by jowens | Dec 20, 2017
GALLATIN, TN—On Thursday, December 7, Welch College president Dr. Matt Pinson and Union University president Dr. Dub Oliver signed an agreement creating a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree, according to Dr. Greg Ketteman, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. Go to welch.edu/nursing for more information.
“In August, President Pinson announced a collaborative relationship with three universities to address the increasing demand for nurses,” Ketteman said. “Belmont University, Cumberland University, and Union University have each agreed to create a seamless path for Welch College students to be admitted to their Schools of Nursing.” (more…)
by jowens | Aug 22, 2017
GALLATIN, TN – Welch College President, Matt Pinson, has announced a collaborative relationship with three universities to address the increasing demand for nurses. Belmont University, Cumberland University, and Union University Hendersonville have each agreed to create a seamless path for Welch College students to be admitted to their respective Schools of Nursing. Go to welch.edu/nursing for more information. (more…)
by jowens | Apr 12, 2017
GALLATIN, TN—After 21 years as headmaster of Hendersonville Christian Academy, William Slater will be transitioning to a role as Dean of Enriched Adult Studies at Welch College, according to Matt Pinson, Welch’s president. Slater will conclude his tenure as headmaster of Hendersonville Christian Academy at the end of this school year and begin his new post at Welch June 1.
“We are excited to have an educational leader of Mr. Slater’s caliber to join our Welch team,” Pinson said. “With his thirty years of educational leadership in Christian K-12 education—more than twenty of it here in Sumner County—his record of community leadership in Sumner County, and his academic credentials, he will bring just what we need to the leadership of the newly launched Enriched Adult Studies program.” Slater holds an M.Ed. in educational leadership from the University of South Florida and a law degree (Juris Doctor) from Nashville School of Law.
The Enriched Adult Studies Program is a newly launched program for Christian adults who desire to complete their college degree. The program was created by Dr. Charles Lea, formerly of Vol State Community College and Union University, who joined Welch last year as Special Assistant to the President for Adult Education.
“Working with Dr. Charles Lea, Dr. Greg Ketteman, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Dean of Graduate and Adult Education, and Sarah Bracey, Adult Studies Liaison, Mr. Slater will give day-to-day leadership to the Enriched Adult Studies program and also serve in an advisory capacity on international students and dual enrollment relationships with private and Christian schools and the homeschool community,” Pinson said.
Pinson added: “Great days are ahead for Welch as we move forward with degree programs that stretch beyond our traditional focus on residential undergraduate education. We believe there are many students who have received an associate’s degree from Vol State, or who’ve attended another college and have never completed their degree, that will find Welch’s mission attractive. Mr. Slater understands our commitment to combine our strong Christian mission with academic excellence, and his addition to our team will posture us for growth.”
Welch College, Sumner County’s newest educational institution, offers more than 40 programs of study, including associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees. Accredited by SACS Commission on Colleges and ranked as one of the South’s best colleges by U.S. News and World Report, Welch recently opened operations on its new campus across from Station Camp High School in Gallatin. For more information, visit Welch.edu.
by jowens | Apr 12, 2017
At its last meeting, the Welch College Board of Trustees unanimously approved significant changes in the president’s leadership team, according to President Matt Pinson. “We’ve made some important changes to facilitate strategic growth for the college in its new Sumner County environment,” Pinson said. “These changes also posture the college for growth well into the future, as they involve gifted younger members of the faculty.” The transition will occur on June 1, the beginning of the 2017-18 fiscal year.
“There’s a pressing need to free up more of Dr. Greg Ketteman’s time to work on strategic growth initiatives now that we’re in our new environment as the only four-year residential college in Sumner County,” Pinson said. New initiatives planned on the new campus include the relaunching of an (evening) adult studies program; addition of more online degrees; initiation of master’s degrees in Christian leadership, teaching, and educational administration; and articulation of agreements with area colleges and universities creating new ways to earn baccalaureate degrees in nursing, ease of transfer to Welch, and outreach to Christian high schools and the homeschool community.
“With his outstanding leadership skills, the respect he has gained in the academic community, and his ability just to get things done, Dr. Greg Ketteman is uniquely qualified to lead the kind of strategic growth initiatives we need in our new setting here in Sumner County,” Pinson explained. “Making these changes will free up his time to work on such initiatives for the future growth of the college and enable a number of younger leaders to exercise their gifts at the college.”
