by jowens | Dec 9, 2018
By Meagan Fulcher
On November 15-18, a group of Welch College students participated in the 49th Assembly of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL). The group of seven included Kandace Ailworth, Ashley Floyd, Meagan Fulcher, Daniel Hubin, Micah McClintock, Seth Oliver, and Kullen Williams. Over sixty other colleges also sent representatives to the mock legislature.
These seven students represented Welch College well with four Representatives in the House, one Senator, one Alternate Senator, and one Lobbyist. The mock legislature at TISL was held at the Tennessee State Capitol. Students debated various bills and had an up-close experience of the political world.
Welch College was given one seat in the House and one seat in the Senate. The students alternated turns sitting in the seat on the floor during the sessions. While in the seat of either the House or the Senate, the students were able to speak and vote on diverse bills that different Tennessee colleges had proposed.
One of the bills many students found interesting was one that stated that the harmonica should be recognized as Tennessee’s State Instrument. This bill was heavily debated in the House and resulted in a failure to pass. On a more serious note, many of the bills proposed were very well put together and have the potential to positively impact the state of Tennessee.
The students had a meaningful experience—and a lot of fun—and were able to represent the Christian mission of Welch College positively.
For more information about TISL or about exploring law and politics through the lens of a Christian worldview at Welch College, email Frank Thornsbury (fthornsbury@welch.edu) or Phillip Morgan (pmorgan@welch.edu).
by jowens | Dec 3, 2018
Welch College President Matt Pinson was recently honored with an award from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest, North Carolina, according to Welch Provost Matthew McAffee.
“Each year Southeastern Seminary honors several evangelical scholars at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS),” McAffee said. “At this year’s annual meeting in Denver, Colorado, SEBTS honored President Pinson along with four other honorees—Kevin Vanhoozer of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Peter Gentry of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Nathan Finn of North Greenville University, and Matthew Emerson of Oklahoma Baptist University.”
In particular, Pinson was recognized for generating outstanding scholarship as both an author and editor at the academic and popular levels while also leading a college at the highest administrative level. Among those works that SEBTS Provost Bruce Ashford highlighted were A Free Will Baptist Handbook: Heritage, Beliefs, and Ministries (Randall House, 1998), Four Views on Eternal Security(Zondervan, 2002), Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views (B&H Academic, 2009), Classical Arminianism (Randall House, 2011, by F. Leroy Forlines, edited by Pinson), Arminian and Baptist: Explorations in a Theological Tradition (Randall House, 2015), and Sexuality, Gender, and the Church: A Christian Response in the New Cultural Landscape (Welch College Press, 2016).
McAffee, along with Welch colleagues Jeff Cockrell, Matt Bracey, and Jesse Owens, who also attended the annual meeting, joined Pinson for this special recognition. McAffee remarked, “I am delighted to see our president receiving this well-deserved recognition. It is encouraging to see the impact that Welch College is having on the broader evangelical community, and the lion’s share of this effort has been led by President Pinson. Welch College is exceedingly proud of its president and his accomplishments.”
Readers may see SEBTS’s press release here, as well as pictures from the event here.
by jowens | Nov 2, 2018
Welch College has announced a new collaboration with Project SEARCH, according to Greg Ketteman, vice president for strategic initiatives. “Project SEARCH is a program of Sumner County Schools in partnership with The ACCESS Program (a statewide supported employment agency), and Tennessee’s Department of Human Services. The college will host Project SEARCH’s Welcome to Welch! on Monday, November 12. Project SEARCH facilitates job market entry for special needs students who are transitioning after high school,” Ketteman said.
Beginning in fall 2019, Project SEARCH students will come to the Welch campus each day for a class taught by the program teacher, followed by on-the-job mentoring and work in varied roles such as clerical assistance, maintenance and janitorial assistance, and food service assistance. Welch College is currently the only middle Tennessee collegiate site for Project SEARCH and The ACCESS Program.
The Welcome to Welch! event takes place from 5:00-7:30 p.m. on Monday, November 12, with campus tours scheduled from 5:00-5:30. For more information, contact Dr. Greg Ketteman, Welch College Vice President for Strategic Initiatives.
by jowens | Oct 24, 2018
Welch College Athletics is proud to announce a new streaming partnership with the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Network hosted by BlueFrame Technology, according to Josh Owens, Welch’s Director of Media and Marketing.
“Over the last several years we’ve seen thousands of family members, friends, and fans of the Welch athletic teams enjoy viewing games on various streaming platforms such as Livestream and Facebook LIVE,” Owens said. “We’ve spent a lot of time looking for the right platform and partner for our streaming, and we believe we have found the best with the NCCAA Network and BlueFrame Technology. Our partnership with the NCCAA Network will provide a more reliable, stable, and quality viewing experience for each fan.”
