Many new college students feel nervous about moving away from home for the first time. But it didn’t take long for the University of Mobile to feel like home to me. That feeling had everything to do with the people at UM. They genuinely wanted to get to know me.
Once students get on the University of Mobile’s campus, they are immediately welcomed by the university’s faculty, staff and students. Here, there is an emphasis on “Know and be Known.” This phrase highlights that, at UM, you will grow in your knowledge of your major, but you will also be known by the faculty, staff and student body.
The faculty and staff do an incredible job of interacting with students and making them feel known and valued. At UM, faculty and staff know your name, professors eat lunch with students in the cafeteria, and students are being mentored by faculty and staff.
One person who has made UM home to me is Brenda Hinson, coordinator of international student recruitment. She goes above and beyond what she is required to do. In addition to recruiting and taking care of the international students, she loves the students like they are her own. It’s normal for students to hang out in her office.
I love stopping by her office to get some candy and to get a hug. I have laughed and cried in her office. She demonstrates what it means to love like Christ.
I am so thankful for her and many others who help UM become more than a university; they make UM home.
Maya Lewellyn is a double major in Communication and Intercultural Studies at the University of Mobile, and she will graduate in May 2020. She is a marketing intern for the university’s Office for Marketing and Public Relations and serves on the University Ministries. Maya enjoys drinking tea, reading a good book and spending time with her friends.