Rebecca Naden

Rebecca Naden considers herself an independent person, so the fact that Baylor University was a full day's drive away from where she grew up in Mandeville, La., was a plus.
"I really wanted to get a fresh start, to be independent and kind of start my life, you know, as an independent person away from my family, but still connected to my family," she says. 
Little did she know then that the drive home was about to get a whole lot longer. Between the time she decided on Baylor and her high school graduation, her father accepted a job in Montana. The family made the move north that summer, about a month before Naden began classes in Waco.
"It was a big change for all of us, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna be," she recalls. "I'm not gonna lie; it is hard sometimes, to be so far away, and not having my parents be able to come down for certain things. But really, it's okay, because I get to talk to them all the time.
"I really like being here and being on my own, because it's helping me to realize the realities of life while I'm still kind of under parental supervision."
Starting with Line Camp and Welcome Week and continuing on throughout her first year of college, Naden says the frequency and variety of on-campus events helped her quickly feel at home.
"I think Baylor does a really good job of involving students on campus and getting people connected. All the freshman opportunities that Baylor does for on-campus students help you connect with people really quickly, so it wasn't long before I had friends and found people to hang out with."
Naden says she remembers talking to friends from high school during her first year at Baylor about their experiences at other universities and hearing about how they were having trouble fitting in at larger schools.
"I feel like it was very easy for me to meet fellow Christians who are involved and love working and studying. It's just a big shock to see the difference in that from a public school to a private school--how easy it was to find people similar to me here. It's something that is a reality, but I just didn't realize it, how blessed we are here at Baylor."
Now a junior, Naden works as a Baylor telecounselor, speaking with prospective students and answering whatever questions they might have about the University.
"I talked to a girl from Missouri yesterday, and she was talking about how she thinks Baylor's a little bit too far away. I just told her about my situation," she says. "I tell students that the families can come in, because Baylor puts on special things for the parents and families. And you can visit home any time you want.
"I try to encourage the students to not rule out Baylor right away, because Baylor's a wonderful institution that can offer many things to students that are from out of state."