by jowens | Aug 4, 2020
The annual Welch College Strong and Courageous event originally scheduled for August 18is going virtual. Welch president Matthew Pinson announced the change in plans today.
“It was our hope that COVID-19 pandemic would be dissipating by late summer, but it has not done so,” Pinson said. “As a result, to protect our sponsors and participants, the event will be professionally filmed in segments and released later in the fall.”
All aspects of the event will remain, including entertainment, a keynote address by LifePoint president David Dill, a student address, special recognition of event sponsors, and the awarding of the 2020 Strong and Courageous award.
Dr. Charles Lea, Special Assistant to the President, said, “We are making every effort for this event to continue its tradition of excellence as we highlight the impact of Christian faith in our nation and community.” As the release date of the event is finalized, event sponsors will be encouraged to invite their guests to a preview showing of the event.
Now in its third year, Strong and Courageous provides valuable scholarship support for Sumner County students who desire a Christian worldview education at one of U.S. News and World Report‘s “best regional colleges” in the South. As Welch nears its fall opening, it remains committed to academic excellence and face-to face instruction.
For more information about this event, contact Derek Altom at daltom@welch.edu.
by jowens | Aug 4, 2020
Dear Member of the Welch College Class of 2020:
It is with a heavy heart that I write and tell you that we are forced to cancel our planned Commencement ceremony for the class of 2020. Earlier this year, before the second wave of COVID-19 that swept the country, we had every expectation that we could provide a safe, physically distanced Commencement ceremony for you and your family. However, with recent developments, it has become impossible for us to go through with those plans.
Our reasons for cancelling the ceremony include, but aren’t limited to, the fact that the Governor of the State of Tennessee has issued an order that keeps us from having indoor gatherings on campus of more than 50 people. This means that we couldn’t even accommodate the Class of 2020 and the administration of the college in the ceremony. Thus none of your family could attend, which defeats the entire purpose of having a special ceremony. We deemed it far too risky to host an outdoor ceremony, only for you and your guests to travel here and it rain that day, with no ability to move the ceremony indoors. Furthermore, many of the states from which our graduates would have been traveling have orders that require lengthy quarantining after returning from Tennessee.
Many other considerations went into the difficult decision to cancel this special ceremony we had hoped and planned to have for you. I want you to know how deeply we regret that we could not follow through with our plans. You mean so much to us, and we celebrate with you upon the occasion of your graduation from Welch College. We will be shipping your diploma and (where applicable) your cap and gown.
We look forward to great things from you as you serve Christ, His church, and His world. We hope you will keep in touch with us and come back to visit your alma mater very soon.
Sincerely,
J. Matthew Pinson
President
by jowens | Jun 19, 2020
Welch College has scheduled a special Commencement ceremony to be held during the Fall 2020 semester on Saturday, September 19, according to Provost Matthew McAffee. Owing to the Coronavirus pandemic, the college was unable to hold its May Commencement exercises for the 2019–20 academic year. A virtual awards ceremony was held directly following the spring semester to honor 2020 graduates publicly, as well as outstanding continuing students.
The focus of this special commencement ceremony will be the conferral of degrees. “Our 2019–20 graduates have worked hard against unprecedented odds to complete the requirements for their degrees,” McAffee said. “We look forward to being able to award these degrees to a special group of graduates in the history of Welch College.”
In addition to conferring degrees, the special ceremony will also include the hooding of graduates receiving one of Welch’s two master’s degrees (Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry and Master of Arts in Teaching). The first group of Master of Arts in Teaching recipients will have completed their program in time to participate in the special ceremony. The graduate hooding ceremony is usually held as a separate event but will be combined with the main ceremony for the convenience of graduates and guests traveling longer distances to attend.
The Saturday Commencement ceremony will also coincide with the spring 2020 musical, which was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns. Three showings are tentatively scheduled: Friday evening (September 18), Saturday evening (September 19), and Sunday matinee (September 20).
More details regarding the logistics of these events are forthcoming. In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, college officials are continuing to monitor federal and state recommendations for public gatherings and will make adjustments to these plans as necessary.
For more information, visit Welch.edu or email COVID-19@welch.edu.
by jowens | Jun 13, 2020
Welch College plans to alter the Fall 2020 schedule in light of COVID-19 concerns, according to Provost Matthew McAffee. Fall face-to-face classes will begin on campus Monday, August 24, one day earlier than originally scheduled. The Monday before classes begin is usually set aside to register returning students who did not pre-register during the spring 2020 semester. Returning students will still be able to register or make adjustments to their course schedules during drop-add week (August 24-31). All class meetings will be completed before students leave for Thanksgiving break, which begins November 25. Students will not return to campus after Thanksgiving break. Final examinations will be administered remotely December 1-4. Fall break, originally scheduled for October 23-26, will also be cancelled.
“Welch College is taking proactive measures to ensure the safety of our students should there be a spike in COVID-19 cases in late fall,” McAffee said. “Finishing our class meetings before students leave for Thanksgiving break will eliminate the possibility of an outbreak occurring on campus following Thanksgiving travel.” President Matt Pinson said, “The safety of our students is a high priority for us at Welch College. So we’re making every effort to provide the highest quality of education to our on-campus students, while taking every precaution to ensure their safety and security.”
Should you have additional questions related to the fall schedule, please contact the Academic Office (provost@welch.edu).
by jowens | Jun 12, 2020
Welch College recently received an emergency relief grant of $400,000 from the Free Will Baptist Foundation to cover impairment from COVID-19, according to Welch president Matt Pinson.
“We are so thankful to the Free Will Baptist Foundation and its Board of Directors for this generous grant,” Pinson said. This will help us close the enormous gap between income and expenses caused by the Coronavirus.”
Economists predict that higher education will be one of the economic sectors hardest-hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. This is especially true of colleges and universities that rely on in-residence dorm students for the bulk of their revenue.
“The entire fiscal year for most private, residential colleges is based on how many students come at one point in the year—the fall semester,” Craig Mahler, vice president for financial affairs said. “Higher education experts are bracing for an extremely difficult year. In addition to enrollment, industry projections are that gifts will be down drastically owing to job losses, the impairment of donors’ investment portfolios, etc. Add to that all the money we’ve lost by sending students home for half the spring semester, and you have the perfect storm.”
College officials predict that the $400,000 grant from the Free Will Baptist Foundation, as well as a Small Business Administration loan of over $700,000 and CARES act grants of over $300,000 will help make up a fraction of the shortfall. But most of it will have to be done by budget cuts and additional appeals for funds from alumni, friends of the college, and denominational supporters.
“Our greatest challenge is going to be students not being able to enroll because of parents’ job losses and other economic harm that has come to their families,” Pinson said. “With the huge unemployment rate, we’re already hearing this. Some of our friends and supporters aren’t going to be able to give for the same reasons. But we’re praying that those who still can give will support these students who won’t be able to attend Welch without that extra support.”
For more information, or to give to support needy students, please visit welch.edu/give/ and click on Coronavirus Student Relief Fund.
by jowens | Jun 4, 2020
Dr. Matthew Pinson, president of Welch College, has announced that the Strong and Courageous event for 2020 will be held August 18 on the college campus. The event originally scheduled for May 11 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Dr. Pinson, “as the state begins to open for business and the college opens for fall 2020 classes, it is time to celebrate the impact of Christian faith in our community.”
Strong and Courageous is an evening of inspiration, music, and drama that culminates with the awarding of the Strong and Courageous award honoring a local leader who has demonstrated their commitment to both the community and to the Christian faith. Past recipients of the award have included Dr. David Landrith, former pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church, and Representative Diane Black and her husband Dr. David Black.
Dr. Pinson announced that the keynote speaker for the rescheduled event is David Dill, president and CEO of LifePoint Healthcare in Nashville. A former Sumner County resident, Mr. Dill oversees a healthcare network of community hospitals across the nation including Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin. Dr. Charles Lea, Special Assistant to the President said, “We are especially honored that David Dill, a man of exceptional integrity and ability, has agreed to be our keynote speaker.” Previous speakers and entertainers include Dr. Ming Wang, Ricky and Sharon Skaggs, and Congressman John Rose.
The Strong and Courageous banquet raises funds for scholarships for Sumner County students. With increasing enrollment at the college, the need for additional funding for fall 2020 is great.
Welch College is a unique community of faith and learning. The residential college relocated to Gallatin in 2017. US News and World Report has consistently ranked Welch as one of the best colleges in the South for academic quality and affordability.
