. D. Hill: story to newspapers throughout Europe “The models were pretty consistent,” situation. “They initially pulled up to the 45 services and helped spread the word Hamilton: “They just told us to evac- and Africa. Stories appeared in China Grantham said. “A good portion of West Both Pickens and McEvoy made ref- Bypass and Channing Way and all they saw globally. They provided poignant uate our rooms, and they took us to a View and New Zealand Herald. Tennessee, Arkansas and Northern erence to a hook pattern in the image was darkness,” Grantham said. “They then accounts of survival, and later helped very safe place right afterwards. All the At least fifteen college newspapers Mississippi would be hit with some form that usually indicates tornado forma- saw injured people all around them. The would-be volunteers understand the Union faculty were there to help us and assigned reporters to the story. The of severe weather, including tornadoes.” tion. They watched the storm move to crew was trying to take in what people were damage was so pervasive that private it was not chaotic at all. Everyone was just Kentucky Colonel (University of Grantham says the National Weather the northeast -- on a path that some- telling them about Union being hit so hard. citizens would have to wait a while to there to take care of us. It was wonderful.” Kentucky) sent a crew to Jackson to get Service boosted its alert status for the times seemed to follow Interstate 40. “They were all amazed at the response aid in the recovery. Hill: “Well, you know, one of my for- first-person accounts. Other campus news- region from “moderate” to “high” at about At 7 p.m., a tornado warning was from EMA, nursing students and volunteers Among broadcast journalists, a media mer interns knows a lot of the students papers prepared stories about Union’s suc- noon. From that point forward, the station issued in Madison County. that had gotten there so quickly.” monitoring service reports Union was who are there now and she says, you cessful residence life emergency plan.

32 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 33 UNIONITE UNIONITE President Dockery meets with Tenn.Governor, Phil Bredesen, State Senator Lowe Finney, FEMA Director, Paul Paulson (center), and Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff (right).

Visiting Dignitaries say Union is ‘an inspiration’ Brittany Howerton, a public relations major, and Andrea Turner, an English major, contributed to this story. President Dockery praises nion University became a frequent “The fact that no one died on this cam- Tennessee’s other U.S. Senator, Lamar entry on the itineraries of state, pus is a real testimony of the preparedness Alexander, visited the campus on Feb. 18. national and denominational leaders this campus and administration had here,” “Americans love a good comeback story,” local emergency response Uinspecting Tennessee tornado damage. Bredesen said. “Without it or without the Alexander said. “Union’s story will inspire he Jackson community rallied around Union One reason was the collection of media ‘training run’ in 2002 with the tornado the nation.” University from the first moments of the emergency. outlets in place along Walker Drive, set up for that came through, it is inconceivable to Morris H. Chapman, president of the “There was incredible support everywhere we live broadcasts. Another was the devastation so me there would not have been extensive Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive turned,”T Dockery said. “Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist obvious in Union’s residence life complex. loss of life when you see the extent of the Committee, and Frank Page, SBC presi- and County Mayor Jimmy Harris were wonderful to “We’re going to be here, to stand shoul- devastation.” dent, called on Southern Baptists to step us, and so were Sheriff David Woolfork, City Police der to shoulder with the governor and help On a separate visit, U.S. Senator Bob up and help the Union family rebuild their Chief Rick Staples and their departments, Chief James you get cleaned up and get back to school,” Corker made similar comments. campus and lives. Pearson and the Jackson Fire Department and the said Homeland Security Secretary Michael “The nation focused on this outstanding "The costs of repair will be steep and the President Dockery shows U.S. Senator Bob Jackson-Madison Emergency Management Agency.” Chertoff, the highest-ranking Bush admin- university,” Corker said, “and I have to tell adjustments many,” Chapman told Baptist Corker the tornado damage, accompanied Dockery also praised the Jackson-Madison General istration representative to come to campus. you the way the students handled them- Press. “I ask Southern Baptists everywhere by Jackson Mayor Jerry Gist and Hospital staff, and the Jackson Energy Authority, as well Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen praised the selves here has inspired a nation. I know to lift up this sister institution in prayerful Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris. as volunteers who showed up from day one forward. preparedness exhibited in the residence life area, that Union’s leaders can be awfully proud concern and support.” calling it an example for other universities. of these students.”

34 Special Edition 2008 UNIONITE President Dockery and Senior Vice President for Church Relations Jerry Tidwell meet with TBC President Tom McCoy (center) and TBC Executive Director James Porch (right) Baptist leaders extend denominational lifeline to Union mong the first official visitors to cam- were encouraged by the rebuilding process, Baptist seminary made a contribution. moment. There has never been a more press- pus following the tornado was a dele- they were also surprised by the level of The Southern Baptist Theological ing challenge in Union’s 180-year history. The gation of concerned leaders from the destruction they found on campus. Seminary, GuideStone Financial Resources opportunity to move forward will only take TennesseeA Baptist Convention. That visit “I’m a little bit shell-shocked as I look and the Mid-South Baptist Association all place as Union’s friends become agents of marked the start of a strong and generous around,” Page said during a visit in late gave gifts of $100,000 or more. God’s grace in time of need. I thank you, I lifeline between the denomination and a February. “It’s unbelievable that this kind Substantial gifts came in from the North thank the board, I thank the LifeWay family recovering university campus – a lifeline that of devastation could occur, and yet not one American Mission Board and the Southern for an unbelievably kind and generous gift made much of Union’s recovery possible. single student lost their life. So for that, we Baptist Foundation. to us at this particular moment. Led by Union Trustee Morris Chapman, give thanks to the Lord.” LifeWay’s administration also authorized “We thank you from the depths of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Both Page and McCoy urged congregations the formation of employee relief teams to our hearts.” Committee gave $100,000 during its two- to take up special love offerings for Union. assist Union in disaster relief efforts as day meeting Feb. 18. Chapman’s positions “It is a simple thing that every church Union President David S. Dockery identi- of leadership with the SBC and Union President Dockery receives a check can do,” McCoy said. Many churches took fies needs. In a phone call to Union gave him a unique perspective on the crisis. from SBC Executive Committee up offerings on April 6, a day set aside University President David S. Dockery Chairman Bill Harrell Just before the gift was given, Chapman in Tennessee to pray for Union and broadcast live to all trustees, LifeWay visited campus for a trustee meeting and provide support. President Thom S. Rainer said, “We want was encouraged by what he saw. By the time of that offering, many to walk alongside our brothers and sisters “As I drove across the campus on that $144,000 for disaster relief, a gift repre- TBC Executive Director James Porch. The Southern Baptist entities had already in Christ at Union University. We thank morning, things had already changed senting all of the entities in TBC life. message from the statewide leadership helped provided examples of sacrificial giving. In God that lives were spared, and we thank dramatically,” Chapman said. “Much of the “This combined gift from Tennessee inspire hundreds of local Tennessee congrega- addition to the SBC Executive Committee God for your incredible leadership. You SBC President Frank Page urged debris was already been hauled off. It’s going Baptist Convention entities, as an expression tions to move forward with contributions. and the entities in Tennessee Baptist life, have stood tall at a time when the pressure churches to become financial part- to be a new day at Union University.” of grace and care, will help sensitize Tennessee Within weeks, both SBC President LifeWay Christian Resources responded would have crushed other leaders.” ners with Union’s rebuilding effort. Just three days later, the TBC’s Executive Baptists to prepare to launch our statewide Frank Page and TBC President Tom with the very first significant gift on Feb. Dockery responded, “I am overwhelmed Board responded with a gift of more than Day of Prayer and Giving for Union, said McCoy made visits to Union. While they 11, a gift of $350,000; Each Southern by your kindness and generosity at this critical

