JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 25, 2019 — The Union Auxiliary鈥檚 21st Annual Fall Membership Luncheon on Sept. 24 in the Carl Grant Events Center featured speaker Mark Campbell, Union鈥檚 head women鈥檚 basketball coach. In his 20 years of coaching at Union, Campbell has won five national championships, become the fastest college basketball coach in any division to win 600 games and this month was selected to the NAIA Hall of Fame.
This summer, Campbell had the opportunity to serve as head coach of the USA U16 women鈥檚 national team that won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Chile. The team had only 13 days to practice before playing a tournament of six games in seven days 鈥� with two assistant coaches and players he did not know.
鈥淒uring the whole process, I just knew this one thing: I was dependent upon the Lord,鈥� he said.
Coaching USA basketball this summer was one of only a handful of times where Campbell said he has worked outside of a Christian environment. During this experience, his senses were heightened in a spiritual way 鈥� he sensed God鈥檚 presence, he worshiped often and he was on mission the entire time in way he had never been before, he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e to take our faith everywhere we go, because you never know what God鈥檚 going to do with it,鈥� Campbell said.
Union First Lady and Union Auxiliary President Susie Oliver spoke to the group about how Auxiliary membership makes a difference at Union through the provision of scholarships and service to students.
鈥淭o date, we have given $219,094 in scholarships to 215 students,鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淵our gift is truly an amazing thing that will transform lives.鈥�
The Auxiliary鈥檚 annual banquet on April 14, 2020, will feature Abby Johnson, pro-life advocate and author of the nationally best-selling book and movie adaption, 鈥淯nplanned,鈥� which chronicles both her experiences within Planned Parenthood and her dramatic exit.
Learn more about the Union Auxiliary, including information about giving and joining, at www.uu.edu/auxiliary.