NASHVILLE, TN—Dr. Ken Riggs will be shifting from interim Psychology Program Coordinator to online psychology course consultant and adjunct professor at Welch College, according to Provost Dr. Greg Ketteman. Dr. Ketteman said, “The college is deeply indebted to Dr. Riggs for his selfless and invaluable service over the past two years. Combined with his previous service, Dr. Riggs’s most recent tenure at Welch College yields a total of 25 years as a full-time faculty member.”
Previously, Riggs served Free Will Baptist Bible College from 1971 to 1993 both as a faculty member in teacher education and Christian education as well as chairman of the Department of Teacher Education. He is well known as a preacher and conference speaker, as well as author of the recent ETA book, Teaching Techniques: Becoming an Effective Teacher.
Mr. Michael Oliver will succeed Dr. Riggs as interim Psychology Program Coordinator in the fall. Oliver, who holds a B.S. from Welch College and an M.A. in psychology from the University of Alabama, has served as adjunct instructor in psychology for the college.
After giving up his trucking business to attend Welch College, Oliver served as a youth pastor and pastor in Free Will Baptist churches. He has served the college in a number of capacities, including men’s resident director for two years. For the past four plus years, he has served the college’s institutional advancement department, engaging in advancement office management, college representation at associational and state meetings, and donor relations. He will continue to serve part-time in those areas.
Dr. Ketteman said, “Michael and his wife Kim were meaningfully involved in the lives of our students as resident directors in Goen Hall, and he has become a vital member of the college community. His love for students and for counseling and his interests in educational psychology and pastoral care combine to make him well suited for this area of service.”