36 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 37 UNIONITE UNIONITE n the morning of Feb.6, the Fresno, California English Inn to the off campus housing com- nation awoke to the news that Pam Schock drove to work at Fresno plex now known as The Jett. tornadoes had spread across Pacific University, where she is director of In all, her volunteer tour of duty at several states, killing more than residence life and housing. But she couldn’t Union was 10 days. The reconnection was O50 people; 24 died in Tennessee alone. stop thinking about the call she received the powerful and her efforts were of great serv- Although no lives were lost at Union University, night before from her close friend and for- ice to her former colleagues. some of the most dramatic images of destruc- mer colleague, Kathy Southall. “People asked me there and here what I tion were found on campus, and network news Schock had been resident director at Hurt would have done if I hadn’t been able to shows were broadcasting live from along Walker from 1999-2004. Moments after the torna- come to Jackson,” Schock said. Road with the heavily damaged Hurt and do, Southall had called to tell her that all “Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that.” Watters complexes as a backdrop. her Union friends were unhurt. Although she showed up to work, she was Dallas, Texas The stories attracted more than distracted. Students at Criswell College gave $500 just casual interest. “Over the next several days I continued during an offering in a campus chapel service to feel like I wanted to and needed to be Feb. 7. But that was only a starting point. Willimantic, Connecticut there to help,” said Pam. “Finally, I asked if The campus radio station, KCBI, hosted In a small New England town midway I could (take a leave of absence) and they a live broadcast the next day, urging listeners between Boston and New York, Andrew allowed me to do that.” to provide disaster relief. Among those at Powaleny was watching live national news cov- Her flight arrived at 4 a.m. on Sunday, the station was Union alum Kristen Ulmer erage of the Tennessee tornado aftermath when Feb. 10. It was a day when faculty and staff Cole: “To be in the studio and hear people he heard an interview with David S. Dockery. continued to recover student possessions call in to give their money and hear their Union’s president was praising residence from the debris. Within a few days, Pam response was really touching,” Cole said. life workers for following emergency proce- was involved in the work to convert the Old In the end, Criswell president Jerry dures and helping to save lives. Johnson presented Union with a Powaleny, himself a resident check for more than $50,000. assistant in Occum Hall at I was (surprised) but I should Eastern Connecticut State not have been, because God has University, said he felt an instant limitless resources,” Johnson said. connection with Union after “That is what you all believe, that hearing Dockery’s comments. is what we believe, that is what we “With the statements teach and that is what we pray.” (Dockery) made, it was as if Union University had come Springfield, Minnesota looking for me,” said Powaleny, Derek Tonn of the company who had never heard of Union Mapformation had never set foot prior to the tornado. “I had to on Union’s campus, but he and do something.” several of his designers knew the He went to ECSU President campus very well. They had Elsa Nuñez, who pledged worked for several months to administrative help. Next, help the university develop a Powaleny put contribution new 3-D map. envelopes in every campus resi- “I was stunned when I saw just dence hall. He did a live inter- how much devastation occurred to view of his own on a local radio your campus facilities as a result of station, urging townspeople to that tornado,” Tonn wrote in an give to Union’s disaster relief email to the Office of University fund. His effort attracted the Communications. “I personally had attention of the Hartford an encounter with a tornado grow- Courant, one of Connecticut’s ing up as a pre-teen in Minnesota in leading newspapers. the early 1980s, and that is not an “All too often people forget experience that I would wish on about devastation too quickly, anyone. I'm just thankful that no put it out of their minds and fatalities were reported as a result don't want to hear that bad side of the event.” of the news,” Powaleny said. He Tonn then offered to redesign helped raise nearly $5,000 for the map at no charge to reflect Union’s disaster relief fund. rebuilding.

