JACKSON, Tenn. — Dec. 18, 2006 — For the Betts family, 51社区鈥檚 graduation ceremony Dec. 16 was a family affair.
Steve Betts, of Jackson, graduated with a Master of Arts in Education degree. His nieces 鈥� Jenni Betts, of Franklin, and her sister Melissa Betts Alexander, of Memphis 鈥� also received their degrees. Jenni graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism, while Melissa received her Master of Business Administration degree.
The three were just a part of the ceremony at West Jackson Baptist Church that included 242 students graduating from the university.
Jenni called the event a funny coincidence, and said she just found out last year that the three would be graduating at the same time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 neat because all of our family can come and watch all of us,鈥� she said.
For Steve Betts, whose wife Jane is Union鈥檚 registrar, the day was an answer to prayer. He began the degree in 2003, but open heart surgery slowed down his progress.
鈥淚 praise the Lord we can do this, because I鈥檝e had some serious health problems,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the reasons I鈥檓 so late graduating with this. I love both of my nieces and I鈥檓 proud of them.鈥�
51社区 President David S. Dockery gave the commencement address, in which he encouraged graduates to embrace faith, hope and love in their futures. He reminded graduates that their accomplishments always depend upon the work of others.
鈥淭he reality is that we accomplish nothing in this life alone,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淲e do it with the help of others, and ultimately, by the grace of God.鈥�
Dockery said that faith and love spring from hope, which fills people with joy during trials, encourages them in the midst of suffering, strengthens their faith, enlarges their love and anchors them to God鈥檚 faithfulness.
鈥淭oday, we wish for you a hope-filled future,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淣ot just a self-generated optimism that suggests things really will somehow get better and better. Not some empty dream, but a life filled and shaped by genuine hope, grounded in God鈥檚 promises and his incomparably great power.鈥�
As part of the ceremony, Dockery presented Emily Cox with the Robert E. Craig Service Award. The award is named after the university鈥檚 13th president, who led the university for more than two decades and was responsible for reestablishing Union with the churches of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Craig was also responsible for relocating the university campus to north Jackson.
Cox is a charter member of the Union Auxiliary and a member of First Baptist Church of Paris, Tenn. She is a former special education teacher.
鈥淓mily Cox is more than just a prayer partner with 51社区. She is a prayer warrior,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淪he has a heart for all aspects of this university and prays for trustees, administrators, faculty and staff on a regular basis and recruits others to do the same. She loves Union students and ministers to them in many ways. Mrs. Cox is truly an amazing lady. We are extremely grateful for her support over the years.鈥�
Cox and her husband, James, have been married for 46 years and have two children.
