Union University hosted its annual Awards Day Chapel on Friday, April 17, 2026, recognizing students, faculty and staff for excellence in academics, leadership and service.
Held each spring, the awards service serves as a campus-wide moment to reflect on the year’s accomplishments while encouraging continued growth within the university community.
Mandy Benefield, executive assistant to Union University’s president, said the event goes beyond simply presenting awards.
“Awards Day Chapel is a celebration of our students, faculty and staff, and all of the hard work they have put in throughout the year,” Benefield said. “It is also a way for us to encourage them as they continue their studies and work.”
She added that the ceremony plays a key role in shaping the attitudes of the student body.
“Awards Day Chapel is motivating,” Benefield said. “Students get to see their friends receiving awards, and for those who are not graduating yet, it inspires them to keep striving for excellence.”
Among those recognized was Sydnie Arnolds, a senior social work and psychology major who received the Academic Excellence Award for the Social Work Department. The award is given to one graduating senior in each major and is selected by faculty based on academic performance and dedication.
Arnolds described the experience of being recognized in front of peers as both humbling and affirming.
“It is a little intimidating, but it does make me feel seen for the hard work I have put in over the past four years,” Arnolds said. “I think I would have worked hard regardless, but it is meaningful to be recognized. Ultimately, the Lord deserves the credit because He is the one who made it possible.”
For students in attendance, the ceremony provided an opportunity to celebrate others and reflect on the value of recognition within the community.
Bailey Ann Whitby, a sophomore nursing major, said honoring peers publicly carries significant meaning.
“I love getting to see how their hard work pays off and to watch them receive the recognition they deserve,” Whitby said. “It is so special when we stand for them; it is a simple way to show that we see their dedication and celebrate it.”
By highlighting achievements across disciplines, Awards Day Chapel continues to emphasize both academic excellence and faithful service at Union. The tradition reflects the university’s core values: pursuing excellence in all things, remaining Christ-centered in purpose, investing in people and maintaining a future-directed vision.
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