Everyday Student — Perry Patton

TEN-HUT Perry Patton, a senior from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, knew that Harding is where he belonged. “My junior year of high school, when it came time for me to start seriously considering colleges, I came to visit Harding and fell in love with it. It just truly felt like home. I knew it was a place where I could grow academically and spiritually and be surrounded by some of the best people in the world. This was where I wanted to be.” SERVICE A marketing major with a secondary leadership and ministry major, Patton aims to serve others. “I take great joy in helping people discover and meet their goals and needs, and marketing is all about knowing what consumers desire and how you can help them. As for leadership and ministry, I know that no matter what career I pursue, I want to be able to minister through it. I am preparing for a life of ministry.” SQUAD As a member of the University’s ROTC program, Patton is preparing to fulfill a lifelong goal of serving in our nation’s military. “Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to be a soldier. My dad was an Army aviator, so I grew up having a great appreciation for military service. In kindergarten, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my response was ‘an Army man, and a man of God.’” In addition to “really good scholarships” that the Army ROTC makes available to cadets, the program provides military training opportunities that benefit a future Army officer. “We have physical training three days a week from 6-7 a.m. ROTC also offers classes where cadets earn college credit while learning valuable leadership skills that can help in any career. We have lab once a week where we do field training — Army tactics, land navigation, drill and ceremony and a variety of other training opportunities.” CAMARADERIE “The community at Harding has had a strong impact on my development as a student, as a cadet and as a person of faith. They have helped me think seriously about my goals, and they do everything possible to help me achieve them. This comes from professors, students, administrators and alumni.” FORWARD, MARCH Upon graduation, Patton will head to Fort Lee, Virginia, to begin a career as an Army officer. He has been selected to serve as a quartermaster officer — a logistics branch of the Army. “I aspire to serve in our nation’s Army for as long as possible while hopefully getting to receive graduate-level education. I am in pursuit of a life of service — service to God, service to others and service to country.” — Jonathan B. Murphy