Author: Sam Votaw
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Trinda Owens
Trinda’s path to social work wasn’t linear, but it was driven by purpose. After beginning her college journey at UNA in 1988 with a focus on the entertainment industry, she soon found that her interests were elsewhere. She explored fashion merchandising, but it wasn’t until a personal hardship led her to social work that she… Read more
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Talon Pritchard
Talon Pritchard’s journey to UNA started with his passion for athletics. Growing up in Helena, Alabama, he played a variety of sports, but it was cross-country running that ultimately brought him to the University of North Alabama. Recruited by several schools during his junior and senior years of high school, Talon visited UNA and quickly… Read more
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MacKenna Gosart
MacKenna Gosart always knew she wanted to help people, and her dream of becoming a physical therapist began at a young age. When she discovered UNA during a service project at age 12, she fell in love with the university and never looked back. Majoring in Exercise Science with a concentration in Pre-Professional Studies, MacKenna… Read more
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Cade McGuire
Cade’s story began like many others—he entered UNA expecting to play football, focus on engineering, and eventually transfer. But life had other plans. After an old knee injury forced Cade to give up football, he found himself lost without the game he loved. Feeling the void left by football, Cade began to explore other avenues… Read more
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Sam Mashburn
Growing up in the Shoals, Sam was always aware of UNA’s presence, but it wasn’t until he enrolled that he genuinely understood the university’s impact on the local community. Coming from a family where his father was the first to graduate college, Sam knew the value of education and community involvement. At first, he thought… Read more
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Makenzie McGuire
Makenzie’s story is about faith, resilience, and finding the right fit. Growing up in a small, private school in Old Hickory, Tennessee, she dreamed of becoming a nurse. After her initial plans to attend another institution in Alabama fell through, Makenzie felt discouraged. However, something told her to check out UNA again; it was the… Read more
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Trey Nichols
For Trey, UNA wasn’t a backup plan—it was a way to deepen his understanding of the music business and build on his years of gigging experience. Read more
