HSU Insider

Graduating Senior is First in His Family to Attend College

• By Janlyn Echols Thaxton
• Posted May 8, 2009 3:50 PM
• 0 Comments

Josh Greer is a friendly guy with a strong handshake.

Greer came to Hardin Simmons University five years ago to visit his friend, Michael Weehunt. He thought the campus was cool and decided HSU was where he wanted to go to college.

Now, the graduating senior from Early, Texas, says he is a stronger Christian because of the people he met along the way.

Greer is the first in his family to attend college. "We are a real close family," he confides. "My dad is part owner of Cen-Tex Body & Paint in Brownwood and my mom works for Wes-Tex Printing. I am the first in my family to attend college, or to graduate for that matter, but I probably would not be here if it were not for the support from my parents growing up," says Josh.

Greer decided to major in advertising and public relations and is currently looking for a job. He says he really hopes to eventually find something in the food and beverage industry. "The education and the experiences I have had while at HSU have given me the opportunity to pursue a career in a field I am passionate about. I am confident the education I received has prepared me to be successful."

Josh says he had a lot of great professors during his college career, but he has been especially influenced by two of them.

"I had the privilege of taking several classes with Dr. Tim Chandler in the Communication Department. Not only is he an awesome teacher, but he provided me with guidance, career advice and several great laughs."

"Dr. Coleman Patterson, in the Leadership Studies Program, is another professor who has influenced me," he says. "He really cares about his students and wants them to succeed. That passion is evident in the way he teaches class and the countless activities he has developed to involve students."

When asked to recall one of his memorable experiences at college, Josh gets a kick telling about an old couch. "My freshman year, my roommate Kreg Boyd and I were in need of a couch for our dorm room in Anderson Hall, but had no money to pay for one. Another student informed us you could find "decent" furniture in back allies that has been thrown out. So, me, Kreg, and our suite-mate all loaded up one Friday night on a mission to bring a couch back."

"After about two hours of searching we found the perfect couch and brought it back and cleaned it up. It smelled a little funny but none of us thought much of it and named it the 'poop couch.' About a week went by and we all started getting sick. Well, turns out, the couch had all kinds of mold and mildew in it so we had to get rid of the 'poop couch,' after all that work acquiring it."

Now, as Josh is about to walk the stage, he is thinking about paying off his student loans. He says he does not want his parents to have to pay for his education.

"I believe that it is my education and I should be responsible for paying back the college loans. I worked for Dr. Pepper for a while and have managed to pay back several thousand dollars so far."

He says, now, he is focusing on getting a job in his career field so he can continue steady payments on the loans.

"Coming to HSU has allowed me to meet many great people who love Jesus and have helped me grow in my relationship with him. I know I would not be where I am today spiritually if it were not for the Christ-like examples all around me."

"I am extremely thankful for the opportunity that God has given me to come to Hardin-Simmons, for the friends I have, the experiences I gained, and the education I received. I will never forget the time I have had at HSU and I will never be the same."

Now, Josh's younger brother is attending Hardin-Simmons. Austin Greer will be a sophomore when the fall semester starts in August.