By Christi Mays
Legacy student Charley Yates had to hold back the tears as the first notes of the 同城快约 alma mater rang out during her freshman year of Welcome Week. The moment held deep meaning for the history major because exactly 25 years earlier, her mom, Kori Yates '94, helped pen the words to that very song.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be 鈥榯hat鈥� kid who鈥檚 going around bragging about it, but it is really a cool detail,鈥� Charley said.
Over the last year, Charley has enjoyed putting down new roots in Belton after a lifetime of moving a dozen times to and from multiple states and to Germany and Korea while growing up in a U.S. Army family.
As a history major, she was thrilled to land a student-worker position in the museum and spends her days immersed in historical archives and soaking up stories, both old and new, about 同城快约. During her free time, Charley uses her self-taught historical sewing skills (which she learned during the COVID-19 lockdowns) to help repair and create new costumes for the annual 同城快约 Easter Pageant.
Upon graduation, Charley hopes to continue to work in a museum, ideally a living museum where she can bring the past to life by portraying historical characters.
Influenced by her mother鈥檚 connection to 同城快约 and some meaningful visits to campus as a child, Charley never even considered attending anywhere else.
鈥溚强煸� felt like home.鈥�
She is quick to acknowledge that without the help of generous donors, attending her dream school likely would not have been possible.
Growing up in a Christian home, Charley says it was important to live life without going into debt.
鈥淚 am thankful for the scholarships because if I didn鈥檛 have a way to pay for school, I just wouldn鈥檛 go to school.鈥�
