My University of Mobile Story

As a University of Mobile freshman, when I walked across the Great Commission Lawn and gingerly touched the globe during President’s Commissioning, I didn’t know that the next four years of my life would be, by far, the best experience I have ever had. Now, as a senior with graduation looming around the corner, I look back at this journey in gratitude and in utter amazement.

Honestly, my love for soccer lured me to the university. However, I stayed because of the overwhelming love of the community. To date, I have not met a more Christlike, intentional group of people than those at the University of Mobile. Whether the love is from faculty, a classmate, or a friend, I know I am a part of a family that sees and is invested in ME.

Because UM makes me feel known, my faith in God has grown substantially. It still blows my mind that God blessed me with everlasting friends, deepened my faith, and allowed me to get an education all in one place!

Because of UM, I will always remember scoring my first collegiate goal and looking around and seeing the entire student section cheering. I will always remember the late-night worship sessions underneath the stars and feeling God’s beautiful presence. One of the most distressing days of my life is when I tore my ACL. Although I was in mental and physical pain, the memory of my friends buying me ice cream and praying with me, is a memory I will cherish forever.

For all of this, I say thank you. Thank you, UM, for loving and encouraging me. Thank you for giving me friends that I have prayed for, for so long. Thank you for welcoming me into this amazing family.

In May, when I walk across that same Great Commission lawn and touch that same globe for the last time, know that the tears streaming down my face will be happy ones.

UM Chamber Concert Features Original Student Compositions

MOBILE, Ala. – The Alabama School of the Arts at the University of Mobile presents the ASOTA Piano Festival Chamber Concert on April 19 at 7 p.m. The free concert will be held in Moorer Auditorium, Thomas T. Martin Hall, on the university campus.

The program will feature original works by University of Mobile student composers Rebecca Reed, Carley Duet and Lauren Stanford, in addition to works by the classical masters.

Steinway Artist Dr. Kadisha Onalbayeva, director of piano studies and UM professor of music, says, “We are excited that our students are learning not only chamber music from the baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary repertoire, but also are creating original works. This concert is a unique opportunity to hear music by Handel, Beethoven, Dvorak, Caplet, Hancock and original works by our student composers.”

Performing artists are:

Pianists:  William Farris, Rebecca Reed, Lauren Stanford, Gaukhar Kenessova and Luke Killam.

Vocalists:  Carley Duet, Chloe Stewart, Melodie DuBose and Paulina Guerra.

Instrumentalists:  Emma Dalgety, Kayla Prieto, Nina Carpenter (violin), Jamie Peters (bassoon), Jack Mims (flute), Ben Eddins, Justin Kelly, Mark Ledlow, Marie McCormick, Bailey Bergdo (trombones), Aidan Chavez (bass) and Zane Duke (drummer).

For live streaming on Facebook, go to https://fb.me/e/2ls3X9so6.

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university with a vision of “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose,” founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions in an environment where they are known.


About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

UM Alumnus Treii Pace Named 2022 Boykin Award Recipient

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Mobile honors alumnus and former basketball player Treii Pace with the 2022 Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence.

The Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence was established in 2019 to honor the life of the late Samuel M. Boykin, the first African American graduate of the University of Mobile. The award acknowledges exceptional African American graduates of the Christian university who reflect the humility that Boykin exemplified throughout life.

Allie Ratcliffe, director of alumni relations, said, “I had the privilege of knowing Treii when we were both students at UM. Treii is a friend to all. He is humble and kind; he cares deeply for those around him. I am so glad that he is being awarded the Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence. He is truly deserving.”

Pace graduated from the University of Mobile in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Performance and Exercise Science. For the last five years, the Saraland native has been teaching at Saraland Elementary and coaching middle school girls’ basketball. In 2021, he was awarded the Teacher of the Year for Saraland Elementary School and the district.

“The course of my life – attending the University of Mobile, the professors, coaches, friends, campus life, and administration  – all tested me in ways to build my character and to reveal how God moves in the lives of others,” Pace said.

Pace will receive the award on March 26 at the Alumni Brunch at the university. Tickets are $5 per person. The brunch will be followed by an Alumni Easter Egg Hunt for ages up to 10 years old. To RSVP for the Alumni Brunch or Alumni Easter Egg Hunt, or for more information, visit umobile.edu/alumni-events or contact the alumni office at 251.442.2913.


