Greetings, Asbury Students!
Welcome home! I hope that you have found—or will find—Asbury University to be a home for you. During my undergraduate years, Asbury was my home. Not only was it the place where I slept, ate and studied, Asbury was my spiritual grounding. Through my Asbury experience, I grew in my identity as a child of God and developed in my understanding of who God has created me to be. I also experienced friendship and mentorship at Asbury that has blessed me greatly throughout my life. My vision for you is that you will experience the love of God in the context of a grace-filled, authentic community that encourages you to follow Jesus with your whole heart and being.
This year is significant to your life journey. In the following weeks and months, you will be climbing a mountain of academic preparation, spiritual challenge and emotional development. You will have choices to make every day that really count as you climb this mountain. Choose to embrace the good and the hard that will come your way and see how God will use these experiences to shape and refine you. Believe that this year is not “just another year.” It’s a year that will become part of your story of how you understand yourself and God. Be “all in” this year. Be available to God. Push yourself to be present academically. Dive into scripture. Be vulnerable and authentic with your friends. Invite mentorship. Seek out physical challenge. Work hard. Breathe deeply of the real community that you will find here.
As your Student Life team, we are committed to climbing this mountain with you. We are dedicating this next year of our lives to walking with you, holding you accountable, mentoring, shaping, encouraging and dreaming with you. We are willing to have hard conversations and to encourage you to become who you were created to be. We are a resource for you, and no matter what—we are on your side.
This Handbook for Community Life is a guide for us to participate in and contribute to life at Asbury. We want to be a community that reflects God’s love, grace and holiness. We need each other to do that. Let’s do life together this year! Climb well! We are with you on your journey.
On behalf of the Student Life team —
Dr. Sarah Thomas Baldwin
Vice President for Student Life