Atlanta Christian College Holds First-Ever Winter Commencement

Atlanta Christian College awarded diplomas to its first-ever December graduates on Friday, with 58 students crossing the stage. A total of 144 students have received diplomas from Atlanta Christian this year – a new high for the 74-year-old college.

The commencement speaker was Dr. Crawford Loritts, nationally known speaker, author and radio host and senior pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Roswell, Ga.

“Nothing in life happens apart from courage,” Loritts said to the graduates. “Often, the difference between success and failure comes down to courage.”

He encouraged the graduates to be courageous as they move into the next stages of their lives, reminding them, “Courage is not the absence of fear, it’s the direction of fear. If you fear God more than you fear people, you’ll always come out courageous.”The December Hathcock Award winners were also announced during the ceremony. This award, named for Judge T. O. Hathcock, ACC’s founder, is the highest honor the College awards to a graduating senior. Seniors are nominated by the administrative cabinet and selected by the faculty. Not more than five percent of the graduating class may receive the award. It is given based on the qualities of academic achievement, character and servant leadership. This year’s recipients were Robin Joiner, of Snellville, Ga., and Kara Banister, of Stockbridge, Ga.
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Harrison to Serve as VP for Adult and Professional Studies at Atlanta Christian

Atlanta Christian College announces the appointment of Dr. W. Darryl Harrison as vice president of adult and professional studies. Harrison comes to Atlanta Christian from Gadsden State Community College in Gadsden, Ala., where he served as president. Gadsden State has six campus locations and an online campus, and enrolls nearly 7,000 students. Prior to leading Gadsden State, Harrison served as vice president for academic affairs at West Georgia Technical College and in a variety of administrative roles at Northwestern Technical College.

"I am confident that Dr. Harrison is the right person to lead our Access program as it continues to grow and expand to multiple locations," said Dean C. Collins, president of Atlanta Christian. "I also want to thank Dr. John Morris for serving as interim vice president of the Access program, and I’m grateful that he will remain an important part of the Access team." Morris will continue to teach in the Access program, and will serve as director of special projects reporting to Harrison.

Harrison has 15 years of experience in higher education at a dean’s level or higher, and has also taught in the community and technical college systems. He has experience with student services, including advising, retention programs and enrollment. In his previous administrative roles, Harrison has developed and implemented programs for nontraditional students, including online and hybrid classes; accelerated class schedules; and evening and off-campus offerings. He also has experience in leading colleges through the SACS accreditation and reaffirmation processes.

Harrison is active in community and civic affairs, having served on the boards of a medical facility, three different area chambers of commerce, the United Way, and the American Heart Association.

Most importantly, Harrison is a committed Christian who welcomes this opportunity to contribute to Christian higher education. He is a graduate of Samford University, with a bachelor of arts in religion and philosophy; Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, with a master of arts in education; and the University of Alabama, with a doctor of education in instructional leadership focused in adult learning theory.

Harrison’s first day on campus will be November 15.

For more information on the Access adult degree program at Atlanta Christian, visit the College’s web site at www.acc.edu/access.
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Atlanta Christian to Offer Major in Biology

Beginning this fall, Atlanta Christian College will offer a major in biology – the first natural science major at ACC. The College announced today that it had received approval from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to offer a biology program.

“The biology degree will serve as a launching pad for additional science degrees in the future,” said Dr. Kim Macenczak, vice president for academic affairs. Courses within the biology program encourage students to reflect on the relationship between the life sciences and the Christian faith, while honing skills in critical observation, analysis and precision.

“Plans are underway for study abroad programs for biology majors, as well as the use of venues in metro Atlanta for detailed study of the natural sciences,” Macenczak added.

Atlanta Christian’s new Department of Math and Science is chaired by Emory University graduate Dr. Dedra Woolfolk.

Atlanta Christian College’s mission is to educate students for Christ-centered service and leadership throughout the world. Founded in 1937, the College enrolls more than 900 students. The College’s board of trustees is currently in the process of selecting a new location for the main campus in order to accommodate further growth. Atlanta Christian College is affiliated with the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.

Atlanta Christian College Reaches 1,000 Students

Atlanta Christian College has once again set a new enrollment record, crossing the 1,000-student threshold for the first time in the College’s history. The most recent cohort in Access, Atlanta Christian’s adult and professional studies program, began classes in September, bringing total enrollment to 1,035 students.

The adult program isn’t the only one experiencing growth at Atlanta Christian. This year’s entering class of new traditional students represents a 13 percent increase over fall 2009, and the total number of traditional students is up four percent.

“We’re grateful for the continued growth of both our traditional and nontraditional programs,” said Atlanta Christian College President Dean Collins. “In these challenging economic times, we feel particularly blessed to have our highest enrollment in the history of the College.”

Collins continued, “I believe that our enrollment growth is a reflection of the desire of many students who want to study in an environment that is committed to both spiritual formation and solid academic preparation for lives of service to the church and the world.”

For more information on adult, traditional and dual enrollment programs at Atlanta Christian, visit the College’s web site at www.acc.edu.
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Shorter College Joins Council For Christian Colleges And Universities

Shorter College announced February 4 that it has been approved as the 111th member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. The membership was made official during CCCU’s Presidents Conference held Jan. 29-31.

“The integration of faith and learning within a Christian community is a foundational part of Shorter College’s strategic planning efforts,” said Shorter President Dr. Harold E. Newman. “As part of those efforts, we are committed to seeking out partnerships with sister educational institutions and with organizations that share our two-fold commitment to academic excellence and spiritual integrity. We are proud to join with the Council’s member institutions around the world.”

