Welch Strong and Courageous Banquet Honors Lea and Wang

Welch Strong and Courageous Banquet Honors Lea and Wang

GALLATIN, TN—The annual Strong and CourageousBanquet benefiting student scholarships at Welch College recently took place in Celorio Hall on Welch’s campus, according to Tim Owen, Director of the Welch Fund and coordinator of the event. 

“The inspiration for the banquet comes from the charge given in Joshua 1:9 to be strong and very courageous as Joshua leads the children of Israel,” Owen said. “This year’s banquet continued this emphasis, encouraging and challenging guests to have this defining characteristic in all facets of life. The event’s generous sponsors and donors provided $60,000 in support of student scholarships at Welch.” 

Event patrons enjoyed an opening reception hosted by President and Mrs. Matt Pinson in the Presidents Dining Room in Celorio Hall. Renowned Nashville eye surgeon Dr. Ming Wang performed several pieces on the Chinese violin (erhu) accompanied by Mr. Carlos Enrique. Elaine Park Pugh and Chris Davis offered refreshing testimonies about the impact that Welch College has made in their lives as students, and the Rejoice! Ministry Team provided inspirational music during the banquet.

Special recognitions included a Healthcare Excellence award and the naming of the 2021 Strong and Courageous recipient. Dr. Ming Wang was recognized as the recipient of a special healthcare award for his continued dedication to helping patients in the United States and countries worldwide with sight restoration surgeries.

The Strong and Courageous award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to their profession while advancing kingdom principles. This year’s award was presented to the event’s originator, Dr. Charles Lea. David Williford, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, underscored Dr. Lea’s faith and leadership, noting examples of Dr. Lea’s exemplary life as one who is strong and courageous. Dr. Lea recently retired from Welch as Special Assistant to the President.

A number of sponsors provided generous gifts to help students attend Welch. This year’s Platinum Sponsors ($10,000) included the Free Will Baptist Foundation and FirstBank, Goodlettsville. Gold sponsors ($5,000) included Goodall Homes, Sumner Regional Medical Center, and David and Diane Black. A number of Silver Sponsors ($2,500), Bronze Sponsors ($750), and other donors also contributed to the scholarship goal.

“Welch College is grateful for the support of the Sumner County community and the 2021 Strong and Courageous sponsors,” Owen noted. “Together, we are making a difference in students’ lives and impacting our county and communities.”

For more information on Welch, visit www.welch.edu. To support the mission of Welch College, visit 

www.welch.edu/give.

Welch College Seeks Admissions Counselor

Welch College Seeks Admissions Counselor

Welch College Enrollment Services is conducting a search to add a full-time Admissions Counselor to the Enrollment Services Team. If you are a self-starter with people skills who is interested in engaging high school-aged students in the Christian college selection process, then the role of Admissions Counselor may be the perfect fit for you.

The Admissions Counselor works to recruit, admit, and enroll high school students in the undergraduate, on-campus program at Welch College. The Admissions Counselor travels to off-campus recruiting events (camps, conferences, high schools, churches, college fairs), gives on-campus tours, assists with on-campus recruiting events, counsels and equips students and parents to make a college decision, and helps to transition the student to life on campus.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and references to Daniel Webster, Director of Enrollment Services, at daniel.webster@welch.edu

Welch Divinity School Appoints Director of Administration

Welch Divinity School Appoints Director of Administration

Welch College has appointed Dr. Martin Sheldon to serve as the Director of Administration for the newly formed Welch Divinity School, according to Provost Matthew McAffee, who also serves as dean of the Divinity School. 

A 1987 Welch pastoral ministry graduate, Sheldon received his M.Div. and Th.M. from Liberty University and his Ph.D. (2012) from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His dissertation was entitled, “The Apostle Paul’s Theology of Good Works; With Special Emphasis on 1 Tim 6:17–19.” 

He comes to his role at Welch with a proven record of teaching and academic administrative experience. He entered the faculty of Liberty University as Assistant Professor of Religion and was promoted to Associate Professor of Religion. During his tenure at Liberty, he also held the administrative position of Department Chair for both the online undergraduate and graduate programs. 

Throughout his career, Sheldon has invested himself in local church ministry, including serving as a Free Will Baptist pastor. Even as his ministry focus shifted toward the classroom, he continued in pastoral and Bible teaching roles in local churches. 

Sheldon began his position as Director of Administration remotely in February of this year and relocated to Gallatin in July. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he will also serve as an adjunct instructor teaching select New Testament undergraduate and graduate courses. 

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Sheldon to the Welch College family,” McAffee said. “I have already been impressed by his efforts in helping us start the M.Div. program. We believe his extensive academic administrative experience is just what we need to get this program started on the right track. His background in New Testament studies will make him a great asset in the classroom as well.” 

Sheldon is married to Pam, a Welch alumnus, and they have two children, Sarah and Jared (Rachael), and one grandson, Dillon.

For more information about the residential M.Div. degree or the online M.A. degree in Theology and Ministry, please contact Dr. Martin Sheldon (divinity@welch.edu).

Welch College Announces Nursing Scholarships, Information Session

Welch College has announced new, $1,000 incentive scholarships for eligible students desiring a career in Nursing, according to Dr. Ian Hawkins, Nursing program coordinator at Welch.

“Through the Welch Education Nursing Collaborative, the college offers a seamless 4-year path to a bachelor’s degree in Nursing,” Hawkins said. “New students who apply at Welch by May 15 and meet minimum criteria will receive an additional incentive scholarship of $1,000. Local private-sector employers are providing funds to make the additional financial assistance possible.”

Hawkins reported that a special Nursing Collaborative Information Session will be held March 23 at 6:30 p.m.on the Welch campus in Gallatin in Celorio Hall. The session will explain the academic program, provide a tour of the campus, and offer additional Financial Aid assistance to apply and receive the incentive and other scholarships. Welch College offers scholarships to both traditional and adult students.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges* and the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education accredit Welch College both regionally and nationally.  The college remains one of the most affordable private colleges in the mid-state and is ranked 16th by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges of regional colleges in the South.

Registration for the Information Session is not necessary, but additional information is available by contacting Dr. Ian Hawkins at Ihawkins@welch.edu.

*Welch College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate’s bachelor’s, and master’s degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Welch College.

 

Welch College Partners with White & Associates for Physical Plant Maintenance

Welch College has entered into a partnership with White & Associates of Hendersonville, Tennessee, to provide managerial oversight of its Physical Plant department, according to Craig Mahler, Vice President for Financial Affairs. After the retirement of Mr. Sandy Goodfellow, long-time Director of Plant Operations, college leadership explored multiple options, including outsourcing, for this important role critical to the effective stewardship of the college’s new campus.

A family-owned firm, White & Associates provides a full array of property management services, including cleaning, grounds, and maintenance and has served churches, educational institutions, and businesses across Middle Tennessee for over a decade. Prior to founding White and Associates, Mr. DeWayne White, Principal, led the property management division of a large Middle Tennessee construction firm for over 25 years.

The role of White & Associates at Welch will be to provide supervision of and support for the college’s current cleaning, grounds, and maintenance employees; implement a new work order system; and develop plans for the ongoing stewardship of college facilities. “We are delighted to welcome these seasoned professionals to our Physical Plant team both to support current college personnel and aid the college with adoption of an effective program to maintain and care for the college’s beautiful new campus for many years to come,” Mahler said.

The phased transition to White & Associates management of Physical Plant sub-departments will begin January 1, 2020, with the goal of fully transitioning to oversight of all aspects of the Plant function on or by June 1, 2020.