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.

 

Gonzales, Miracle Address 2015 Welch Graduates

Judge Alberto Gonzales (pictured below) and Reverend Wayne Miracle challenged the 2015 Welch College graduating class May 7-8, during commencement activities.

Wayne Miracle, Pastor of New Life Fellowship FWB Church in Statesboro, Georgia, delivered the 2015 Baccalaureate address. Miracle earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Training from Welch College in 1990. He pastored Pine Level FWB Church in Alma, Georgia, before accepting his current pastorate at New Life Fellowship in 1998. He has served in a number of leadership positions on the local, state, and national levels of the denomination, including moderator of the Georgia State Association and member of the Executive Committee of the National Association.

Judge Alberto Gonzales, former U.S. Attorney General, addressed the Welch College class of 2015 during commencement ceremonies. Judge Gonzales grew up in Houston, Texas. He joined the Air Force after high school and attended the U.S. Air Force Academy. He later attended Rice University, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1979, and Harvard Law School, where he earned the J.D. in 1982.

After practicing law in Houston as a partner at a major firm, Judge Gonzales served in several key positions in state government, including associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court and secretary of the state of Texas. He was appointed to the position of U.S. Attorney General by former President George W. Bush, was sworn into office February 3, 2005, and served until September 2007. Judge Gonzales currently serves as dean of Belmont University College of Law, a position he began in June 2014.

President Pinson said, “We were honored to have these men speak to students, graduates, and their families. Commencement week is an important occasion for the entire college family, especially for graduating seniors. The college family comes together to honor them for years of academic rigor. This special time always brings us face-to-face with our mission as a college—to educate leaders to serve Christ, His Church, and His world through biblical thought and life.”

Script Writing Contest Winner Announced

The first annual Welch College Script Writing Contest has a winner, according to Drama Department Director AnnaGee Harris. The winning script, “7x70”, was co-written by Audrey Trotter Jordan (pictured below; right) and Josh Dunbar. It follows three stories where Christians are asked to forgive others in difficult circumstances.

“We weren’t sure what to expect in the way of entries for our first contest,” Ms. Harris said. “I was thrilled with the number of entries we received, and the quality of the submissions was superb. The contest was a great reminder of the many talented people working in our denomination. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit a play, and I urge them to do so again next year.”

The Evangel Players will perform “7x70” this summer during the group’s annual tour.

College Signs New Contract on Campus Sale

Welch College announced a contract on the sale of the campus on Nashville’s West End Avenue in January, after reaching an agreement with Forestar Group, a real estate firm from Austin, Texas. The sale hinged on clearing several hurdles, including permission from the city to build four-story condominiums along West End Avenue. After city officials and the neighborhood association did not offer support for this type of construction, Forestar withdrew their offer.

However, a burgeoning Nashville real estate market coupled with the attention from a major firm like Forestar put a spotlight on the campus. As a result, only a few days after losing one contract, the college signed a new contract with Mike Ford Custom Builders, LLC, a respected home building firm in Middle Tennessee. The company is well known for fine homes in the sought-after Westhaven community in nearby Franklin.

The contract puts the college in a better position than the previous agreement. It is in the same price range and time frame as the previous deal—with a closing scheduled June 15, allowing the school to stay on the existing construction schedule. The earnest money agreement is very favorable, and this buyer, unlike the previous developer, assumes responsibility for the demolition of the carriage house behind Welch Library (necessary for construction of a planned alley).

The new contract includes all campus property except Welch Library, as new construction in this neighborhood should increase the value of this home, one of the most important historic properties in Nashville.

President Matt Pinson said, “The terms of the new contract are better than the offer we had from Aquinas two years ago or our most recent offer. We are grateful for that, because construction costs have also risen by 5% during that time, and we are going to need larger dorms as a result of the 30% growth we have experienced over the past two years. Please continue to pray for our relocation effort.”

College officials are hopeful the contract will close, in light of positive feedback from city officials and the neighborhood on all plans except the four-story height on the condominiums. For ongoing updates regarding the relocation, visit www.welch.edu.

Welch College Ranked Among “Top 10 Affordable Online Options”

The web site onlinecolleges.net recently named Welch College one of the most affordable online programs in Tennessee. Out of 93 colleges and universities in the state that offer online programs, Welch ranked 6th in affordability.

Allan Crowson, director of Welch’s Adult Degree Program, indicated, “This is not surprising to us at Welch College. We continually seek to keep costs as low as possible. We understand how difficult it is for people with families, jobs, and church responsibilities to add college education to their list of expenses. In addition to quality education from quality educators, we see affordability as one of primary elements of our ministry to our students.”

President Matt Pinson added, “Welch College is one of the most affordable accredited Christian colleges in the country. This announcement from onlinecolleges.net is just another confirmation of our commitment to provide academic and spiritual excellence while keeping tuition reasonable.”

The mission of onlinecolleges.net is “to connect current and prospective students with accurate information regarding online educational options and trends.” It compiles its rigorous list from a wide range of sources.

For more information about Welch College’s Adult Degree program or online learning options, visit www.welch.edu/adult-online-learning.