La Grange Native Bailey Sutton Sings Praises of Her College Experience
La Grange Native Bailey Sutton Sings Praises of Her College Experience
MOUNT OLIVE- La Grange native Bailey Sutton is a junior at the University of Mount Olive (UMO). She grew up attending La Grange First Freewill Baptist Church, one of the University’s sponsoring churches. So, when it came time to choose a college, UMO was a natural choice.
“I chose to attend UMO because I liked the small class sizes and the scholarships that are offered for Free Will Baptist students,” said Sutton. “Also being able to double major in vocal performance and psychology helped me to commit to UMO.”
Sutton’s mother, Tracy Sutton, also sang as a hobby when she was younger, which influenced Sutton to begin singing in the choir at her hometown church. Over the years, her love for music and ministry has grown tremendously, and now she sings soprano for the La Grange First Freewill Baptist Church choir, First Baptist Church choir in Mount Olive, and the UMO Concert and Chamber Choirs.
“Since I was little, I’ve always liked to sing. At age 10, I sang my first church solo and then I started singing in the middle school choir,” said Sutton. “Now, I lead the Fresh Start Contemporary service, which is a convergence of modern, contemporary and historic Christian worship, at First Baptist Church. By leading Fresh Start, singing in the choirs, and studying vocal performance, I’ve had the opportunity to simultaneously learn and practice my musical skills.”
Sutton has cherished her experiences at UMO and appreciates how close she has grown with others in the Psychology and Music Departments. She also feels as though her faith has grown with the help of her academics.
“Being a vocal performance major has allowed me to expand my skills in singing and performing, which is reflected in my choir singing. Also, being a psychology major has helped me strive to understand people and relationships better, which is a necessity in spreading my faith,” said Sutton. “I like to be a witness of Jesus in all aspects of life. Letting Jesus shine through me at UMO is a part of that, and it’s a good way to reach many different kinds of people.”
Sutton’s busy schedule also includes working at the Christian Soldier bookstore in Goldsboro, participating in the UMO drama club (La Belle Epoque), participating in the psychology honor society, Psi Chi, and holding the position of president for the UMO Ballroom Dance Club. She is the recipient of the esteemed Charles B. and Margenette A. Hinnant Music Scholarship at UMO.
In the future, Sutton hopes to apply her knowledge from UMO to graduate school. She is currently deciding whether to pursue music, psychology, or religion at the graduate level. Most importantly, Sutton plans on continuing to spread her faith through music and relationships.
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The University, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Research Triangle Park, Washington, Jacksonville, and in Smithfield at Johnston Community College. For more information, visit old.umo.edu.
