3 minute read
The Rising Hawk Award
By Pilar Yates Brumbaugh
Nominated by peers, Brady Killion ’13 is the recipient of this year's The Rising Hawk award.
Killion is the youngest Senior Enterprise Executive for Toshiba America and lives out the mission of Quincy University daily. Gary Bass, head football coach at QU says, “Brady was always one of those people with a very contagious personality. I knew he had a chance to be special in life just because of how people gravitated to him.”
Quincy University takes pride in watching its alumni grow from aspiring leaders on campus to members of the alumni community. The Rising Hawk award recognizes an outstanding member of the alumni community, 40 years or younger, who is active in the life of the university and/or the life of their community.
—Brady Killion '13
An Inspiration
Killion has had many people who have inspired and shaped him to be the best individual that he can be. “The most influential person would be my mother,” says Killion. She raised Killion and his siblings to give their all and use their God-given talents and gifts to the best of their ability. These values stuck with Killion. While he has great role models, his biggest inspiration is God. Making the most of all that God has given him is something that Killion strives for. Through his success and impact on the community, the most rewarding part is that he can point it all back to God. “He drives me to be the very best that I can be every day,” says Killion.
QU Journey
Coming to Quincy University was a leap of faith for Killion, who came site unseen. As a transfer student from southern California, there was an adjustment period going from a campus of 75,000 students to 1,200. While reflecting on his QU experience, Killion remembers, “the small class sizes and connecting with professors one-on-one, made it a smooth transition for me. I could talk to my professors about life and where I wanted to go after college.” Killion is proud of his alma mater. As QU succeeds, it benefits the students and alumni. In turn, as the members of the alumni community succeed and share their successes with their alma mater, it helps QU, whether it’s through inspiring current students or in recruitment efforts to bring more students to campus. It all works together.
Why QU?
For Killion, it’s all about supporting the team that supported him.
“When I went to QU, I was supported by scholarship, both athletic and academic. I believe it is important to give back. If that wasn’t there when I attended, I don’t know if I could have gone to QU. I am very thankful and want to give back as much as I can.” Killion comes back to campus for football games and stays in close contact with those who had a positive impact on his QU experience, but most importantly, he strives to make an impact for students on campus today. Through his volunteer work, Killion lives out the Quincy University mission in his day to day life. He has taken the lessons learned, in and out of the classroom, and grown in his leadership skills, striving for the best for himself and those around him. From serving those who serve our country through the USO-Nashville, working with and for Coaches of Influences, providing fellowship and resources for coaches, and working with the homeless in downtown Nashville, Killion continues to help others and to make the world a better place.
