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.

 

Welch College Launches New Website

Welch College launched its new website (pictured below) on Tuesday, January 15, according to Josh Owens, director of media and marketing. The new site combines aesthetics with easy-to-navigate menus and will be the hub for all things Welch College. The new site can be found at www.welch.edu.

Visitors can access all information on the site with a simple scroll and click. Prospective students will find admission and financial aid information, as well as helpful data about campus life and the surrounding Nashville area, all conveniently located and easily accessed.

Josh Owens said, "In a world of ever-changing technology being accessed daily by prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors, Welch College needed a new footprint on the web. We only have one chance to make a first impression, and our old site did not allow us to make the most of that opportunity.”

The new site is designed to do just that. From the brilliant blue and gold themed pages to the pictures depicting student life, to the efficient design, the college’s new website will make a positive impression on visitors.

While the new site is a major leap forward in aiding prospective students as they make their college decision, it will also be a breath of fresh air for current students, parents, faculty and staff members, and the extended Welch College family. Visitors to the site will have access to up-to-date news and events occurring at the college including the latest press releases and athletics information. Students will also find handy links to the Populi student information system as well as contact data for professors and staff members.

“Since July 2012, the college has updated its social media platforms (Facebook, twitter, instagram) to better communicate the happenings at Welch College,” Owens said. “The new website is the last and largest element needed to complete our media upgrade. Users will find the site very informative and easy to navigate."

President Matt Pinson said, “It's exciting that Welch College has a new website to match its new name. I look forward to how this change—the first new website in a decade—will help us communicate our mission more effectively to all interested visitors.”

Check out the new website at www.welch.edu.

Nineteen High School Seniors Visit Welch College

Nineteen high school seniors from ten states attended the fall 2012 Senior Days on October 4-5 at Welch College. The students hailed from Tennessee (8), North Carolina (2), Ohio (2), Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Indiana (1), Kentucky (1), Missouri (1), South Carolina (1), and Virginia (1).

The seniors participated in a number of activities representing different aspects of campus life—they attended classes, experienced dorm life, and worshipped with Welch College students in chapel. Their two-day schedule included a campus tour and “Glow-in-the-Dark Soccer” Thursday evening.

Friday morning, the visiting seniors had breakfast with President Matt Pinson and later heard about college life from Welch College students during a Q&A-style panel discussion. During the concluding Faculty Reception, seniors met with professors from their particular fields of interest.

Debbie Mouser, director of enrollment services, said, “This event gave our prospective students the opportunity to be a college student for a day. They met with an advisor, stayed with a personal host, attended classes, and learned how the enrollment process works at Welch College. Our goal is to help students to know if Welch College is a good fit for them.”

The seniors were asked to complete a survey rating their Senior Days experience. They gave high marks to faculty, staff, and students for their knowledge and helpfulness. On a scale of one to five (1 = poor; 5 = excellent), the visitors rated student and faculty hospitality 4.79 and 4.89 respectively. Regarding academics, the seniors gave a 4.68 satisfaction rating to the classes they attended. All 19 students agreed that their visit increased their interest in attending Welch College.

One student said, “Senior Days helped a lot with my decision-making. I felt like I was a Welch College student while I was there and loved it.”

For more information, contact the Enrollment Management Office at recruit@Welch.edu.

Ken Riggs Writes Book for Teachers

Dr. Ken Riggs, interim Psychology program coordinator at Welch College (formerly Free Will Baptist Bible College), has written a 104-page, 12-chapter book for the Evangelical Training Association titled Teaching Techniques: Becoming an Effective Teacher. The soft-cover book came off the press in August 2012.

Dr. Riggs said, “This book is an attempt to define effective teaching by looking at three aspects: the teaching methods of Jesus, examining one of the most influential books for Christian teachers (The Seven Laws of Teaching by John Milton Gregory), and the two key ingredients of teaching—preparation and presentation.”

The book concludes with an eight-page section titled “Three That Mattered,” focusing on the impact of three influential teachers on society—John Amos Comenius (1592-1670), Robert Raikes (1736-1811), and Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827).

The first four chapters in the book study Jesus’ example as a teacher. The next three chapters address what it takes to be an effective teacher. The last five chapters deal with understanding the psychology of learning.

Dr. Riggs has written two other books. They Call Me Doc (2011) follows his own journey from new convert to professional educator. By the Way (2012) chronicles his father’s ministry as a Free Will Baptist visionary, pastor, and international missions leader. Riggs also wrote three booklets—“The Runaway,” “How to Live Right,” and “You Can Know”—as well as several gospel tracts.

