8choof is dedicated to Christian values Harding is a school set apart from others by a dedication to excellence and strong Christian values. Daily Bible classes and chapel keep this spiritual emphasis in the lives of the students. According to Rich Little, Harding is the only university of its size that has mandatory chapel. Little held the new position of assistant to the president this year, and one of his main responsibilities was overseeing chapel. "We really strive to keep a strong spiritual emphasis in chapel. Every chapel contains a devotional, and most of the chapel programs after the devotional are of a spiritual nature. We try to stay true to the mission of the school and not waste the student's time," he said. Achapel committee spends a considerable amount of time working with Little to have chapel programs planned a whole semester in advance. Little spends several hours every day making sure that everything is organized for chapel the next day. Students are often unaware of all that goes into planning a chapel, but most still enjoy it. Leah Chaney, a freshman from Hobbs, N.M. sa id, "I like chapel because it is a nice break between classes. It helps me regain my thoughts and get refocused. " Chapel is also somewhat of a social occasion. Students have assigned seats, but most people get their seats with friends. "I like the opportunity to meet with my friends early in the morning and see my pals. I also like the idea of worshiping," sophomore Patrick Stiles said. Some students, however, see room for improvement. "I sit on the floor. I got a horrible seat," freshman Corey Harvison said in reference to the tradition of all freshmen sitting in the balcony. Jose Yunez, a transfer student from Mexico, said , "Maybe chapel should be just three days a week, or not so long. Or maybe it shouldn't be so early." Freshman William Anderson agreed. "I like the singing, but I don't like that it's so early in the morning. If it was a little later, I would like it better." Little's favorite thing about chapel is the potential for impact on students' lives. "There is a great potential to do good every day with 3,000 people . It reminds me of the early church. "But, it can also become monotonous. We have to remember how blessed we are with this opportunity and remember how exciting this is," he said. - Sara VanRheenen Laura Hamilton and Amy Smallwood lift their voices in praise to God. The chapel experience is most often cited by alumni as the thing they miss from their Harding days. Photo by Aaron Gillihan. Chapel 29
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