About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

University of Mobile Golf Classic set for April 8

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Mobile is hosting the 24th Annual University of Mobile Alumni & Friends Golf Classic Tournament on April 8. The four-person scramble will be held at Heron Lakes Country Club and welcomes all participation.

Cost for individual players is $125, and signup for a team is $500. Sponsorships are available. Register online at umobile.edu/mobileclassic or contact the Office for Advancement for more information at 251.442.2913.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

             


 About the University of Mobile

The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

Expectations for UM Day

When I was in high school, everything about college was exciting and overwhelming. So many “what if” questions consumed my mind and made me anxious for the future. I thought, What if I do not like the campus? What if I do not know my purpose? What if I do not make friends?

At the University of Mobile, staff and faculty understand that uncertainties occur and are determined to ease any fears. One way the university helps prospective students answer their questions is through UM Day.

UM Day is when students and families come to the campus and see the university with fresh eyes. They get great information about the school, see classrooms and dormitories, and eat good food. Plus, students who apply then enroll can receive a $2,000 scholarship!

Whether it’s your first UM Day or not, here are some resolutions students will have afterward.

  1. You are going to learn about God. The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered institution. Our goal is not just for students to get an education but to develop a relationship with Christ. Each student is part of the UM family that focuses on higher education for a higher purpose. That higher purpose is knowing God.
  2. You are going to gain a community of people. This was a fear of mine, but I was welcome from the moment I walked on campus. Whether it is a professor or the cafeteria staff, students have people rooting for them. You will never meet an unfriendly face.
  3. You are going to fall in love with the campus. Sun shining or rain pouring, the campus is still beautiful. The 880 acres lets students experience the coziness of nature.

Get to know the University of Mobile and RSVP for a UM Day at umobile.edu/umday

Ashlyn Nichols Crowned Miss University of Mobile 2022

Outside Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama, the sky was pouring buckets of rain. Inside, the only water found was in the tears of joy running down Ashlyn Nichols’ face as she was crowned Miss University of Mobile 2022.

Nichols, a native Missourian, says, “I started crying immediately. I felt so unworthy and undeserving. When Abigail (Breland, Miss UM 2020-2021) placed the crown on my head, I started thanking the Lord over and over.”

For the next year, Nichols will represent the University of Mobile at numerous events, including the Miss Alabama competition in July. Participation in this is the preliminary to the Miss America competition.

Nichol’s platform as Miss UM is “HeadBand Together.” HeadBand Together’s purpose is to educate people about street harassment and how to fight against it. She says 78% of women face street harassment daily, with 13% of girls being catcalled by age 10. The symbol of her platform is a knotted headband with the slogan “knotanobject.”

“Objectification is normalized in society, but just because something is normalized does not make it right. I want every person to know their value because they are made in the image of God,” she says.

“I also want them to know what to do when they see someone experiencing street harassment. I’m hoping to equip men and women to identify and to be able to report it, so it stops happening.”

Nichols is excited about the future. Her schedule will be hectic, but she believes God prepared her for this exact moment. All the activities and events she participated in as a University of Mobile student equipped her for this new role, as well as her involvement as a high school student in Distinguished Young Women.

Distinguished Young Women is a national scholarship program that inspires young women to be confident in who they are and prepares them for success in the future. Nichols won the 2018 Missouri title and advanced to the national program in Mobile, Alabama.

It was DYW that led Nichols to the University of Mobile. In their spare time, the competitors toured multiple universities.

“I really love this school,” Nichols says. “The faculty and staff were so sweet. They just welcomed me, and I have been at home ever since.”

Home is where the heart is, and during her years at the university, Nichols has grown more at home and in love with the Christ-centered university.

At UM, Nichols has been active in multiple programs and organizations. She has been a UM Ambassador, worked as a marketing intern and a student life coordinator. Currently, while getting her Master of Science in Leadership and Communication, she is a graduate assistant. As a GA, she mentors female students daily.

Nichols explains, “Working in all of the departments has prepared me for this moment.  In fact, I will be applying all these skills into my one role as Miss UM.”

Her love for God and the university motivates her to be the best Miss UM she can be. Nichols recalls how the faculty, staff and students invested in her life. They talked, taught and ministered to her.

Because of that, she says, during the crowning ceremony, “I couldn’t help but cry.”

Also earning honors at the Miss University of Mobile competition on Jan. 15 were:

First runner-up was Claire Wood from Ozark, Alabama.

Second runner-up was Clara Rebekah Hicks from Franklin, Alabama.

Michaella Johnson from Van Wert, Ohio, won the talent portion of the completion.

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