Reverend Josh Owens (’11, ’14 MDiv) is today’s alumni volunteer spotlight. Josh is a two-time Campbell University graduate who graciously volunteers his time and talents as an alumnus. Here is his story:
What brought you to Campbell University? One of the big reasons I made my way to the Creek was to become a member of the football team in the fall of 2007. While the opportunity to compete in intercollegiate athletics is what solidified my choice to attend Campbell, it was accompanied by the overwhelming sense that Buies Creek could be home for me. The attention to student success and support, the small class-sizes and opportunities to work with a committed faculty, and the spiritual and Christian foundation that influenced everything that the university did was what drew me to the decision that this was the place I not only wanted to continue in athletics, but where I wanted to be formed for my future career and life.
When did you graduate? What was your major? I have graduated twice from Campbell; 2011 with a B.S. in Sport Management (Minor in Religion) and again in 2014 with a Master of Divinity from Campbell Divinity School.
How has Campbell prepared you for your career? Today I serve in full time ministry, but when I arrived in Buies Creek, I didn’t know that was the route that I would eventually take. My desire was sports and I wanted to pursue that, but faith was also a big part of who I was as a person. There were many instances where I was encouraged to live into all the passions that I had such as through my participation in Campus Ministry student groups or conversations with various professors both within my major and outside of it. My time at Campbell helped me not only reveal that what my true passion was in fact serving people, but it helped me to cultivate how I could live in to that passion in many different roles. That is why today, I not only serve in full time ministry in a local church setting, but I also live into my other passions through coaching middle school athletics and high school officiating. Campbell helped me discern how I could live out faithful service in all the areas for which I was passionate and had a desire to pursue.
Why did you decide to remain involved or re-connect with your alma mater? My decision to remain connected with Campbell is an easy one, because I recognize all the ways that my time in Buies Creek prepared me for a successful transition into my career and community life. I know that a college experience at Campbell is a unique one because I hear how I describe my collegiate-experience compared to those friends who had experiences in other places. Campbell is a place where students matter, and faith matters, and I fully believe that is combination that should be supported in any way that I can. I know that my support and investment in this university is a worthwhile one because I know firsthand the value of what an education through Campbell can mean for a student.
In what ways are you involved with Campbell as an alumnus? I think one of the greatest ways I maintain my involvement with the university is sharing our story when I can with whomever I can. Being in the Charlotte area, people are not as familiar with Campbell or Buies Creek, so I relish the opportunity to share about our school’s distinctiveness. Since my job is primarily with teenagers, I also enjoy sharing about Campbell with a prospective student, and how it might be the best fit for their next stage in life. Likewise, I enjoy connecting with other alumni through our regional alumni chapter in the Charlotte-Metro area. I have met many people from various fields, but we share a common bond that unites us. Those relationships have afforded opportunities for networking but also fellowship with other Camels that continue the great community of the university beyond Buies Creek.
How has volunteering with Campbell benefited you? I believe it has reaffirmed the genuineness of the experiences I had while a student. As I said above, there have been benefits to me in my career, through networking and community engagement, yes, but the greater benefit I think is the connections made with other people who know the value of the Campbell experience. It has allowed me to see the investment that I made as a student was worth it, and displays how my continued investment as an alum is also worthwhile because I see the impact it has made in other lives as well.
What are you most proud of Campbell for today? I am most proud of our university for the innovative ways it continues to maintain its commitment to both its Christian heritage and investing in the student experience. It’s no secret that maintaining an institute of higher learning today is a tall task, and it would be easy to make changes to who we are to better accommodate a wider array of potential students. However, Campbell continues to find ways to not forego its mission, but rather to lean into its identity of developing students for purposeful lives and meaningful service, making our university a place where all are welcomed and encouraged to develop who they are. Likewise, where other universities are forced to make decisions to further their financial livelihoods, Campbell continues to make decisions that put students first, trusting that holding fast to that ideal will secure our future. The many investments in the student experience on campus and beyond demonstrate that our university has found a way to adapt who it is for a new reality without sacrificing the core identity of why the institution was founded.
What does being a Campbell alumnus mean to you? Being a Campbell alum means that I am more than just a number in a database. It means that I am seen for who I am and what I can contribute to my global community. It means that I represent a holistic experience where I am prepared to serve successfully in my career and community; academically, spiritually, emotionally, and socially. It means I am part of unique community that values the pursuit of knowledge, as well as the aspiration to serve others.
Why should other alumni get involved with the Office of Alumni Engagement and Campbell University? Others should be involved with our university because you know your investment will bear meaningful fruit. You know that because you are a product of our university. There are many things you can contribute to with your time and financial resources, but not many have the diversity of impact like Campbell. By giving back to your university, you are making a deposit into the life of an institution which sends out students with the ability to affect great change in our world. What greater contribution could you make than participating in a community that does such as that?
Visit alumni.campbell.edu/volunteer for a list of ways to volunteer with the Office of Alumni Engagement.