When Emma Ramsey first stepped foot on campus, it was a familiar voice that pushed her over the edge.
As the group of touring high school students entered Gaylord’s Kitchen for lunch, a professor noticed Emma, the LaGrange, N.C. native, from an earlier event and immediately sparked an intimate conversation.
“We don’t get many chances for the whole family to be together,” said Candice Ramsey, Emma’s stepmother. “We not only valued but deeply desired that close-knit environment for Emma here at Campbell.”
Every meal together, the Ramsey family makes sure to hold hands, engage in prayer and spend quality time catching up – fighting for room to crack the next sarcastic quip. Even the notion of being named Family of the Year garnered a witty tongue and cheek response.
“When that phone call came through, we thought she was joking with us at first,” said Reggie. “Then we started messing with her the whole rest of the night. We couldn’t believe it.”
Campbell University hosts an annual Family Weekend (Feb. 9-11) filled with arts and crafts, family worship, Fighting Camels sporting events, a time-honored tradition of the Class Ring Ceremony and this year – a magic show of deception at Turner Auditorium.
As for the Ramsey family, they are heading straight to Burkot Hall for a dorm tour, MTV Cribs edition. Emma is also thrilled to showcase her favorite “Hot Chocolate Smoothie” from the Camel Smoothie shop inside the Oscar N. Harris Student Union.
The thought of returning to campus brought back fond memories from Move-In Weekend. As Emma exited her car, the family jumped out of their collective seats, startled at the sight of the entire Campbell Football offensive line operating like an organized assembly line. This time delivering microwaves and bed sheets instead of touchdowns.
Emma and her entire family, including multiple step-siblings, take center stage this Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Campbell University men’s basketball game for a halftime ceremony. This level of spotlight will be nothing new for Reggie Ramsey, a retired military pilot who previously operated pregame flyovers for the Carolina Panthers.
“There is never a dull moment with this family,” said Emma. “I’d say we’re just the right combination of loving and hilarious.”