Through the Years "My mom was a big influence on my decision to come to Harding and I'm really glad I chose to come here. I love the people." oUrcr l1re Ki11m1 Noah Darnell "n's boo1 a bIessrg to attend the sarre school that my mother, two aunts and cousins attended." 8q::t0n0re Jessica ~ Noah Oarnell 52 people ~ Dorsey family continues legacy at Harding Every student has a story of why he or she made the decision to attend Harding. Maybe it was because of a particular department specific to the interest of the stuaent, or maybe it was because the atmosphere of the campus and student life was appealing. But sophomore and third generation Harding student Amanda Dorsey's decision behind choosing Harding haa a history on which it was hugely based. The Dorsey story actually began in the fifties, when Amanda's grandfather, Pac Dorsey from Terrell, Texas, attended Harding. Outing this time, Harding University was still under the name of Harding College. and tuition was about $1,700 a year. "My grandpa had to actually hitchhike to and from school when he had to go home," Amanda said. To get to Harding from Terrell, it took him about nine hours plus walking time. In 1953, Pat \vas drafted into the war and was unable to finish out his senior year. He intended to major in chemistry, and though he did not graduate from Harding with a degree. he went back to school part time at Lamar University in Texas and got his degree, which qualified him to work at a chemical plant. Twenty-four years later, both his son and furore daughter-in-law followed in his footsteps. Spring Sing of 1980 was an important year for Amanda's parents, Ken and Pam Dorsey. Both being in clubs, Pam in GATA and Ken in Alpha Tau, it was during their junior year that the two met during a Spring Sing practice. The day after graduation. they were married. Pam, along with her brother and two sisters transferred to Harding in 1978 when their father took a job as coach of the swim team. Ken said he loved Harding because he liked having a group of dose friends with similar values. "h was a really good change, going from a public schoo! to a private school where doing the right thing is the normal thing to do," Ken said. He also loved getting the chance to study the Bible every day and loved how the professors truly cared about the students' education. ''] really wanted Amanda to have the chance to experience those same things," he said. Twenty-six years later, Pam and Ken's daughter Amanda came to Harding. "It was either Harding or stay at home and go to a community college," Amanda said. "1was a little worried at first about coming here because I didn't really know many people." She assumed college would be much like high school, where she attended a private school, and admitted to not expecting the environment to be as fun as it proved to be. "J didn't e.xpect to make so many best friends so quickly," she said. "It's just so much better than 1 thought it would be." When people asked Amanda why she came to Harding, she proudly told chern, "It was a family thing." As a whole, Amanda said she was satisfied with her decision to attend school at Harding. "h's kind of cool to know that so many of my family members have walked the same path that I am now, literally," she said. Joseph Dickerson and Hannah Beall
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