news at welch college   Welch College (formerly Free Will Baptist Bible College) in Nashville, TN, has been the official college of the Free Will Baptist Denomination since 1942. To find out more information about the school, visit their website.

 

Rusty Campbell Accepts Christian School Post

Mr. D. Russell (Rusty) Campbell, Jr., director of enrollment services at Welch College, has been named high school administrator/principal at nearby Pleasant View Christian School, according to David Williford, vice president for institutional advancement. Pleasant View Christian School (PVCS) has a long and close relationship with Welch College, and hosts the annual Northern Quarterly Rally to raise funds for the college.

“My only regret is leaving the college at such an exciting time in the school’s history,” Mr. Campbell said. “So many great things are happening now with campus relocation activities underway, expanding academic programs, and the name change. But there’s no doubt that this long-term educational opportunity at PVCS is God’s plan for me and my family. PVCS and Welch College have a special relationship that spans many years, and I want that to continue. Almost a third of the 2012 PVCS graduates plan to enroll at the college. And that’s a door I want to keep open!”

Campbell, a member of the Business faculty since 2000, became director of enrollment in 2010. He previously taught Instructional Technology and Microcomputer Applications, and served as director of Adult Studies. He holds the Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from Austin Peay State University, and has pursued graduate studies at the University of Nebraska and Tennessee State University.

Prior to joining the Welch faculty, he was a high school teacher and coach four years (1996-2000). For the past 22 years, he has been a referee for collegiate, high school, and middle school basketball. He also coached the Flames basketball team 2006-2007.

President Matt Pinson said, “Rusty Campbell has been great for the college. We’re going to miss him and his positive attitude as he steps away to begin his new duties. Rusty brought a smile to work every day and creatively moved our recruitment process forward. We wish him the best at PVCS, and we look forward to his leadership at that important Christian education institution.”
Rusty and Beth (Forrest) Campbell have been married 17 years and have one child (Barrett, age 7) who enters the second grade at PVCS this fall. They attend Bethel FWB Church near Ashland City where Beth teaches children’s church, and Rusty teaches an adult Sunday School class.

The principal/administrator role at Pleasant View Christian School will allow Mr. Campbell to capitalize on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play an important role in his son Barrett’s education at PVCS. Since the Campbells live 10 minutes from PVCS, Rusty’s daily two-hour commute from Cheatham County to Nashville and back will be greatly reduced.

“My time at the college was a learning experience that prepared me for the PVCS challenge,” Mr. Campbell said. “I grew professionally and personally, and can take with me a skill-set that I did not possess when I arrived 12 years ago. PVCS and Welch College have similar missions and institutional purposes, and I hope more PVCS graduates choose to enroll at this college that’s so dear to my heart.”

ACL Conference Features Librarian Carol Reid

The 56th annual Association of Christian Librarians (ACL) met June 11-14 at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida and featured Carol Reid, librarian at Welch College since 1988, in two workshop events, a pre-conference workshop with four colleagues, plus a solo conference presentation. Mrs. Reid’s 60-minute workshop, “Writing the Annual Report,” attracted 27 attendees with excellent responses from participants.

The team-taught pre-conference workshop focused on ABHE (Association for Biblical Higher Education) Evaluator Training. Mrs. Reid, along with fellow librarians Nancy Olson and Kathy Molenkamp and ABHE representatives Ron Kroll and Randy Bell, led the all-day session.

Twenty-one people enrolled for the training session. Mrs. Reid helped to write two skits for the group and presented materials on “Writing the Report.”

“I found the conference profitable as professional development,” Mrs. Reid said. “I attended workshops on establishing an information commons, improving students’ media literacy, new developments in interlibrary loan, managing varying work styles, and hosting author visits. I also attended meetings for CPI Indexers, the Commission for International Library Advancement, the Christian Library Consortium, and two ACL business meetings.”

More than 32 workshops were available for ACL attendees. Mrs. Reid is a member of the ACL Board of Directors, serves as ACL secretary, and keeps minutes for both the board meetings and the general conference business meetings.

Provost Greg Ketteman said, “Mrs. Reid’s current leadership in this professional librarians’ association is a credit to herself and to Welch College. Her efforts to network with other librarians are of great professional value. We are delighted that she continues to learn and advance in her chosen field of service here at the college.”

A 1977 Welch graduate, Mrs. Reid earned the Master of Library Science degree at Vanderbilt University. She is married to Dr. Garnett Reid, a Welch College professor specializing in Old Testament studies.

Illinois Group Volunteers on Campus

Ten volunteers from Bear Point FWB Church in Sesser, Illinois, spent two days sprucing up the Welch College campus on June 4-5, according to Ernie Thompson, cleaning operations supervisor. The group arrived Sunday afternoon in a 15-passenger van, moved into the dormitory, and started working Monday morning.

Mr. Thompson said, “We’re so glad to have this enthusiastic group of young people and their sponsors on campus. They were all smiles and did a bit of everything from loading scrap iron onto trailers to working the stacks in Welch Library, plus painting, sanding, and cleaning.”

This marked the first service trip to the college for the Bear Point Volunteers. Youth Leader Shawn Mygatt said the congregation funds a number of service opportunities for youth during the year, including working at homeless shelters and children’s homes and community projects at the Free Will Baptist national convention. The students ranged in age from 8-17 and were accompanied by four adults.

Seventeen-year-old Shelby Payne will be a high school senior this fall and plans to enroll at Welch College. Miss Payne said, “I’ve heard about the college all my life and attended one of the Welcome Days events. I want to study psychology, and I really like the small campus atmosphere Welch College offers. I want to make a difference in the lives of children.”

Rising high school senior Matthew Crawford attended the 2010 Welcome Days. He is considering Welch College and wants to pursue a career in broadcasting or journalism.

While in Nashville, the Illinois team wanted to tour the Parthenon and other landmarks. Their agenda included spending Wednesday, June 6 at the Free Will Baptist National Offices where they stuffed envelopes and completed other projects before returning to Sesser late that night.

Pastor Larry Cook has led Bear Point FWB Church for almost three decades. Judson Phenicie, a 2012 graduate of the college, joined the church staff this summer.