www.uu.edu 39 UNIONITE Other schools respond to Union’s needs

ithin hours of the tornado • Dallas Baptist University • Ouachita Baptist University strike, schools across the • Dallas Theological Seminary • Palm Beach Atlantic University nation were offering work • Dordt College • Palm Beach Community College crews and collecting con- • Eastern Connecticut State University • Point Loma Nazarene (CA) • Freed-Hardeman University • Redeemer College (Canada) tributionsW to benefit students and the recov- • Geneva College • Regent University ery effort. This partial list of responses is • Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary • Rhodes College alphabetized and shows the geographic • Gordon College • Rush University diversity of the response. • Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary • Seattle Pacific University • Grace College • Southern Association of Colleges • Grove City College and Schools Special “Thank You” to • Gustavus Adolphus College – MN • Southern Nazarene • Belmont University • Harrison Chilhowee Academy • Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary • Samford University • Hannibal-LaGrange College (MO) • Southwest Baptist University (MO) • Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary • Hampton University • Spring Arbor College • Southern Baptist Theological Seminary • Houston Baptist University • State of Tennessee Board of Regents oments after the tornado, Greater St. Luke Baptist Church, relief fund an additional $10,000. • Huntington University • Stetson University many churches in the Jackson, Tenn. We felt like we had some more income in • Indiana Wesleyan • Taylor University Jackson area sent vans to Sherry Ingram knew she’d have Feb. 18 the checking account the past few months,” • Ansgar College, Kristiansand, Norway • International Association of Baptist • The Master’s College (Calif.) pick up some of the hun- off work for President’s Day. So she began Mallonee said. “It was impressed upon my • Asbury College Colleges and Universities • Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home Mdreds of students who needed a place to recruiting some other fellow school teach- heart that we use that to help Union.” • Auburn University • Jackson State Community College • Toccoa Falls College sleep. It was the start of a sustaining and ers and friends at her church to organize a Mallonee said when he presented his • Azusa Pacific University • Jackson Christian School • Trevecca Nazarene University • Baptist College for Health Sciences • Jackson-Madison County Schools • Trinity Christian Academy inspiring partnership between congrega- day-long giving drive for Union University. idea to the church body, it was received • Belhaven University • John Brown University • Trinity International University tions and a ravaged campus. After a full day of standing in cold and approved with enthusiasm. • Bethel College • Judson College (AL) • Union College (KY) Churches of all sizes are providing finan- weather along Wallace Road outside the • Bethel University (MN) • Judson University (IL) • Union College (NY) cial help and sending work crews to help in church, volunteers collected 12 boxes of Bellevue Baptist Church, • Blue Mountain College • LaGrange College • University of Alabama the recovery and rebuilding efforts. toiletries, notebook paper, bottled water Cordova, Tenn. • Calvin College • Lambuth University • University of Colorado-Boulder A full listing of each church will be pro- and other supplies. The group also collect- The church sent two large busloads of • Campbell University • Lane College • University of Houston-Clear Lake vided at a later date, but here are just a few ed more than $400 in cash and an addi- workers to campus to complete some diffi- • Campbellsville University • Lee University • University of Memphis examples of the work church members tional $100 in gift cards. cult work. One crew helped recover books • Carson-Newman College • Lincoln Memorial University • University of Missouri • Cedarville University • Lipscomb University • University of Mobile have done at Union: Christian charity was the primary moti- from the R.C. Ryan Center in Jennings • Christian Brothers University • Mercer University • University of Tennessee-Martin vation, but Ingram says it was remembered Hall, in an area near where the roof was • College of the Ozarks • Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary • University of Tennessee-Memphis First Baptist Church, that Union students provided help to torn away from the building. The team • College Success Program • Milligan College • University of Virginia Law School Camden, Tenn. church members when a tornado ripped carried hundreds of books down stairways • Corban College • Mississippi College • University of Washington Soon after the tornado, the church took through Jackson neighborhoods in 2003. and prepared them for storage or restora- • Council for Christian Colleges • Moody Bible Institute • University School of Jackson up a love offering for three members who tion. The second team did cleanup work in and Universities • New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary • Virginia Intermont College are also students at Union. But the giving Faith Baptist Church, parking lots littered with shattered glass • Covenant College • Northern Illinois University • Virginia Tech didn’t end with that initial gesture. Bartlett, Tenn. and other debris from wrecked vehicles. • Cox College • Oklahoma Baptist University • Wheaton College • Criswell College On March 12, Pastor Chester Harrison Pastor Danny Sinquefield is a Union The church also presented Union with a • Oral Roberts University • Whitworth College (WA) presented a check to Union for $61,000. trustee, but the church’s connection with check for $100,000. That amount represents 11 percent of the Union goes far deeper than that associa- congregation’s entire annual budget. tion. Church members sponsor the Irwin Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, The church was given a gift of $100,000, Hayes Scholarship Fund at Union. This year, Bradford, Tenn. and following Harrison’s leadership decided to 11 students from Faith are attending Union. The church contributed $5,000 to Kansas tornado victims reach out to Union give half the money to missions and half to “We love Union and want to support it,” Union’s disaster relief fund, an amount that education. Church members voted to give the said Executive Pastor Todd Pendergrass. “We represents more than 3 percent of the education portion of $50,000 to Union for its are honored to participate in the recovery.” church’s total budget. oung students in Greensburg, Kan. few modest fund raisers for Tennessee torna- don’t have to learn about tornadoes do victims after watching television accounts disaster relief fund. Harrison told Dockery the Faith gave $50,000 to disaster relief and “In God’s economy, that’s the biggest gift in news accounts or textbooks. In of the destruction. A “change war” pitted church “wanted to invest it for eternity, so that sent a work crew to campus. to date,” Union President David S. May 2007, they got a first-hand look classes against one another in friendly com- generation after generation of students could Dockery said of the Mt. Pleasant gift dur- atY the destructive power of funnel clouds. petition, but soon spread to elementary be blessed by the gift.” Second Baptist Church, ing a Feb. 27 campus visit from Southern A tornado ripped through the community school students, too. The total amount raised “This is an absolutely amazing story. I Union City, Tenn. Baptist Convention President Frank Page, of 1,600, which is 110 miles west of Wichita, surpassed $5,000, of which nearly $2300 was was moved to tears as they presented the Pastor Eddie Mallonee watched reports of who urged churches of all sizes to become destroying an estimated 95% of the city and earmarked for Union’s disaster relief fund. check to us,” said Union President David the destruction at Union with a heavy heart. involved. killing 11 people. The severity of the losses “The students wanted to ‘pass on’ some of S. Dockery on the day the check was Not only is he a Union alum, but seven stu- “A special love offering, taken at the prompted a national outpouring of support, and the blessings that have been given to them,” received. “I don't know that we have seen dents from his church are students here. church’s timing and discretion would be provided a lesson in giving that school children said teacher Josh Dellenbach. “ I was very anyone respond with such a sacrifice in The church voted to give each of those most appreciated,” Page said. “And I call in Greensburg have applied to Union University. impressed with the reactions of the students response to our needs.” students $2,000, and then gave the disaster for that.” A junior high school teacher organized a and their generosity.”

