The Harding Fund makes an immeasurable impact in the classroom and on student life at Harding. Unrestricted gifts, big or small, from alumni, parents, and friends add to the Harding Fund. These gifts allow University leadership to direct funds to areas of greatest need. Gifts to the Harding Fund also meet unforeseen needs and support new opportunities as they emerge. We are so thankful for our faithful donors who continuously give to this important unrestricted fund and support students like 2020 graduate Christina Curtis.
Christina Curtis graduated from Harding in May 2020 with a double degree in Accounting and Information Systems with double minors in Data Analytics and Systems Analysis and Design. Christina shares that she was not raised in a loving Christian home where all her needs were met, but instead, comes from a difficult home life and says she felt unloved, unwanted, and unworthy. Her only escape was school where she felt safe, wanted, and free. With hard work and determination, she exceled in the classroom and was named valedictorian of her graduating class. When looking at colleges, Harding was not on her radar due to the perceived cost of attending a private institution. Then a local family introduced her to their alma mater, Harding University. Through the commitment of a small group of donors and need-based scholarships supported by the Harding Fund, Christina was given this incredible opportunity to have a Christian education in a healthy environment to learn about God and build lifelong relationships. Through her experience at Harding, she has a bright future! Here is a quote from Christina:
"It is difficult to put into words what this university was for me. Harding University is a place that develops your character, challenges you in your education and gives you an incredible grounding in your faith. This university provided a family for me. This was absent in my life growing up, yet God knew this would only be for a season in my life. The Maddox family, Amy, Brian, Reid and Halle, saw my timid and shy 18-year-old self and welcomed me with open arms and a loving home. They have shown me unconditional love and embraced me into their family in every possible way. Stepping into the business world straight out of college was a major transition but I can't help but be so grateful for the foundation that Harding provided for me, that instilled a confidence and discernment to tackle each day with a hope that God is for us and is walking alongside us in our everyday decisions. I am currently a Sales Insights Manager (fancy terminology for an analyst) at Harvest Group in Rogers, Arkansas. They are an omni-channel retail growth agency with a mission to glorify God while serving their clients and people with a passion for growth. I actually landed this job through a connection from Harding. Tyler Roth, the son of the CEO at Workmatters, David Roth, is close to top executives at Harvest Group who got me connected and helped me to land a job that is a dream job straight out of college. It all fell into place in ways better than I could ever understand or fathom, but God has a way of being higher than ours and having a plan better than we could ever write for ourselves. I will always be a bison at heart and forever and always will I praise God for the blessings this university has given me and lead me into."
