By MAE SULLENS, TMU
CLEVELAND, Ga. — Truett McConnell University’s 2026 Friends & Family Weekend was an overwhelming success. The campus buzzed with energy and excitement as prospective students, the student body, alumni, and the community turned out for a day of fun. From long-awaited reunions in the Harris Athletic Complex to alpaca petting on the Front Lawn to a night of worship led by Charity Gayle, the day brought the campus and community together.
Preview Day
Almost 100 total guests attended Preview Day on campus, which featured a "Chair Fair" and campus tours. During these activities, students interacted with the Chairs and professors from each school, learning about opportunities in the School of Business, the strength of rhetoric in the School of Communication, and the tools and techniques used by the School of Criminal Justice. Meanwhile, families had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Larry Lyon, who encouraged prospective students to join the Truett McConnell family and to discover what makes TMU special, as he himself learns as the new president.
“The block party and campus tours were great, but what stood out most was how personal everything felt,” one student remarked, “It didn’t feel like just another college visit.”
Alumni Luncheon
Later in the day, 250 alumni gathered for a lunch of sweet reunion and fellowship – some for the first time in many years, and some as members of the most recent graduating class. During the luncheon, awards for Young Alumnus and Outstanding Alumnus of the Year were presented.
Gideon Hendix was named Young Alumnus of the Year. She graduated in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology from TMU and earned a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from TMU in 2022. Gideon currently serves as TMU’s Counseling Center Coordinator.
1993 graduate Doug Roberts was named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. While at TMU, he played baseball and has remained an instrumental piece of the baseball program over the years. Doug currently serves as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Spirent Communications.
“Events like this simply bring together students, families, and alumni. They reinforce our shared history, our Christ-centered mission, and the lasting sense of community that defines TMU,” shared Tate Gaines, president of the Alumni Executive Committee. “At a university like ours, alumni seeing the value of re-investing in the next generation of believers is paramount. I'm thankful we had such an incredible day!”
Block Party
The campus and community spent a day of celebration across TMU’s Front Lawn. Yard games, bounce houses, rock climbing, and a petting zoo covered the green while the TMU Jazz Band performed by Folsom Fountain. Inside the Nix, stations set up by the Walpot School of Education provided face painting and coloring pictures for the children in attendance.
Charity Gayle Concert
The fully sold-out concert led by Charity Gayle brought the day’s festivities to a close with a night of heartfelt worship. With over 1,500 tickets sold, TMU raised the roof with shouts of praise.
Gayle is the recipient of a Dove Award for the song “Benediction (As You Go),” but is best known for "Thank You, Jesus, for the Blood,” which debuted at #1, and “I Speak Jesus.” Her music has amassed over half a billion streams worldwide and continues to draw people to worship.