40 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 41 UNIONITE UNIONITE ssociate Professor of markings and smudges on it,” said “It’s amazing how far that sign trav- Communication Arts Wayne Johnson. “But it’s intact.” eled,” Laman told the Jackson Sun by Johnson lives a few miles Johnson reframed the degree without phone a few days after the storm. Tornado creates service learning opportunities from his office in Jennings changing its post-flight appearance. It will Other storm oddities were much clos- Hall.A That office suite suffered heavy become a conversation piece. er to home and captured the attention Sophomore Elizabeth Wood and the Cardinal & Cream staff contributed to this report. damage during the tornado. Many An EF-4 tornado is characterized by of photographers. One example is the items in his office were missing. winds of 166 to 200 miles per hour that heavy metal base for a parking lot sign fficially, class was not in session at were all able to find each other in the Chute and Jim Veneman quickly set up His house fared better, but more than cause widespread destruction such as found vertically imbedded in a tree Union University from Feb. 6-19. midst of the destruction and work a makeshift newsroom in the Office of half of the homes in his small neighbor- what happened at Union. But also pres- trunk across campus. Unofficially, many students together as a team, offering one another University Communications and filed hood were destroyed. Shortly after the ent in the funnel cloud are wind cur- As for Johnson, he’s still waiting for Ospent that time in the classroom of moral support.” stories distributed through the university, tornado, Johnson received a call from a rents and updrafts that frequently make the return of some items previously in practical experience. Kayla Clay, a sophomore social work Baptist Press, and even YouTube.com. neighbor living just a few doors down for unusual effects. his office—and they’re still arriving. A Journalism students covered the biggest major, helped organize recovered stu- “I learned a lot about videography, from his property. He remembers the Seventeen-year-old Colin Laman told contractor friend of his who is working story of their young careers. Social work dent possessions in the small gym. photography, writing and editing conversation this way: the Jackson Sun that he found a high- on Jennings Hall repairs approached and nursing students found opportunities “Just being there to help was such a through this process,” said Matthew “He said ‘I have your diploma at my way sign that had marked Union Johnson at church with another find. to serve the victims and their school. humbling experience,” Clay said. “It Kuchem, a sophomore majoring in house.’ University Drive. The sign landed in “He found family pictures in a field “After the storm hit, we had to put helped me as a social work major to political science and broadcasting. “I “I said ‘where did you get it?’ the pasture behind his family’s house outside of Jennings,” Johnson said. our nursing skills into immediate know how traumatic experiences affect am passionate about Union University “He said ‘it was in my front yard!’ near Huntingdon, about 40 miles from “They were nice pictures of my wife, action,” said Candace Cross, a senior people in many ways.” and was glad I had the opportunity to “It had a rough flight and it has some the Union campus. including one from our anniversary.” nursing major. “It was neat how we Communications professors Michael write stories from the inside.”

42 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 43 UNIONITE UNIONITE Claire Yates ('09) and Kimberly Wilkinson ('08) contributed to this story.

any students in the Hurt and “The thing that has stood out to me box of Triscuits right next to it, but the Watters complexes were evac- most is that everyone has such a servant whole window right above it had been uated from their rooms with attitude – wanting to be here and help. blown in. The stuff hadn’t even moved. only the clothing on their Everyone just wants to serve,” Nettles said. “Some things are completely gone and then Mbacks. Some didn’t even have shoes on. “It sums up the idea of blessing.” other rooms look like (students) just left their Within 48 hours, some were allowed to Faculty and staff were charged with bag- desk – which they probably did. Seeing the return briefly to retrieve a few essential ging students’ belongings and then trans- damage, it has just been shocking.” items. Many others could only wait for porting those items to designated areas. Students were clearly moved when they word on what—if anything—had been After the student items were separated into realized faculty and staff had waded recovered from their ravaged rooms. individual rooms, students came to one of through debris in cold weather, often Enter dozens of faculty and staff volunteers. Union’s two gymnasiums and Fesmire Field working against deadlines imposed by They began working Feb. 7 to recover House to claim their belongings. darkness or incoming bad weather. belongings from damaged dormitories on “The reason things have gone so smoothly “I think it’s going to bring the students and campus. They saved all types of belongings, is because there are many people who have faculty closer,” said Stephen Capps, a fresh- from clothes to small refrigerators. Ben stepped up,” Ben Dockery said. “(The teams) man Christian studies major. “It already has.” Dockery, director of campus ministries, said are extremely organized and detailed.” Nic Spalviero, a sophomore Christian the bagging effort ran very smoothly. Alumna Stacy Storey, campus ministries studies major, said he didn’t expect to see Union physics professor Bill Nettles said he coordinator, helped recover students’ personal much of what was in his room as he pre- knew of one instance in which a student saw a effects among the destroyed dormitories. pared to return to campus. structural engineer crawling among the debris, “I’ve found passports, notes, rings, a lot “They emailed me and told me they got and said, “You’re right next to my room. Could of jewelry, a lot of electronics, guitars,” twelve bags out of my room,” Spalviero you go in my room and see if there is a purse Storey said. “I’m surprised by the random- said. “I’m pretty sure as of right now that sitting on the table?” The engineer went in the ness of what’s messed up and what’s not. I haven’t lost one thing. room and came out holding up the purse. The For instance, I walked into one room and “I really appreciate that they did some- woman was overjoyed. there was a book opened on a desk and a thing like that. It’s amazing.”

www.uu.edu 45 UNIONITE tudents who returned to campus to wreckage. This eliminated disposal hazards trucks, vans and cars that were totaled dur- assess damage to their cars and rooms at the landfill. ing the tornado. Jason Tipton, director of got one last look at what had been By Tuesday, Feb. 12, the $500,000 job development, was among those who coor- the Hurt and Watters complexes. demolishing the remains of Hurt and Watters dinated the evaluation of vehicle damage SSome pointed to bathtubs where they had begun. Lighting trees were installed so the and the removal of that wreckage. had sought refuge. Others looked at the crews could work into the night. “I did a walk around campus and count- rubble without saying a word. Dement crews hauled away debris from ed more than 250 cars that were totaled,” Crews from Hutcherson Metals, Inc. and the Hurt and Watters demolition – 16 Tipton said. Dement Construction carried out the prepa- buildings in all – in just five days. When In places, large piles of wrecked cars and ration work, demolition and removal of debris. all the weight of those truckloads is com- trucks were found amid other building debris. Hutcherson Metals crews had to remove bined, it totaled more than 26.4 million “There were cars underneath cars. A all appliances, hot water heaters, HVAC pounds (13,200 tons) of debris. couple of times I wasn’t sure how many units and a lot of the stairwells from the That figure does not include dozens of were piled up,” Tipton said.

