A family gathering is a houseful of Bluejay banter for the Unruh family.
Kiana Unruh (JR, Meade, Kan.), a fifth-generation student on campus, smiled when she reflected on her family gatherings. That only grew when she thought about writing her own Tabor College story.
Among many graduates in her extended family, her mother, Charla (Regier Unruh g’94) Dardis, late father, Craig (g’93), and brother and sister-in-law, Jonathan (g’23) and Lauren (Christensen g’24) Unruh, all attended Tabor.
“I’d come to Homecoming when I was younger, and even from when my brother was here not that long ago, I see Tabor from a different perspective,” Unruh said. “It’s so different. I never knew how comfortable I’d be here.”
Unruh’s time at Tabor also encapsulates its core values: Christ-centered, learning, involvement, community, and service. She has been part of the Women’s Mentoring program since her freshman year, serves as a volleyball team captain, secretary for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), vice president for Student Activities Board (SAB), and youth sponsor at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church.
Unruh is thankful for the doors that Tabor has opened, broadening her experience off the volleyball court.
Last fall, Hunter Dudley (g’23) and Pryce Holloway (JR, Oklahoma City, Okla.) helped significantly boost FCA, becoming one of the state’s biggest ‘huddles’ on college campuses. She joined its leadership team this fall.
Unruh also participated in Game Changers, a summer sports camp in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. (Read more about this camp and the local MB ministry on page 7.)
“My circle of friends has grown so much because I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and tried different things on and around campus,” she said. “I did choir all freshman year so I got to go on the tour on Spring Break and I’m friends with so many of them to this day. It helped me get outside of the sports world.”
The icing atop her college years is learning stories about her father from family and friends.
“I’ve heard so many stories about pranks and memories they have of my dad and I probably wouldn’t have heard as many if it weren’t for the family and family friends who also came to Tabor,” she said. “It’s really special to be able to hear about memories of him.”
First-year volleyball coach Adam Brewster said Unruh’s naming as team captain shows the strength of her relationship with her teammates.
“Not only has she improved in her ability on the court over the past year, but she has embraced such an integral role for our team,” Brewster said. “Even though she hasn’t had a starting spot, her honest and caring personality will help her be wildly successful now and in her future after Tabor.”