One of the first things that caused President David Burks to feel con– nected to the Hard ing campus was the friendshi ps he formed as a pho– tographer on the Petit Jean staff. Some of his fondest memories were from the staff's annual tri p to Oklahoma City to p roof the publica– tion and visit the printing p lant. "It gave me a great sense of iden– tity and a sense of belonging while I was a student here," Burks said. "It was a great time in my life and I enjoyed it very much. " As the Petit Jean photographer, Burks had many interesting experi– ences. "One night I was taking the pic– tures for a Bison basketball game and I was close to the court so that I could get the best angle. Atone point in the game, one of our p layers was • • injured on the cheek and, as is my custom, as soon as I saw the blood I quickly passed out, " Burks said. "The player was rushed from the u[ks mfJects on bis days as a student Consequences, N.M., Burks initiall y had Little respect for Harding as an academic institution. Bu rks' favorite professor was Dr. James Hedrick, who was dean of the school of business at the time. court and the game continued but I had to get someone to tell me how the game had ended due to the fact that Iwas passed out for the ma– jority of the game." " I did not expect to have the wonderful "I carne from a small congre– gation in New Mexico with no yo u th group and I felt like I "Dr. Hedrick was a wonderfu l teacher and mentor to me through school," Burks said. During his junior and senior yea rs, Bu rks was a resident assistant on the third fl oor of Graduate. Burks became the fourth presi– dent of Harding in 1987. academics that I ex– perienced at Harding ." -President David Burks needed to at- "During the time tha t I was at tend Harding Harding, if you were suspected of for one year so ,; any wrong doing, you were placed that I could ex- in Grad Singles," Burks said. "This periencewhat it made for an interesting time as an was like to be RA." among Ch ris- Duringhissenioryear,Burksserved ti an young aspresidentofboth theStudentAssopeople," Burks ciationand Beta Phi Kappa social dub. said. "It was a wonderful experience to Twenty five years earlier, he was an unsure freshman. From Truth or "Bu t I did not expect to have the be able to work under both of these wonderful academics that I experi- god ly men," Burks said. enced at Harding." -EliZllbeth Stephens President David Burks visits with a group of students at his home. Each semester Burks invited students to be a part of his Wednesday night home Bible study. (Photo by Rachel Miller) Welcomed back into the classroom for the first time since 1988, President David Burks teaches Christian Business Ethics. The upperlevel class met Tuesdays and Thursdays of the fall semester in the Uberty Room. (Photo by Rachel Miller) president 151 III~ •
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