www.uu.edu 47 UNIONITE Blogs lead communication efforts in aftermath of tornado arly on the morning of Feb. 6, one ents. The message was so well received their children at that time. of the hosts of national morning that Dockery continued posting a “daily In addition, some of the first prayer nion basketball teams had games at Jackson Christian School. “Page 2” section to the story of the torna- show “Fox and Friends” asked their message from the president” until Feb 17, requests and personal accounts of what been scheduled to play impor- Union personnel ran the clock and do and the team’s success on the court. Ecorrespondent at Union a tough ques- and then weekly, thereafter happened were posted on Facebook. tant conference games just the scoreboard. Volunteers from Jackson The Union men followed with a hard- tion: How could parents, students and Computing Services used a generator Within two days, uuemergency two days after the tornado. Christian took care of the concessions. fought contest that went down to the final the outside world follow developments to restore power to the Union Web site became uurecovery, and when ground UTrevecca Nazarene University was In the early going, the undefeated seconds. The No. 24 Cumberland men and announcements at the University? just one day after the tornado—a quick was broken for the new residence life scheduled to visit Fred DeLay gymnasium, and top-ranked Lady Bulldogs needed took a 62-61 lead with just :12 remaining Under normal conditions, Union’s recovery under trying circumstances. complex, uurebuilding was born. but the floor was needed to organize and to shake off some rust from the seven- on the clock, then hit a pair of free throws Web site, www.uu.edu, would be the But the uuemergency.com blog site con- The innovative approach drew national store student possessions recovered from day break, but went on to post a 92-75 to take a 64-61 decision. There were nine place for posting such information. At tinued to be popular with students and attention from communication experts. the tornado-damaged residence life area. win. They were 23-0 at that point, equal- ties and 16 lead changes in the game. that moment, the Web site was down parents because information was easy to Among those who noticed was Michelle P. Extra days are built into both the men’s ing a school record for consecutive wins. Both teams returned to The Fred on because of power outages. find and focused on the aftermath. B. Ferrier, a digital media specialist who and women’s schedules in the event of bad Union was led by Kaitlin Dudley with 20 Feb. 21 and posted wins over Freed- But a solution was in place, even at Power outages also prompted the use moderates a blog for the prestigious Poynter weather or other problems, so the Trevecca points. Lindsey Flynn, who returned to the Hardeman University. Union backers that early hour: uuemergency.com. of so-called social Web sites such as Institute, known worldwide as a resource for game was rescheduled for Feb. 25. gym where she played her high school bas- gave visiting fans from FHU a standing Union Web Development Agent Facebook.com. Immediately after the present and future journalists. The number of dates for rescheduling ketball, drained a three pointer late in the ovation after President Dockery Cam Tracy established the site on the tornado touchdown, student services “Media organizations might consider is limited, and Union’s teams also game. It brought a roaring cheer from the announced before the men’s game that blogspot.com service just a few hours volunteers used Facebook in lieu of the dusting off those emergency preparedness had a Feb. 11 date at home against Union fans and her former JCS classmates. crews from the school had been on after the tornado hit campus. The university’s inaccessible data manage- plans… to include how and when to use Cumberland (Tenn.) University. The Lady Bulldogs attracted national news Union’s campus doing volunteer work very first post Feb. 6 was a letter from ment software to contact parents, many current technologies -- using Union The solution? Play both “home” coverage from ESPN.com, which devoted its each day since Feb. 8. President Dockery to students and par- of whom had not made contact with University as a guide,” Ferrier wrote.

48 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 49 UNIONITE UNIONITE ransforming the Old English ball and soccer players from Lambuth, along “The vendors from University Loft were Inn into an off-campus resi- with a couple of vans from Freed-Hardeman just blown away by the hard work of the dence life complex was a her- University and Asbury (Ky.) College. Belmont athletes in particular, who carried incredi- culean task that had to be University students joined us (the next day), as ble amounts of furniture on Friday.” accomplishedT in less than one week. did crews from Macy's in Jackson and First A recycler even donated trucks to haul In most rooms, an average of 22 items Baptist Church, Paducah.” away packing materials. had to be removed, including beds and Lambuth soccer players said they felt a By noon on Saturday, Feb. 16, Fant said all other heavy furniture. special connection to the project after that remained to be done was the installation of “That’s about 2,000 mattresses, box springs, learning that Union freshman soccer player about 50 light bulbs and a post-move cleaning bed frames, side tables, glass furniture tops, ice David Wilson had been seriously injured of each room prior to student arrival Feb. 19. buckets, coffee makers, lamps and paintings,” during the tornado. Fant credits David Taylor from Englewood said Arts and Sciences Dean Gene Fant, who “We’re keeping David in our thoughts and for securing literally hundreds of volunteers. helped organize and finish the effort. prayers,” said Austin White, a freshman soccer “We tried to keep track of the names and Fant said crews and trucks were supplied player at Lambuth. “Everybody comes togeth- numbers, but there was no way,” Fant said. by The Pictsweet Company and volunteers er whenever something happens like this.” “I would guess that at several points we had from Englewood Baptist Church. Together, “You all have a big need,” said Freed- more than 100 volunteers on the property at they managed to move out the material in Hardeman Associate Marketing Professor a time, probably peaking at about 140.” only seven hours. Rich Brown, who brought a group of vol- Fant said he and the volunteers enjoyed The next step: finding a company that unteers from his campus. “I think if we the hard work. could supply residence life furniture for up had a big need, you all would come and “I am the sorest I've been in many a to 300 students and ship it to The Jett in help us. It’s just the right thing to do.” year, I must say, but it was a blast to work time for installation. The vendor, Fant said volunteer crews from Englewood on this project,” Fant said. Indianapolis-based University Loft, had worked both days as furniture assemblers. “As I walked my final inspection of the furniture ready to ship and committed to “We almost were overwhelmed with rooms, I was glad to know that so many stu- meeting the tight deadline. hands at several points, which was neces- dents will have such a wonderful home for With just four days to go before students sary to unload and assemble six tractor- the rest of the semester. It’s exciting indeed.” started arriving, the move-in work began. trailer loads of material,” Fant said. “We But Fant added one final thought at that “Union's baseball and basketball teams off-loaded, assembled, and placed about moment: began the hard work with gusto,” said 100,000 pounds (50 tons) of freight into the “I have to admit, I am ready to go back Fant, “and were soon joined by a few foot- rooms on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 15-16). to being the dean on Monday!”

