| Jackson, Tenn. - In
1946, Thomas T. Crabtree met his wife Bennie Cole at
51社区, and eventually the two were married.
After more than 50 years of marriage, T.T. has honored
his wife at their alma mater, 51社区, by
granting the school with $50,000 to host its first Bennie
Cole Crabtree Family Life Lecture Series, March 9-10,
2000. The series will be an annual event for the
university and will enhance Union's new program in family
studies. The series' first lecturers, a husband and
wife team, are Les and Leslie Parrott, co-directors of
Seattle Pacific University's Center for Relationship
Development. The Parrotts' topics will center around
relationships, dating and marriage.
"We are excited to have the Parrotts with us for
the Crabtree Family Lecture," says Todd Brady,
minister to the university."They are experts, and
their teachings on the basics of healthy relationships
have had a tremendous impact among people throughout the
country. Our students are fortunate to hear such solid,
biblically-based principles from this dynamic
couple."
The purpose of the lectureship is to communicate to
students the practical implications of God's plan about
marriage. Union will enhance the study of the family by
starting a new major and minor in family studies this
fall through the department of sociology and social work.
"The initiation of the Crabtree Family Lecture
Series comes at a very timely point in academic
development with the formation of a new degree program in
family studies," says Carla Sanderson, Union's
provost. "The department of sociology and social
work is making significant progress in the area of family
studies. I believe the Parrotts will provide valuable
visibility on our campus next spring to the important
issues of family dynamics."
The Parrotts, married for 15 years, have written
several books including "Questions Couples
Ask," "Becoming Soul Mates" and
"Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts." The
couple has also been featured in USA Today, The New York
Times, The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times. In
addition, the Parrotts have been guests on CNN, NBC, CBS,
ABC's "Good Morning America," "Oprah"
and "The 700 Club."
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