E&H Mass Comm Student Story: Emily Bunn spotlights Austin Bunn and their shared E&H legacy
Home is where your family is: and for Austin Bunn (’14) that place was his college.
Located just an hour from his hometown, Emory offered exactly what he was looking for. “I liked the atmosphere and I just felt at home.”
When choosing his college, Austin was looking for a small school with a beautiful campus. It just so happened that 6 people out of his family had attended Emory & Henry College. In his lineage alone there are Joseph Bunn (’65), Ruth Bunn (’63), Kim Bunn (’89), Allen Robinson (’90), Brian Bunn (’90), Lauren Payne (’13), Austin Bunn (’14), and his two younger sisters who are current students.
Bunn continues, “The thought of going somewhere that so many of our family had gone was definitely in consideration. There’s now been two more after me!”
He tells stories about when he was choosing to attend Emory & Henry and his dad pushed him to look at other schools. “Dad was very adamant that this was a decision that was ours to make and not his and I’m incredibly grateful for that. My dad loves Emory & Henry with every breath he takes but he also realized that was his experience.”
Something very important to Austin were the relationships he built at Emory. Many of the faculty and staff made a lasting impression on him as he made his 4-year journey through the Mass Communications department at E&H. Austin stated, “The professors. Dr. Keller. Joe Matthews. Dr. Puglisi. Helped me grow as a person and pointed me in the right direction. Dr. Finney would kill me if I didn’t mention him.”
While Emory has affected many family members, he recounted a couple of professors who taught more than one Bunn. “Dr. Keller taught my dad, me, and is teaching my sister and Dr. Finney taught my sister and me,” says Bunn.
His extended family is just as passionate about E&H as he is. “When I chose to attend Emory & Henry I think everybody was thrilled that I and my sisters choose to go there. It just holds a really special place in our hearts.”
Much like his grandparents and aunt & uncle before him, Austin met his future partner at Emory. Lauren Payne Bunn (’13), Austin’s wife, is a teacher at Dan River Middle School in Danville, Va. “I have a lot to owe to Emory. It’s very fitting that I met my wife there. We have an awesome 9 month old named Wesley William who is very cool.”
Austin is the current Business Manager at Ballad Brewing located in Danville. “I just stepped away from radio, but I use my degree at Ballad every day in many different ways.”
Austin mentioned how he continually looks for the welcoming community and supportive family he found at Emory & Henry. He closed by saying, “E&H alumni love to say ‘We are Emory & Henry,’ and that statement is especially true for the Bunn family. Emory & Henry is who we are.”
Mass Communications B.A.
Emory & Henry College Bonner Scholar
Austin Bunn
E&H Class of 2014