50 UNIONITE By Brittany Howerton (’08)

esponding correctly to challenges and moved for 336 hours will move again as we forward in faith would provide sustain- difficulties can result in a fresh and start afresh,” Dockery said in his greeting ment despite the difficulty. total dependence upon God, Union to the gathered body. “We start afresh because “For some of us, Feb. 5 has resulted in RUniversity President David S. Dockery said of God’s grace, his providence and the hard much confusion, causing us to struggle the night before classes resumed following work and determination of his people.” deeply with our faith,” Dockery said. “But the tornado. Provost Carla Sanderson expressed words faith is not free from complexity nor is it “Out of the rubble across this campus I of care and devotion over Union’s situation free from challenge.” am praying that we will see renewal in the through prayer. Dockery used Psalm 84 to relate Union’s lives of dozens, and hundreds, of students, “O Lord, thank you for providing a past and future to the prayers of the staff, faculty, administrators and trustees,” place of refuge in the rubble,” Sanderson psalmist, who longed for the place where Dockery said. prayed. “A perfect and strong refuge that he had met the living God. He emphasized Dockery addressed a standing-room-only saved our loved ones from death.” to Union students that it was the psalmist’s crowd of about 1,500 people who gathered Although the tornado that caused about displacement from that special location in the G.M. Savage Memorial Chapel. The $40 million in damages left many devastat- that created within him a longing for God service featured singing, Scripture reading, ed and displaced, Dockery said the Union and the things of God. prayer and a devotional address from Dockery. family continues to push forward with “It may well be that our current situa- “Blessed Be Your Name,” echoed hope in God’s sovereignty and provisions. tion may result in a new yearning and throughout the chapel as students, faculty “It is hard to imagine 14 days ago where hunger for God and the things of God for members and others in the Union community we stand,” Dockery said. “But by God’s many of us here tonight, Dockery said. gathered to praise the God who spared the grace, we are here tonight to enjoy one The university president identified two Union body from death. another’s fellowship, to reconnect together and things that students can know: that like Dockery noted that this is a time for stu- to focus on the God who has sustained us.” the psalmist, they must go through their dents to start anew as they, once again, Dockery said that although many stu- own “valley of tears,” but that through the begin university life at Union. dents may desire to return to life at Union difficulties “the one, true, living God is “The Miller Tower clock that has not as it was prior to the storm, he said looking both good and faithful.”

52 Special Edition 2008 UNIONITE Classes resume amid changes aylor Worley greeted his New Testament Survey students Feb. 20 by writing a three wordT message on the chalkboard: “We live again!” His was among the first morn- ing classes at Union following a ten-day suspension of instruction in wake of the tornado. Worley – and many other instructors that day – told classes Seniors grateful for that they would not just pick up where they left off Feb. 5. He wanted them to spend some time reflecting about how the tornado, on-time graduation the losses and the messages com- t the age most young people are Boston University after the storm. She ing from Union after the storm starting high school, Matthew says she was confident Union would take would affect the future. Dawson was a freshman at Union care of the seniors, but she didn’t know “We want to see what’s hap- University.A This year, he graduates with how it would play out. pened to us,” Worley told the a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. “I really thought we’d go into the class. “Judge it, interpret it, ana- As an 18-year-old, he accepted a full summer or graduate late or not have lyze it through the lens of faith.” scholarship from Louisiana State spring break, said Emerson. “I’m glad A new schedule had to be University and fielded similar offers from that we’ve been able to meet in classes devised to make up the lost graduate programs at the University of and everything is on time.” days while keeping the previous Nebraska-Lincoln, Tulane University and “I received decisions back from the May 17 graduation date. So a the University of Tennessee. schools beginning a few days after the modified spring course schedule Senior Renee Emerson recently accepted tornado hit Union,” Watson said. “So Tornado damage expedites went into effect on Feb. 20. the top creative writing fellowship for the I am very thankful not to have been sig- Monday and Wednesday classes highly competitive Master of Fine Arts nificantly delayed by the tornado.” that previously met for 50 minutes program at Boston University. “When I was walking around with opening of campus coffee shop went to the 75-minute schedule Senior Katie Watson has been accepted President Dockery moments after the used for Tuesday/Thursday class- into M.A. programs in linguistics at tornado hit, one of the things we talked By Heidi Steinrock (’09) and Megan McMurry (’09) es. Selected Friday classes were also Georgetown University and Purdue about was our need to start classes as expanded to the 75-minute sched- University. soon as possible,” said Arts and Sciences arefoot’s Joe, Union’s redone dent and namesake for the lounge, and destroyed. Dean of Students Kimberly ule. Other Friday sessions were left Matthew, Renee and Katie are among Dean Gene Fant. student lounge, had its grand open- his wife Joyce mingled with students Thornbury recognized the immediate at 50 minutes to accommodate an many Union seniors with impressive “In the days that followed, we made it ing March 1 with students, faculty and addressed the crowd. An avid coffee need for students to meet and fellowship. abbreviated chapel schedule. plans after graduation. But all of their a priority to make sure everyone would Band staff members attending to celebrate drinker himself, he spoke about an Remodeling began Feb. 11, and a Many students lost textbooks plans started with the assumption of a May be able to graduate on time.” the new coffee shop as a symbol of additional benefit of the lounge. team of students, staff members and and class notes in the rubble. graduation from Union. A delay of that Deans and faculty advisers can name campus unity. “Who said the storm couldn’t blow in others worked 16-hour days to com- Faculty members revised lesson graduation until later in the spring or sum- dozens of other students who are already “It’s a very special night at Union something marvelous and good like this plete the project as soon as possible. plans with the textbook deficien- mer could have created serious problems for deep in the application process or University at the dedication of wonderful place for students to hang Barefoot’s Joe will serve coffee and tea cies in mind, and made arrange- students that are graduate school-bound. already accepted. Among them: Blake Barefoot’s Joe, which is the coolest place out?” Barefoot said. for a dollar, and flavored syrups can be ments to circulate class notes that “I had to reassure Matthew,” said Bryan Waggoner, who will study Aerospace on campus, that’s for sure,” Union “I know grades will just shoot up added for 50 cents. During the week, had survived the tornado. Dawson, Matthew’s father and a professor Engineering at the University of President David S. Dockery said. “We now,” he joked. the coffee shop will be open from 7 Students also had to adjust to a of mathematics at Union. “He was getting Washington; and Nathan Brewer, who dedicate this building for its use and The idea for a coffee shop on campus a.m. to 11 p.m., and at nights on the series of new classroom assign- pretty nervous.” has been accepted to study physics at enjoyment that all we do will be to the began last semester, and gained momen- weekend. Students can add money on ments. All classes that met in Emerson had a number of applications Vanderbilt University and the University honor and glory of Jesus Christ.” tum after the tornado because both the their Dawg Tag at Union Station, and Jennings Hall had to be relocated. out prior to Feb. 5, and heard from of South Carolina. Hyran Barefoot, former Union presi- Hurt and Watters commons areas were can swipe their card at the lounge.

