31-Year-Old Returns to College for a New Career As Greg Brumley sat down in a college classroom for the first time in 13 years, he realized his lifestyle had drastically changed. "In 1982, I began working for a major oil company in Midland, Texas," Greg said. "I '\\·as making about $42,000 a year, hut something deep down inside was troubling me. I was making a lot of money and had all the material possessions I wanted. However, there was a big void in my life that needed to he filled. I was a very unhappy person ." That unhappiness led Greg back to Christ, and he developed a fuller prayer life . He also began to study the Bible many hours each clay. Eventually, he decided that for the rest of his life he vmuld share his faith with others and be a missionary . At that time Greg also started making plans to attend Harding University in the spring of 1992. "Quitting a high salary job to come to school was the scariest thing I have ever done , but I'll never regret it. Being able to come back to school and, in a sense, start all over again, has been one of the most exciting experiences of my life.·· Because he knows it is what Goel wants him to do, Greg believes quitting his job was the best thing he has ever done. He said, ··r want to further God's kingdom by being a missionary to what used to be the Soviet Bryan Foriest - Franklin, TN Jenny Foriest - Naslwilk:. T 1 Bryan Forney - St. l.oui~. MO Jeremy Fortner - Cooke1·ille, T Marcie Fouts - Searcy. AR Amy Franchina - Hur~1. TX Ginger Franklin - Albuquerque, M Violet Franklin - Searcy. AR Phillip Freeman - Aurora , co Brian French - 1 ·1ys~c~. KS Greg French - llelle1 ue. NE Jennifer Frye - Pbinlleld. I Heather Fuchs - Yale , OK Jason Fuller- Fairfox. VA Kimberly Furlong- St'lin~grove. PA 254 Freshmen Greg I3n.11Ttley and Laura Tucker enjoy s1rolling across campus. Greg rcturnccl to collcge at agc .3 l after being clissatisfiec.I \Yith life "in the fast lane. " Union , and going to college will help me be more prepared for that task." Greg 's biggest adjustment at Harding was the change from living by himself to now living in the dorm. "After living by myself for so many years , one of my biggest fears was having a roommate and suit mates that I could not get along with. However, I have had good roommates and good suitemates. They have all helped me ad just and enjoy my time he re at Harding." Many freshman came to Harding this year with goals of graduating and getting out into the workforce. Greg has already been there, and he says, "I am concerned for many of the students here because they do not realize what it is like out there after graduation . Many students do not realize how important it is to develop a good relationship with God in order to survive; they think they can make it on their own. If they are not careful, the 'real world ' will chew them up and spit them hack out." Although Greg took the backwards approach to life - getting a job, then going to college, it has allowed him to be more appreciative of education. "Waiting until I was 31 years old to go to college has made me more prepared than if I had gone right after high school ,'' he said. "I definitely have a sharper focus on my goals and a higher respect for education than I did when I was 18 years old. "Being out there in the world without a college education is dangerous. Realizing this and now corning to school, I have a deep appreciation for learning and knowledge that many freshman do not have. " - David Jacobs
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