December 7, 2015
MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER (12/5/15) - Some high school seniors from across the state and Louisiana got a taste of college life this week during East Texas Baptist University's Shadow Day.
Prospective college students and transfer students came to spend the night in a dorm with a host student and get a firsthand glimpse of what college is all about.
"They came last night and attended a basketball game and went to a coffee house concert," ETBU Campus Visit Coordinator Alicia Earle said Friday. "Today they had breakfast with professors and attended a couple of classes with other college students. Their parents went to an orientation meeting where they discussed financial aid and academic support then everyone gathered together for lunch today."
Four scholarships worth $1,000 each were also drawn on Friday and awarded to attending students.
Sixty prospective students attended this semester's Shadow Day which the university hosts every year.
"I really liked it here," Fossil Ridge High School senior David Stone said. "This was my first time to stay overnight in a college dorm. It was a lot of fun. It was cool to get to see what college is really like, unscripted."
Stone's mom Jana Stone said she likes the university's size and location.
"It's small enough that they can have relationships with their professors and fellow students and it's about three hours away from home so he can have his independence but still be close enough if we need to get to him," Stone said.
Gilmer High School senior Keylon Mathis said he liked the university's physical therapy program.
"I'd like to become a physical therapist so I attended the kinesiology class today," Keylon said. "I also like how socially involved the university is and how they place an emphasis on community involvement."
(Used by permission www.marshallnewsmessenger.com, story by MNM reporter Bridget Ortigo)