UAFS Mailbag: What You Missed

Written By: Ian Silvester

I’m back with another UAFS Mailbag and hope your first week of class has been swell. I’m sure many of you have caught on to some of what has happened on campus since spring commencement in May, but in case you haven’t or are new to UAFS, I’ll take a moment to fill you in!
 
Fried chicken
 
In the South, fried chicken is about as common as hearing, “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”
 
Over the summer, Chick-fil-A said, “It’s been our pleasure,” leaving a vacancy in the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center food court. However, a local chain of the fried culinary delight filled the void.
 
Slim Chickens and its 17 ‘House Sauces” is open every day of the week. Be sure to check their hours and all the dining options at UAFS here: https://dineoncampus.com/uafs.

Athletics
 
Yes, we know this technically happened in April, but the UAFS men’s basketball team has a new head coach in Zane Gibson. Coach Gibson was previously an assistant coach at UAFS before taking on the same role for the University of Texas Permian Basin and then sliding down the bench to become the head coach at Western New Mexico University. 
 
The volleyball season is right around the corner as UAFS Hall of Fame coach Jane Sargent leads the Lions in her 25th season at UAFS. Their first match of the season is Sept. 1 during the Newberry Invitational. The Lions will make their home debut on Friday, Sept. 22.
 
This summer, we learned that UAFS will join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) or M-I-double A at the start of the 2024-2025 season. This year will be the last year UAFS athletics will be members of the Lone Start Conference.

Academics
 
Not much has changed here, but that’s because it’s one of the things UAFS does best!
 
You all are here because UAFS cares about its students – practically anyone you ask will tell you the same thing: UAFS is one big pride. Distance, affordability, size, you name it, all might be a reason for the decision to attend UAFS, but at the end of the day, something in your heart told you UAFS was the right choice.
 
Just about everyone you encounter while attending UAFS will have a story to share about someone who helped them out when they were in a bind, the UAFS community coming together for a common goal (think Day of Giving, where more than $94,000 was raised), or having someone take them under their wing to be successful. Any way you slice it, UAFS is and always will be an institution that puts students first.
 
Keep an eye out for our next edition, and remember, send in your questions and things you want to know about to communications@uafs.edu!
 
Until next time,
 
Ian

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