Parker Dinwiddie, ’77, father of Edna Dinwiddie

It is wonderful to be a Lambuth alumni and a Lambuth parent.  Though many things are different in the 30 years between my attending Lambuth and Edna attending Lambuth, many things are the same.

When I came to Lambuth in 1973, I had attended the same school for 12 years; I had many close friends attending Lambuth, and I was coming to college with my girlfriend.  There were no cell phones, no VCRs and DVDs, no computers, no iPods, and cable TV was new.  Lambuth did not have a football team or a soccer team.  The women had dorm curfew hours.  I joined a Greek organization my freshman year, and I was active on campus throughout my four year career.

When Edna came to Lambuth in 2005, she came as a “Navy Brat,” having attended four different schools in three countries for 12 years; she only knew a couple of people attending Lambuth.  She has had her MySpace and Facebook pages to keep up with her friends during college.  Edna had the opportunity to be an independent (non-Greek) student for her first two years, and then joined a sorority her junior year.
However, the wonderful thing about Lambuth is that we both had outstanding professors and teachers with small class sizes.  Edna has had five professors/teachers that were there during my time at Lambuth.  We also have had the distinction of living in the same dorm room 30 years apart.  The Lambuth atmosphere encouraged the quest for learning and for greatness, and there was a sense of family and camaraderie on campus in the mid-70s and in the 2000s.  In addition, here are more similarities:

•    Parker was active in Student Government as freshman, sophomore, and Senior Class President.
•    Edna was active in the International Students Association and Student Global Aids Campaign.
•    Both of us worked on the Yearbook staff.
•    Both of us were in the Concert Choir.
•    Both of us majored in Theatre Arts.
•    Both of us are members of Greek organizations.

The Lambuth experience played a large part in shaping my life.  Following Lambuth, I joined the U.S. Navy, met and married my wife, Jennifer, and served in the military for over 20 years, retiring as a Navy Commander.  Lambuth prepared me for life not only in the classroom, but through the college experience and living on campus.  In addition, I made lifelong friends at Lambuth.

Though my military career took me to California and Europe, I kept track of Lambuth and visited the campus a few times during my return trips to the Mid-South area.  When I moved back to Memphis in 2003, I immediately re-connected with Lambuth friends and quickly became involved in the Lambuth Alumni Association.  My love for Lambuth led to my becoming a member of the Lambuth Alumni Board and for 2007-2008, the honor of being the President of the Lambuth Alumni Board.

When Edna decided to attend Lambuth, I was not only proud of her decision, but I was thrilled to know that she would receive the same quality education and campus experiences that I had.  I was excited for her because I knew that she would make lifelong friends and would grow to become a contributing member of society because of what she would get from Lambuth.

Lambuth is more than a collection of classrooms; it is more than professors and students and staff.  Lambuth is a cornucopia of experience - a place for young people to grow into adulthood, for alumni to return to and reunite with friends and for life to happen on a daily basis.  When I say, think or visit Lambuth, I feel pride, nostalgia and hope, for all that Lambuth gave me, for all that it is giving my daughter and for all I know that it will give students in the years to come.

Sincere pride in my Lambuth family,
Parker Dinwiddie