00. 0 • • 00. 00. 0 . 0 . 00. 0 • • 00. 00. 00• • 0 0. 0 000 00. 0 . 00 00 0 000 00. O. 000 • 0 • 0 . 0 . 0 O. . 0 . 0 • 0 . 0 . 0 • O. • 00 0 • • O . 00 • 0 0 • • 0 0 0 o . 0 0 0 • 0 0 0 0 0 • • • • •• o (QJOO(QJ[J(QJ 0 ®[J~® Twenty-year tradition of fellowship continues A ~ fter 20 yea rs of leadership, President David Burks continued ro move fo rward and take on new challenges. Burks became Harding's founh presidem in May of 1987. During his time as president, many people came to know him by one word: camaraderie. According to Burks, Harding was introduced to the wo rd through a publication that weO[ our to business alumni while he was dean of the College of Business Administration. "My reason for using it was to try to bridge rhe alumni and the current business student, and to me, it was a fellowship," Burks said. "My first or second year [as president]' I decided to see ifanyone could spell it, and, of cou rse, no one could," Burks said he used the definition "high-spirited fellowship" because of what he believed was special about Harding. "I still think ie's a good word ro describe something that's really special at Harding," Burks said. "[Ie] is the kind of community and the kind of fellowship thac indeed is very much the hallmark of what the Harding experience is about." "Camaraderie chapel" had been conducted by Burks each year fo r the past 19 years, so there were thousands ofpeople who would probably think of him and their experience at Harding/lipon hearing the word. "It's his trademark," Residence Life Coordinaror Debra Nesbitt said. "It has grown even since I've been in school probably because ofswdents going back home and telling siblings about it. Then the siblings get here and know the tradition." A spirit of-camaraderie, though, was only a part of the legacy Burks built over the last 20 years. Nesbitt summed up Burks's leadership of Harding. "He is leading the campus and it takes a bold person ro do that," Nesbitt said. "Ie takes someone who has a strong relationship with God, a love for [Harding] and someone who's whole life is into it. "You don't go to many colleges whe re the president is even known, much less visible," Nesbitt said. "This president hangs out in the student center, k~~ows students by name and at least knows faces. He's so down~ to~earth. Burks became a member ofthe faculty in 1967. According to Harding's Web site, "Under his leadership, the University has experienced record growth in enrollment and giving and, more importantly, continues to place significam emphasis on Christian servanthood." -Andrew Leeper President David Burks and grandson (aden Burks walk across the field during halftime of the Homecoming football game Oct. 28 while Caden serves as an escort for the court. As president of the university, Burks had the honor of crown~ ing the Homecoming queen each year. -Chelsea Roberson president I
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