With the Fall 2026 semester officially in session, there’s so much for students to look forward to over the next few months and beyond. That said, our incoming freshmen, in particular, deserve some recognition. They’ll graduate in 2030, the same year the University of North Alabama (UNA) turns 200 years old, making them our Bicentennial Class!
Camden Seal is one of those freshmen, and he couldn’t be more thrilled. Having grown up in nearby Muscle Shoals, he’s quite familiar with the university. In fact, both of his parents attended UNA, something that has greatly inspired him to do the same.
“It’s a little bit of a surreal experience being here, following in their footsteps,” Camden says. “I love UNA, always have. Just to know that I could potentially have an impact here, and especially following in my parents’ footsteps to get that little purple diploma, it’d be pretty sweet.”
Between his contagious enthusiasm and strong desire to make a positive impact on the community, Camden is sure to take the world by storm. So, although he’s currently an undecided business major, he’ll have plenty of time to explore where he wants to put his focus over the next four years.
Finance, marketing, and accounting are all on Camden’s radar. That said, he’s considering more than his primary career goals. In fact, he’s already thinking about side gigs that would allow him to pursue his passions.
“I was hoping, maybe when I got older, I’d be able to have a side gig as a professional sports [personality], locally. But I would also like to do something marketing wise as well,” Camden says. “It would also be really fun to just market different local businesses and try to make an impact in the community the best I can, and hopefully in a positive way.”
Camden has a few goals he’d like to check off his list while at UNA. This includes making new friends, earning a spot on the Dean’s list, and graduating with honors. Most importantly, however, he wants to build a strong foundation for a future family, a goal Camden has seen his own dad successfully reach.
Before attending UNA, Camden says his dad experienced struggles, financial ones included. Thankfully, a program UNA offered made it possible for him to attend. Now, his dad can say that he’s been with the same company for 20 years. Dad’s challenging, yet gratifying, path in life greatly inspires Camden to find his own path.
“I don’t know where I’d be without him. He’s just awesome,” Camden shares. “He’s really been a real influence in my life, as far as just being able to work diligently to provide for us as much as he possibly can. And I would love nothing more than to even come within an iota of being able to do that for my family as I get older.”
Camden recognizes that to make the most out of the next four years, he’ll need to work hard. Luckily, he believes that being a member of the 2030 Bicentennial Class will aid him in his efforts.
“That bicentennial anniversary [is] so rare, especially for so many colleges,” he says. “It will keep me more on track to graduate because knowing that, at the end of the line, I’m going to be a part of that 200-year milestone — that’s something I can carry on with me forever. I can tell my kids, my grandkids, and hopefully great grandkids, if I can make it that long.”
The next four years are sure to go by faster than Camden expects. That said, quite a lot can change in that time. So, when this freshman imagines what his life will be like in 2030, it’s not just his future career he’s curious about.
“Do you have a beard? Do you have a mustache?” Camden humorously asks when imagining what it would be like to talk to his future-self. “I don’t know, but just hopefully you’re ready for life and what it has to offer. Just go out there and, you know, trust in that and have fun and just do the best you can in life and go live it.”