Kentucky Derby winning jockey Pat Day among those announcing Campbellsville University's Amy Grant concert

By Drew Tucker, marketing and media relations coordinator

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Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf said Campbellsville University is "family friendly." (Campbellsville University Photo by Rachel DeCoursey)

CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY (04/14/2016)(readMedia)-- LOUISVILLE, Ky. – "I'm honored to be here this morning to help kick off this announcement for the Derby Rose Gala, a fundraiser that raises funds for scholarships and to help individuals to get into Campbellsville," Pat Day, 1992 Kentucky Derby winner, said at Campbellsville University's Louisville Education Center on April 8.

Along with Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf and CU Advancement Board members Sara Curry, Gwinn Hahn, Betty Hord and Yevette Haskins, Day announced an upcoming concert featuring contemporary Christian artist Amy Grant, along with Ellie Holcomb and Nichole Nordeman, following the gala in Ransdell Chapel on CU's campus April 29 at 8 p.m.

"This is going to be a tremendous concert, and we feel we're going to raise several thousands of dollars for the scholarship fund at Campbellsville University," Benji Kelly, CU vice president for development, said.

Lauren Stevens, a freshman from Taylorsville, Ky., said she has been able to be a Campbellsville University student on an $18,000 scholarship due to the support from the scholarship fund, and wouldn't have been able to attend without it.

"I can tell you, honestly, during eighth grade in middle school is when I decided to attend Campbellsville University. I went there on a visit and came back home and knew I wanted to go there. I didn't look at other colleges – something drew me there," she said.

"I want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity to have these scholarships," she said.

She said she hopes that upon graduating she will be able to impact the generation below her because of Campbellsville's community.

"God's presence is there, and he's definitely doing something at Campbellsville University," she said.

Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf said it gives him great pleasure to be a part of Campbellsville University because Jeffersontown is known as a family-friendly community, and, as Stevens said, CU is family friendly. Campbellsville University's Louisville Education Center is located just off Hurstbourne Lane in the Stonybrook area of Jeffersontown.

"We are proud to have Campbellsville University as a part of our family," he said. "The one thing you can't check is the family-Christian attitude they bring and teach their students.

"Lauren said she has a scholarship and she's going to come back and pass it forward. Each one of these students is going to be the type of student who, when they receive something, they will pass it forward," he said.

Day, who has been a guest speaker at CU's Gala and chapel in the past, said he came to Campbellsville to enlarge his knowledge of Jesus Christ.

"As soon as you drive into Campbellsville, you can sense the presence of God," he said. "The Lord Jesus Christ is readily available."

He said that after years of alcohol and substance abuse, on Jan. 27, 1984, he made a commitment to Christ.

"As I invited Christ into my heart and to feel that overwhelming and unconditional love of God, I knew we were all called to experience the Lord, the very thing that Campbellsville stands for and what they're built upon," he said.

Since the beginning of the Advancement Board in 2009, the Derby Rose Gala has raised over $250,000 for the general scholarship fund. Each year, 50-75 students can't come to Campbellsville University due to a lack of financial support, and the scholarship fund helps them attend.

The concert after the Derby Rose Gala featuring contemporary Christian artist Amy Grant, along with Ellie Holcomb and Nichole Nordeman on their Live Life Together Tour, will be held on April 29 at 8 p.m. in the Ransdell Chapel at Campbellsville University, located at 401 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville, KY 42718.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering over 80 programs of study including 24 master's degrees, seven postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.

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Kentucky Derby winning jockey Pat Day, right, and Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf help

unveil the poster announcing the Amy Grant concert following the Derby Rose Gala at

Campbellsville University April 29. From left are Yvette Haskins, Sara Curry and Gwinn Hahn,

members of the Campbellsville University Advancement Board whichis responsible for the gala.

(Campbellsville University Photo by Rachel DeCoursey)

Lauren Stevens, a freshman from Taylorsville, Ky., spoke about the importance of scholarships at

the news conference. (Campbellsville University Photo by Rachel DeCoursey)

Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf said Campbellsville University is "family friendly." (Campbellsville

University Photo by Rachel DeCoursey)

Kentucky Derby winning jockey Pat Day said, "As soon as you drive into Campbellsville, you

can sense the presence of God." (Campbellsville University Photo by Rachel DeCoursey)