The senior candlelight send-off will take place May 2 at 8 p.m.
Seniors will meet at the double gyms inside of the SRWC center instead of Moody Coliseum while students, faculty and staff form a path for the seniors to the Beauchamp Amphitheater.
Mandy Collum, senior alumni and university relations officer, said the send-off will include a time of worship and devotional.
“The seniors will probably start walking at 8:20 and receive a “Wildcat for Life” t-shirt,” Collum said. “We will have a speaker, who we have not announced yet, give a devotional to the seniors as well as a worship team led by Caleb Crisp.”
Because the send-off is the last event for seniors before graduation, Collum said she sees it as a bookend to the seniors’ time as a Wildcat.
“Over it’s time here people have begun to expect and look forward to entering with the candlelight devo and leaving with the send-off,” Collum said. “It’s really a sentimental time of reflection over one’s time at ACU and how the Lord has changed or impacted them during this time.”
Abby Ware, senior communication disorders major from Hurst, said it will help provide closure for the seniors.
Looking back at her years as an undergrad here, Ware said she loves how relational the university is.
“It’s been super impactful for me whether it’s through the friendships I made, my peers, my professors; there’s something about the ACU bubble that I will always cherish,” Ware said.
Ware said she knows a lot of incoming freshmen will be having a difficult transition from a disappointing senior year of high school into college, and she encourages them to be excited about what they’ll be stepping into.
“To all the students coming in and who have been impacted by COVID-19 when in high school, I encourage them to get excited about all the things happening in ACU and in the Abilene community,” Ware said. “Downtown is booming and ACU is updating a lot. My experience was definitely better because I was involved and I know COVID can make it harder but I encourage everyone to push against it and get involved because it is so worth it.”
