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JACKSON, Tenn. — Dec. 18, 2001 — For Cindy Pool, who received her bachelor of arts in Spanish during Union’s recent December commencement exercises, graduation was a long time coming – 25 years of study and determination.

Starting as a freshman at Union in 1976, Pool met her husband Randy the second day of class, and they were married the following year. As children arrived on the scene, Pool chose to stay home, while her husband completed his Christian studies degree in 1980, and went on to pastor two churches.

Accepting a call to missions in 1983, the couple joined the International Mission Board and for the next 11 years, worked in Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua. On their first furlough home in 1993, Pool knew she wanted to come back to Union and complete her degree. Little by little, one furlough at a time, she slowly began accumulating credits towards completion of her degree.

Pool attributes much of her success to the person she calls her mentor, Dr. Cynthia Powell Jayne, director of Union’s International and Intercultural Studies Center, professor of Spanish and formerly the department chair of languages.

“She was so instrumental in encouraging me and counseling me each time I came back to Union,” said Pool. “She would go through all of my options, we’d discuss what changes had taken place in the curriculum while I was away, and she would advise me on what classes I should take.”

With three children ages 17 to 21 (one is currently attending Union), the Pools wanted to come back to Tennessee in order to establish roots for their children. Randy is director of the Missippi River Ministries and assistant to the director of missions for Gibson County. The couple was recently accepted as missionaries by the North American Mission Board this month. Cindy continues to set goals for herself, planning to return to Union to finish her master’s – either in Spanish or education.