Taylor Roberson and Mia Morris have been friends for years growing up as Jackson Christian students. Before their May graduation, the friends decided to attend Freed-Hardeman University.
“We’ve been coming to campus for years to different events like RUSH and Makin’ Music, so Freed was somewhere I was definitely interested in going when I started thinking about college,” Morris said. “And when I came to campus for my visit, I learned even more about the campus and wanted to come here.”
Roberson and Morris also became roommates and were among 350 students who moved on campus Saturday during Welcome Home, an annual FHU tradition. “My mom is actually a professor here entering her fifth year on staff, so I’ve spent a lot of time on campus even before then and now the last five years,” Roberson said. “But when we figured out separately that we were both coming here, we started talking about being roommates.”
Even though Morris and Roberson are less than a 45-minute drive from their high school alma mater, their families toted in as many personal items for their daughters’ dorm as families that traveled from as far away as Colorado, Arizona or Maine.
FHU Admissions Director Kaylan Stewart said Welcome Home has been around for several years but has gradually grown every year. Stewart said the process of moving everyone in has become more streamlined since the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning to a drive-in method for check-in. The university has since made the first part of the process more efficient for the families coming on campus.
“In 2020, we were forced to move our check-in operations out of the Sports Center, and that’s when the process became a drive-through event,” Stewart said. “And we found out then that it became a simpler, quicker process for us and the parents bringing students on campus.”
Businesses, churches and other local organizations had booths set up at the campus’ Burks Student Center to let the new arrivals know about services available to them in town and around Chester County as lunch was available in the Gano Dining Hall while parents helped their students move into dorms on campus.
“I can’t thank the community that is Henderson and Chester County enough,” Stewart said. “They showed up today and made themselves available to let all the students and their families know where to go to get their car worked on or for a dentist appointment or to get a cup of coffee. They were really welcoming of the new students who not only are moving onto campus but are moving into the city and county, and I’m glad every year to see more than just the university accept the new students.”
In addition to about 40 athletes who arrived earlier this month and more that will arrive in the next few days before classes begin Wednesday, Stewart said about 400 new students will live in Freed-Hardeman’s residential halls for the upcoming semester. New students will spend this week participating in Interface, a week of planned activities to help new students learn the campus, experience worship, service and recreational activities.
The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, FHU offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees. More information is available at fhu.edu.