54 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 55 UNIONITE UNIONITE he challenge: To make a 10- Watters complexes previously occupied. ceremony on Feb. 22. year plan for residential life “Today in what seems almost beyond “We gather to not only continue to give improvements into a 10-month comprehension, two weeks and three days thanks for God’s providence and all that he plan, and have designs ready to after a tornado destroyed large portions of has done for us in the aftermath of Feb. 5, Tbegin immediate construction. this campus, we gather together to give but to set a course for the future of this The solution: An aggressive approach that thanks to God for a new beginning and university,” Dockery continued. “We move will result in 14 new buildings by fall 2008, the opportunity to build again,” Union forward together by the help and the grace housing more than 700 students. The new President David S. Dockery said in a of God. It is impossible for it to happen buildings will rise on grounds the Hurt and chapel service preceding the groundbreaking in any other way.” continued >

56 Special Edition 2008 www.uu.edu 57 UNIONITE UNIONITE Gary Taylor (left), former trustee chairman, received the Craig Service Award at the April 3 Trustee Dinner for his leadership in the design and rebuilding process.

continued from page 57 Larger living spaces, “We’re going to do everything we can to Total cost for the project is estimated to stronger safety features make these buildings as safe and secure as exceed $30 million. The apartment-style rooms in the new possible,” Dockery said. housing complex, designed by a team of The complex will ultimately consist of New students can apply for new rooms architects and engineers from TLM four “quads” with four buildings in each Incoming freshman and transfers this fall Associates, will feature four private bedrooms, quad. Initial plans call for the completion of will occupy some of the new rooms, but two bathrooms, a living room, a kitchenette two quads, plus three buildings in each of they’ll have to apply quickly to secure space. and a washer/dryer in each suite. Each build- the two remaining quads. “Those applications will be considered in ing in the complex will contain 40, 48 or 56 A men’s commons and a women’s com- the chronological order in which they are bedrooms. All bathrooms in the bottom-floor mons building will complete each of the final received,” said Rich Grimm, vice president for apartments will be reinforced to provide two quads after the rest of the buildings are enrollment services. “But we fully expect there storm shelters for students. finished. All rooms will open to the inside of will be new students moving into brand new Planners say construction standards for the quad, providing added security. rooms at the start of fall semester.” West Tennessee will be exceeded. Each new Dockery said the new student housing When completed, the 14 new halls will building will meet the hurricane-inspired complex will have “a very handsome look” contain a few more rooms than had been Frank Wagster (center) led a design team at codes in effect for coastal Florida. Those regu- similar to the appearances of Jennings Hall available in the Hurt and Watters complexes. Jackson’s TLM Associates. The team had only lations require buildings to withstand winds and White Hall on the west side of the Each suite also will be slightly larger, provid- a few days to draw plans for the new stronger than 100-miles-per-hour. Union campus. ing students with added living area. residence life complex. continued > 58 Special Edition 2008 UNIONITE continued from page 58 Student input drove the design Dedication and Groundbreaking a very aggressive plan to see at least portions Dean of Students Kimberly Thornbury services attract more than 1,000 of this new residence life facility completed says focus group data about what students students, faculty and staff by the fall of 2008, making it possible once need in new housing had been gathered During the dedication service for the again for us to experience a sense of com- prior to the tornado. It was part of the plan- new project in Savage Chapel Feb. 22, munity all over this campus.” ning for a hotel-style building that architects President David S. Dockery said Union’s Following the dedication service, Union determined would take too long to con- circumstances reflected the biblical story administrators, trustees, faculty, staff and struct in Union’s current situation. of Nehemiah, who helped the Jews in students walked to the site of the new But Thornbury says many of those wishes Jerusalem rebuild the city’s walls. complex for a groundbreaking ceremony. have been incorporated into the new apart- “The walls were crumbled, and the peo- “Even as we begin new dwelling places ment-style buildings. ple wept,” Dockery said “And our campus today, there is an ultimate dwelling place “The three biggest things at the top of the crumbled, and we wept.” beyond this,” Dockery told the Union wish list are adding the second bathroom to But God’s people came together, trusted community. Photo courtesy of Wayne Holmes each suite, the new washer/dryer feature (in the Lord to provide the resources, planned Union Trustees Bill Dement, Bob each suite) and storm shelters on the first strategically and overcame disappointment, Campbell and Harry Smith, as well as floor,” Thornbury said. “They also wanted and completed the rebuilding project in 52 Kimberly Thornbury, dean of students, and new buildings to have more of a traditional days – one of the most amazing architectural Gary Carter, senior vice president for busi- collegiate look on the outside.” feats of the ancient Near East, Dockery said. ness and financial services, participated in She said better lighting and soundproof- “The people realized that the work had the ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony ing were also common requests that are now been done with the help of our God,” with President Dockery. built into the new designs. Dockery said. “And we embark today on

www.uu.edu 61 UNIONITE “I personally wrote a check last week to “When it gets out of the newspaper head- Union University and I want Southern lines and off the evening news is not when Baptists to do the same. Twenty million (giving) needs to stop. It needs to keep dollars is a doable amount for Southern going for months to help these people Baptists and we need that quickly, get their lives together.” because the needs are here now.” Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen Frank Page after a visit to the Union campus Feb. 8 president, Southern Baptist Convention