According to its Web site, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities “works to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.” The 111 member campuses in North America are all fully accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 70 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU.

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New Scholarship Event Offered by Emory's Candler School of Theology

Emory University's Candler School of Theology has created a new scholarship event called Leadership Candler that will bring together an outstanding group of prospective master of divinity students from across the country and the world. They will be considered for the school's most prestigious scholarships, including the Robert W. Woodruff Fellowships in Theology and Ministry and the Margaret A. Pitts Scholarships.

Thirty-five applicants will be invited to visit campus the weekend of March 1-3, 2009, with all expenses paid to experience Candler firsthand, says Shonda Jones, Candler's assistant dean of admissions and financial aid.

While on campus, applicants will participate in activities designed to help them "discern their vocations more clearly, offer insights on how to deepen their education, and develop practical skills for creative and faithful leadership," says Jones. The weekend will include visits to classes, conversations with faculty, a campus tour, interaction with current students and staff, group discussions, interviews with scholarship committees and opportunities to spend time with future classmates.

"This program seeks to help students who have strong potential and deep dedication become the leaders God is calling them to be," says Jan Love, dean of Candler. "Their future contributions to the church and the world should not be encumbered by an undue financial burden of educational debt. The school will ensure substantial financial support to underwrite the costs of their theological education."

Applicants to Leadership Candler must have demonstrated qualities of assertive and unselfish character; intellectual achievement; impressive skills in communication; significant leadership and creativity in school, church or community; and a clear potential for enriching the lives of fellow students.

Leadership Candler participants will be considered for the Woodruff Fellowships in Theology and Ministry, which offers full tuition, fees and a $10,000 stipend for three academic years. The fellowships are awarded to first-year students who typically have a 3.50 grade point average or higher in previous academic work. Candidates must have a minimum grade point average of 3.30 to apply.

Current Woodruff Fellow Rebecca Spurrier, who will graduate in 2009, says the contributions of current fellowship recipients have been diverse. "The Woodruff Fellowship has been more than just a financial gift; it has been a way of giving us confidence in our capacities to impact the Candler community and the wider world."

The Margaret A. Pitts Scholarships offer full tuition, fees and a $7,000 stipend for three academic years. Pitts Scholarships are awarded to first-year United Methodist students preparing for ministry as ordained deacons or elders. To be eligible, students must have begun the candidacy process in the United Methodist Church. Candidates must have a minimum grade point average of 3.30 to apply.

Leadership Candler participants also will be considered for many other prestigious scholarships, including Honor Scholarships, which offer full tuition for three academic years; Garrett Scholarships, which offer full tuition for three academic years for those preparing for pulpit ministries; and United Methodist Merit Scholarships, which offer full tuition for first-year students preparing for ordination in the United Methodist Church. Outstanding candidates also may be considered for other significant merit scholarships that are not conveyed in the Leadership Candler competition.

Applicants for Leadership Candler should submit the required materials no later than Feb. 1, 2009. Download scholarship application materials online.

Candler School of Theology is grounded in Christian faith and shaped by the Wesleyan tradition of evangelical piety, ecumenical openness, and social concern. The school is known for a remarkable faculty, innovative curriculum, extensive scholarship programs, unique resources of a top-ranked research university, and a faithful Christian community that affords students the opportunity to grow into faithful leaders for the future of Christian ministry and service. For more information about Candler and the academic and scholarship opportunities it offers, visit www.candler.emory.edu.

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Shorter College Announces Plan To Transition To University Status

Shorter College President Harold E. Newman today announced the college’s intent to change its legal designation to Shorter University. The change will become effective June 1, 2010, and marks an important development for the 135-year-old institution that is affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention.

The status change was approved by the Shorter College Board of Trustees at its October meeting and today (Tuesday, Nov. 11) was approved by messengers attending the annual meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention. The convention’s approval was necessary because the status change requires an amendment to Shorter’s charter.

“Since its founding in 1873, Shorter has had a reputation for providing excellent academics within a caring environment,” Dr. Newman said. “Our aim is to create a Christian university where students will receive a top quality education in an environment that fosters spiritual growth. University status reflects what Shorter has already become through the extraordinary growth and progress of recent years.” Today, the college enrolls approximately 3,000 students who study on four campuses in Rome, North Atlanta, Lawrenceville, and Riverdale.

Dr. Newman added, “Several years ago, the college’s leadership team and I identified university status as a centerpiece of Shorter’s strategic plan, and we believe that Shorter fits nicely into the definition of a regional teaching university. Achieving recognition as a regional teaching university, as a Christ-centered community, and as a community committed to globalization are the central pillars of our strategic plans for the future growth and development of Shorter.”

Dr. Nelson Price, chairman of the Shorter College Board of Trustees, echoed Dr. Newman’s enthusiasm for the transition. “From the inception of my working with Shorter, we have had the bold ambition to see it excel, and we feel the title of university will enhance the understanding of the level of academic excellence offered at Shorter. We also desire to see the academic success enhanced by the infusion of the Christian faith.”

The status change will enable Shorter to better respond to market forces within the state of Georgia and within the higher education community at large, Dr. Newman said. “Becoming Shorter University positions us for future growth. It does not, however, change the nature of Shorter. We remain committed to providing a high quality educational experience that features personal interactions with faculty, a strong focus on students, and excellence in all areas.”

Dr. Newman added that the change will require little internal restructuring since the college already follows a university-style structure. “For much of the past decade, we have operated under a university model in that we have had separate schools headed by deans and have offered graduate programs,” he said. “This change in designation solidifies that reputation.”

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