Athletic Director Greg Fawbush said, “By adding the NCCAA Network, our loyal fan base will be able to stay connected with our student athletes. Also, with athletes from so many different areas of the country, the network will allow their families a greater opportunity to be a part of the excitement that is occurring on campus.”
Beginning October 26, fans will be able to watch all Welch College home basketball games on the NCCAA Network. The NCCAA Network is available on desktop and mobile/tablet devices at www.thenccaa.org/network, as well as over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV.
In addition, the NCCAA Network is available on the NCCAA App for iOS in the App Store and Android on Google Play. Mobile devices including iPhone, iPad, and Android will work with the default web browser. Devices should be kept up-to-date and connected to a reliable data connection for optimal playback. Apple users and owners of an AppleTV device can simply ‘throw’ the webcast from their iPhone or iPad using AirPlay.
The Welch College channel on the NCCAA Network has been set up to stream all games at welch.edu/live.
To see a full schedule of Men’s and Women’s Flames basketball games go to Welch.edu/athletics.
by jowens | Oct 20, 2018
Welch College is working to help with hurricane relief for victims of Hurricanes Florence and Michael, according to David Williford, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Welch.
“Welch’s students, administration, faculty, and staff are once again providing help and assistance to churches and individuals following devastating storms and flooding,” Williford said.
Students used their fall break to travel to flooded parts of North Carolina under the supervision of John Murray, Director of Christian Service at Welch. “Students have stepped up to the plate, volunteering to travel to New Bern, North Carolina, to help with the gutting of homes damaged by flooding from Hurricane Florence,” Murray said.
“Another group of students plan to go to the Wilmington, North Carolina, area during their upcoming Christmas break in December,” he continued. “By that time the weather will have turned cold and the labor will be more difficult because of the temperature, but they have said, ‘Let’s go.’ That’s the Welch spirit that characterizes our students.”
Shortly after Florence hit North Carolina, Hurricane Michael devastated much of the panhandle of Florida with 150 mph winds, causing damage up into Georgia. Welch delivered supplies to aid in the relief effort after Hurricane Michael. Immanuel Church Free Will Baptist, a Gallatin church plant under the auspices of Free Will Baptist North American Ministries, also contributed toward the project.
“Welch and Immanuel sent a trailer with food, water, cleaning supplies, roof tarps, and other supplies to the stricken area of Clarksville, Florida,” Williford said. “Pastor Allan Austin is coordinating relief efforts through his church, Traveler’s Rest Free Will Baptist Church. Bob Bass, building and land consultant for Welch who is also an alumnus and former Welch trustee, made the trip from Gallatin to Florida, using a trailer provided by the National Master’s Men’s ministry. Welch is also planning to send funds for hurricane relief for our people in Southwest Georgia.”
“These efforts add to a long history of Welch students and staff stepping up to the plate when our churches and people are hurting,” Williford continued. “Other trips like this have been made not only to North Carolina, but Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee. Students have even traveled as far as Haiti to help build a boys’ dormitory at an orphanage. We are grateful for the spirit of service found in our students.”
by jowens | Sep 21, 2018
For the Fall 2018 semester, Welch College enrolled the highest number of students in 34 years, according to Provost Matthew McAffee. Total enrollment statistics indicate 404 students from 22 states and five foreign countries.
“I am delighted to see this impressive increase in our enrollment numbers,” McAffee said. “We pray the Lord will continue His transformative work in the lives of these students He has entrusted to our care.”
“Particularly exciting is the increase in new students this year, both freshmen and transfer students,” McAffee said. This fall 93 new students enrolled in on-campus programs at Welch, a 21% increase from last year’s new freshman and transfer enrollment of 77. A total of 116 new students joined the student body for the new school year, including graduate, online, and adult studies enrollments. 1984 was the last year fall enrollment was higher, with a headcount of 417.
At press time the college reported 200 dormitory students, 53 commuter students, 27 graduate students, 18 Enriched Adult Studies students, 38 Online/Lifetime Learning students, and 68 dual enrollment students. The fall’s full-time equivalency (FTE) is 300 students, the highest in 12 years.
President Matt Pinson said, “We’re thankful to God for this blessing of another increase in dormitory and FTE enrollment. This is the most dorm students we’ve had in many years, and we’re grateful to the Lord for His providential blessing. In a time when most college and university dorm enrollment is flat or declining, it’s wonderful to see ours going up.”
President Pinson continued, “I commend Daniel Wester, Debbie Mouser, and the entire enrollment team for their diligent work in bringing in this excellent class of new students, our largest incoming class since 2006.”
To contact Welch College for more information, email recruit@welch.edu or visit the college’s website at www.welch.edu.
