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Linda Myette Reflects on A Life Shaped by G.U.

Published: November 17, 2021

Written by Linda Myette '73, VP for Advancement. Linda has been a member of the G.U. community--first as a student, then as an employee--for nearly 50 years. As she approaches retirement at the end of May 2019, she offers reflections on the unexpected paths God prepared for her throughout her career.

Linda Myette Reflects on A Life Shaped by G.U.As I moved into my dorm room in Burritt many years ago, I had no idea what the future would hold, but I knew I was supposed to be here.

I hear the same stories from students today. If someone had told me then that I would be standing here today, retiring from this place that shaped me, I would have laughed.

Its hard to describe how Greenville weaves itself into all the corners of our lives and becomes part of our DNA. The impact of teachers, staff, places, experiences, successes and failures shapes us. The people we meet become lifelong friends, and some even become family! I am so grateful for the many faculty who poured their lives in to me as a student many years agothankful that I was able to know Elva McAllaster, Harriet Whiteman, Jane Sanders, Jim Wilson, Jim Reinhard and so many others. I am so grateful that I have been privileged to become part of the ongoing Greenville legacy.

Spiritual Formation

It was here that I met the Lord in very real ways during the Asbury revival when the altar in Whitlock was crowded with students and faculty seeking God and chapel continued for three days straight. It was here that I learned to share my faith through music in groups that were precursors to Pursuit; that my ideas were challenged and expanded, and my worldview broadened. It was here that I fell in love, married, started a teaching career and began my life as a real grownup.

A Growing Career

I never expected that ten years later, the Lord (through former president, Rich Stephens) would open doors for our family to move back and become part of the GC family. We found lifelong friends among faculty, staff and people in our community; raised our children in this nurturing environment and watched them follow our path to Greenville, where they found their spouses and where they graduatedcompleting three generations of GU graduates in my family.

While here, I had the privilege of developing and growing the Academic Enrichment Center and teaching English comp. And, it was here that I was introduced to the world of higher education fundraising. It was not something I chose, but it was something that the Lord had prepared for me.

My initial experience here opened doors to opportunities I would never have expected. Leaving Greenville in 2000 was one of the hardest decisions our family had ever made; but we knew that once again, the Lord was asking us to step out in faith.

Coming Home

I never expected that 15 years later, I would have the opportunity to return to Greenville to complete the career that started here. I never expected to be a part of this community again, to renew friendships and make new ones, to worship and grow and help to move Greenville through celebrations and challenges. I never expected to be able to personally introduce GU to my grandkids, and I never expected to be ending my career where it began.

It has been a high honor and privilege to lead and serve over the past several years. Returning to this place that I love has meant more than I ever expected it to. I am so grateful to Ivan Filby, Scott Giffen, my friends and colleagues on SALT, friends across campus and, of course, our amazing Advancement staff for giving me the opportunity to put a bow on a career that started here. And most of all, I am so grateful to our Lord for His faithful guidance and leading. You bless me with your friendship, passion and commitment to making G.U. strong.

So, almost 50 years from my introduction to Greenville, I look forward to stepping into this new and uncharted territory. I am grateful that Ill be able to continue working part-time, while also enjoying the blessings of family, travel, friends and new adventures. Thank you for all you do for G.U. And thank you for allowing me to be a part of it.

Linda B. Myette '73

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