From Charles A. Fowler Senior Vice President for University Relations

Dear Friends,

What an unbelievable spring semester this has been! stock of what will be required for our recovery, four pri- Like so many of you, I was overwhelmed by the extent mary areas of need have been identified. of the damage caused by the February 5, 2008 tornado. However, as we have removed rubble, recovered stu- Rebuilding Projects $12,000,000 dents’ belongings, and struggled to return to a sense of Operational Losses $2,500,000 normalcy, we are continually aware of the faithfulness of Campus Infrastructure $2,500,000 God on our community. It is truly a miracle that no life Student Scholarships $1,000,000 was lost, a fact which has given us a new realization of Total Needs $18,000,000 our dependence upon God. As we face massive Meeting the needs in each of these areas will be needs over the coming pivotal to our recovery efforts and continuing success. year, we know that just as Thankfully, we have already received generous sup- we needed God’s hand of port from our community, alumni, and friends protection in the midst of around the world. But with needs approaching $18 the storm, we are utterly million, we need your help now more than ever. Will dependent upon his hand you consider making a gift to the Union University of provision afterwards. Disaster Relief Fund? Every contribution will help to In all her history, Union rebuild our campus and enable us to advance our University has never faced financial challenges of this Christ-honoring mission. Thank you for your contin- magnitude and urgency. We remain confidently hopeful uing prayers and support for the Union family. that we will emerge from this traumatic event stronger and more resilient than ever. However, there is much Gratefully, work to do and many obstacles to overcome before we Charles A. Fowler, Ph.D. open the next chapter in Union’s history. As we take Senior Vice President for University Relations

“You can’t rebuild lost lives, so the No. 1 priority is making sure everyone is safe. The fact that you all did what $9 million given you had to do is a great credit to you or committed to date as a school and administration.” Total of $18 million Michael Chertoff $9 million more needed U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 (in $millions) 62 63 UNIONITE UNIONITE “What that storm did? Yes, it blew the campus apart, but it blew all of their souls “I love Union and I’m only a freshman. together. That was the Lord working.” I can’t imagine what the juniors and seniors feel like.” Terry Wright (’81) father of current Union student Caroline Beffa Molly Wright Won’t all these improvements be Union freshman, Farmington, Mo. A few commonly expensive? asked questions Beyond replacement cost, anticipated expenses are in excess of $6 million.

What are Union’s plans to replace the demol- In addition to the lost rooms, what about ished Hurt and Watters complexes? replacing the commons areas in Hurt and Union University broke ground Feb. 22 Watters? for 14 new residence life buildings on the Work on the commons buildings will begin in site of the former Hurt and Watters com- early 2009 at a total cost of about $4.5 million. plexes. The new buildings will include more than 700 private bedrooms—a few more Apart from rebuilding the campus, what than the pre-tornado total. must be done to meet the financial needs of students and their families? How quickly can this be accomplished? Just as with the University, this tornado A 10-year plan before the tornado to has created significant financial losses for replace Hurt and Watters complexes has students. These storm-related expenses are now become a 10-month plan. Completion presenting challenges for families. Therefore, of the new residence life complexes should some additional financial aid is needed to come fall semester 2008. help families recover from the storm and assist students with educational expenses. How will the new buildings improve the overall experience for residential students? Beyond the building code required in Won’t insurance payments cover the losses? The new on-campus housing will go West Tennessee, Union University is volun- Not entirely. Some losses are capped at far beyond simple replacement of the tarily complying with codes for coastal fixed amounts that are inadequate to repair lost buildings. Florida that are designed to protect against the level of destruction seen on Union’s Across the entire 14-building complex, 110 m.p.h. winds. The new buildings will campus. Some coverage provides only for there will be an additional 45,000 square feature 2’ X 6’ frames rather than the stan- replacement costs. It is not possible to repli- feet when compared to the total pre-tornado dard 2’ X 4’ construction. cate a 1975 building project in 2008 and residential space. This added square-footage expect to meet code requirements and con- is prompted by the need for a second bath- What about safe rooms? sumer expectations. room within each apartment suite and other Safe rooms will be incorporated for first The university will also face significant amenities that prospective parents and stu- floor apartments in each of the 14 new challenges due to the business interruptions dents expect. buildings. These will be structurally-rein- and displacement of residential students forced bathrooms with heavy metal doors associated with the tornado. Will the buildings be stronger than the that will be large enough to accommodate One example: Centrifuge programs for structures they replace? everyone who lives in the building. summer 2008 are canceled. Union is the The Hurt and Watters residence most popular Centrifuge venue, life complexes were built in 1975. annually attracting about 5,500 Since that time, building codes and campers to campus from across the the expectations of college students Southern Baptist Convention. have changed. “What better proof is there that this school “The devastation here is hard to visualize, is training students to integrate their faith even on TV…To see (the destruction) into all of life than the way these students in person really makes such a lasting responded to the storm? Now the only impression.” question remains as to whether you and I will put our faith into action as well.” U.S. Senator Bob Corker after a Feb. 9 visit to Union’s campus Charles Colson on “Breakpoint,” a nationally syndicated radio program, March 4, 2008 64 65 UNIONITE UNIONITE “As I drove across the campus (Feb. 16), things had already changed dramatically. Much of the debris was already being hauled off. It’s going to be a new day at Union University.” Morris Chapman Union trustee and president of the SBC Executive Committee, after presenting a gift from the committee for $100,000.

How to give

• You may send a check payable to Union University the page. This will open a giving page for and designated for the Disaster Relief Fund. Mail the Disaster Relief Fund. Here, you may give on a the check to 1050 Union University Drive, secure server using Visa, MasterCard or Discover. Jackson, TN 38305 • If you have questions about disaster relief and • You may give online. Go to www.uurebuilding.com would like to speak with someone in Union’s and click “online” in the upper right-hand corner of advancement office, call 1-800-338-6644

“Union University merges faith and learn- ing and provides Christian education the way it ought to be done.” Jack Graham pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas—among the first congregations to contribute to Union’s Disaster Relief Fund.

A Gift for Union

Seven-year-old Macy Scott took an interest in post-tornado news cov- erage about Union. Instead of receiving gifts at her birthday party, Macy decided it would be better to ask guests for contributions to Union’s disaster relief fund. She delivered those Union gifts to Hammons Hall shortly after her Feb. 27 birthday. Macy is the daugh- ter of David and Leslie Scott of Jackson. Leslie is enrolled in Union’s M.Ed. program.

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