For Jay Jeffrey ’95, Asbury has been a part of the family for decades. He is a second-generation Asburian, graduated with a business degree in 1995 and now his two children, James ’19 and Abigail ’21 are students majoring in Accounting and Elementary education. For his wife, Chanda Crouse ’95 Jeffrey, the legacy goes back even further.
“From my wife’s side of the family, I can’t even tell you the number,” Jeffrey said. “It’s the Crouse family, and it’s just kind of generational. They tried to line it up when James, my son, was starting and I think they determined he was probably number 82 to come in. There are so many cousins and so many different people.”
Aside from being a family tradition, what makes Asbury so special in Jeffrey’s eyes?
“I think Asbury’s liberal arts education really prepares them. Just from what I’ve experienced myself personally and with my kids and my wife’s journey, Asbury prepares students for the real world. I think that’s one thing that makes Asbury special.”
When students come to Asbury, either as freshmen or transfers, they are put into Transition and Guidance (TAG) groups during new student orientation to help them better adjust to life on campus.
We walked away from there knowing that’s where the Lord wanted our children.
“I know one of the things we loved so much bringing them in was freshman orientation, seeing how they put them into those TAG groups and how everyone is so welcomed,” Jeffrey said. “And then, all the way to the dedication service when they have us leave, we just felt like there was a lot of support from faculty and staff. Dr. Gray is awesome. I had her as a business professor back in the day. To see her as President now just…her concern for the students, her compassion, her love for Christ, all that shows in everything she does. That example for the kids has just been great. It’s their home away from home and there’s a sense of community that’s there with Asbury.”
Jeffrey says he and his wife felt totally at peace when the time came to leave James and Abigail on campus after their respective orientations.
“We walked away from there knowing that’s where the Lord wanted our children,” Jeffrey said.
What does Jeffrey say to parents whose children are considering coming to Asbury?
“As we talk to my kids’ friends and their families and as we’re sitting on the ball field and different things like that, I tell them all the time, you’ve got to come and experience it for yourself. You’ve got to come and see the campus and the opportunities that are there.”
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