A long-tenured educator, Dr. Riggs taught 23 years (1971-1993) on the Welch College Teacher Education faculty. He has been an adjunct professor at Nashville State Community College since 1992 and served as administrator at Pleasant View Christian School (2004-2010).

“I may do more writing for the Evangelical Training Association,” Riggs said. “I believe in ETA’s biblical philosophy of education and support their commitment to publish materials that help good teachers to become great teachers.”

Ken and Carolyn Riggs have been married 50 years. They have three sons.

Seven Welch College Students Preach in Georgia

Seven Welch College ministerial students travelled six hours to Columbus, Georgia, to preach in local churches belonging to Georgia/Alabama’s Chattahoochee and Twin Cities Associations.

The group left campus at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 29. John Murray, Welch College’s Christian service director, said, “There was excitement in the air as we left Saturday. The men kept the van buzzing about preaching, the Bible, theology, and of course, plenty of good-natured humor. They have been asking me for weeks about going on this trip.”

The Preaching Team arrived in Columbus at 2:30 p.m. and then gathered for a 6:00 p.m. rally at Calvary Free Will Baptist Church. Sophomore ministerial student Stephen Bozeman led the singing, and freshman preacher Mike Hollis preached.
Sunday morning, the team split up to preach at their respective churches, ministering to more than 350 people and receiving over $1,800 for the college. The group reported one rededication as a result of their labors.

Several students commented on their experience preaching in Georgia.

Aaron Pierce (Senior): “White Rock Free Will Baptist Church (Phenix City, AL) was a very friendly congregation and receptive to the Word. It was one of my favorite preaching trips so far.”

Derreck Lute (Sophomore): “I loved preaching at Turner’s Chapel Free Will Baptist Church (Butler, GA). The people were willing to grow together through the preaching of the Word. Pastor Phil Bozeman was a great host. Not many things can beat good southern cooking!”

Jonathan Rogers Writes Literary Biography

Dr. Jonathan Rogers, interim English professor at Welch College, had his fifth book published in 2012. The 13-chapter, 189-page book titled The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O’Connor, was published by Thomas Nelson. Dr. Rogers joined the Welch College faculty in 2011.

Reader-friendly and written with a sensitive overview of both theology and Southern culture, The Terrible Speed of Mercy is a thoughtful and carefully-documented biography of Milledgeville, Georgia, journalist-novelist Flannery O’Connor who died in 1964 at age 39 after a 14-year battle with lupus, the same disease that took her father’s life.

Dr. Rogers unfolds the Flannery O’Connor mystique with the understanding of a Middle Georgia native who grew up not far from the O’Conner farm where Flannery lived most of her life with her mother. He carefully tracks the development of O’Connor’s two major volumes, Wise Blood and The Violent Bear It Away, as well as numerous articles published in literary journals.

Dr. Rogers received an undergraduate degree from Furman University and holds a Ph.D. in 17th Century literature from Vanderbilt University. He was a Teaching Fellow at Vanderbilt (1992-1996) and writer and project manager at Healthstream (1996-2002). His previous books include the Wilderking Trilogy—The Bark of the Bog Owl, The Secret of the Swamp King, and The Way of the Wilderking—as well as The Charlatan’s Boy. He lives in Nashville with his wife Lou Alice and their six children.

Arkansas Alumni Donate Maintenance Vehicle to Welch College

Two Welch College alumni from Arkansas, Mr. Cameron Lane and his wife Krista, donated a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban to the college in September 2012 to be used as a maintenance vehicle, according to Craig Mahler, vice president for financial affairs. The Lanes reside in Russellville, Arkansas.

The five-door, V-8, four-wheel drive Suburban is valued at $17,000-$20,000. The bronze-colored Chevy stands high off the ground with 17-inch tires and will be especially appreciated by the college’s maintenance staff during severe weather conditions. The vehicle has been professionally serviced and maintained.

Mr. Mahler said, “We are thankful for the generosity demonstrated by Cameron and Krista Lane. We hope their example encourages other alumni and friends to donate useful in-kind gifts. This is another way that supporters of the college can make a difference in a time of economic difficulty.”

The Lanes attended Welch College in the 1980s. They are members of First Free Will Baptist Church (Russellville). Mr. Lane, owner of Lane Physical Therapy Center, is a licensed physical therapist specializing in sports medicine and McKenzie Diagnosis Therapy.

He also serves on the board of the 1040i mission group. Collin Lane, son of Cameron and Krista, is a sophomore at Welch College.

David Williford, vice president for institutional advancement, said, “In addition to this recent timely gift by Cameron and Krista Lane, they are also faithful supporters of Welch College’s annual fund, as well as active supporters of the college’s ongoing relocation efforts. We thank God for them and their commitment to the college.”