These changes involve the following personnel:
Dr. P. Greg Ketteman will transition to the role of Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Dean of Graduate and Adult Studies, and Distinguished Professor of Education. Ketteman, who was born in South Carolina and reared in Nashville, Tennessee, has served as Provost at Welch College for the past eleven years. Before that he served on the Welch Board of Trustees for four years. Known widely in Free Will Baptist circles as an active lay church leader and music minister, Ketteman graduated from Welch in 1977 with a B.S. in Teacher Education. He went on to earn M.Ed. and Ed.D. degrees in educational leadership from Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee State University, respectively, and also underwent significant graduate studies in the field of public administration. Before coming to Welch, he enjoyed a distinguished three-decade career in Metro Nashville Public Schools, the first half of that time as a teacher and the second half as a principal. Ketteman and his wife of 40 years, Jill, who has served at Welch since 1998 and currently works in the Financial Aid Office, have two grown children, Jack and Emilee, and five grandchildren.
Dr. Matthew J. McAffee will become Welch’s Provost. A native of New Brunswick, Canada, McAffee was originally ordained in the Atlantic Canada Free Will Baptist Association. He served as a part-time faculty member from 2003-2006 and pastored Lewisburg Free Will Baptist Church, before going back to graduate school. He returned to Welch in 2010 to teach biblical studies and biblical languages and also served as campus pastor and program coordinator for Theological Studies. A graduate of Welch College (B.A.), Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and the University of Chicago (M.A., Ph.D.), McAffee has written a number of scholarly and popular articles in journals such as the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, and the Journal of the American Oriental Society. He recently co-authored Sexuality, Gender, and the Church(Welch College Press) and is author of Life and Mortality in Ugaritic: A Lexical and Literary Study(Eisenbrauns, forthcoming) and co-author of Going Deeper with Old Testament Hebrew: An Intermediate Study of the Grammar and Syntax of the Old Testament (B&H Academic, forthcoming). He will continue to teach Bible and biblical language courses while fulfilling his new administrative duties. McAffee lives on campus with his wife Anna, who serves as women’s resident director at Welch, and their four children, Abigail, Lydia, Samuel, and Marianne.
Dr. Kevin L. Hester has been named Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and will maintain his role as Dean of the School of Theology. A graduate of Welch, Dr. Hester holds an M.Div. from Covenant Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Saint Louis University and has written a number of books and articles, including, Eschatology and Pain in the Theology of Gregory the Great. Dr. Hester has a strong reputation in the Christian higher education accreditation community, having served on numerous accreditation teams for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). He serves as a commissioner on the ABHE Commission on Accreditation and also serves on the editorial board of the ABHE Journal. In his new role he will teach, oversee both undergraduate and graduate divisions of the School of Theology, and serve as the planning and accreditation liaison for the college. He and his wife Leslie have four sons, Spencer, Seth, Justin, and Jackson. His oldest son Spencer is a student at Welch.
Matthew Steven Bracey will transition to the role of Vice Provost for Academic Administration. Bracey has served four years as Registrar at Welch. Originally from Ashland City, Tennessee, he graduated from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University (Juris Doctor) and also holds a B.A. in history from Welch and a master’s degree in theology from Beeson Divinity School at Samford. A Ph.D. student in Ethics and Public Policy at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, he has written widely, serving as co-author and editor of Sexuality, Gender, and the Church (Welch College Press) and co-editor of The Promise of Arminian Theology (Randall House Academic). He is also a managing editor at the Helwys Society Forum (TheHSF.com). Bracey will continue teaching courses in law, history, and theology and serving as managing editor of Welch College Press. His wife Sarah, a licensed professional counselor, is currently completing her doctorate in counselor education and supervision and serves as adult studies liaison, staff counselor, and adjunct instructor in psychology at Welch.
“These are exciting times of transition for Welch College,” Pinson remarked. “These changes will make strategic growth possible but will also facilitate preparation of current faculty for future leadership at Welch. I ask our college family to join me in prayer for these leaders and for this process.”
by jowens | Feb 18, 2017
For Immediate Release
February 18, 2017
NASHVILLE, TN—Welch College has named Matthew Steven Bracey as cross country coach at Welch College, according to Athletic Director Gary Turner. “Welch has taken a big step toward building a strong cross country program with the hire of Matthew Bracey as its new cross country coach,” Turner said. “An avid runner himself, Bracey has a real heart for running and is excited about the prospect of building a really strong, vibrant program. He looks forward to working and running with students, as well as building personalized training programs for them.”
Bracey has run numerous marathons, including, most recently, the Mercedes-Benz Marathon and the Walt Disney World Marathon. He has also run several smaller races, winning his age category in a recent 5k.
“I’m honored to serve in this capacity as the coach for Welch’s cross country team,” Bracey remarked. “The opportunity to combine two things that I love—Welch and its students on the one hand, and running on the other—is an awesome blessing. I look forward to building a great cross country program and team. And I’m especially excited about working even more with students.”
Bracey, a 2008 graduate of Welch College, received an M.T.S. from Beeson Divinity School and a J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He began working for Welch in 2013, where he serves as Associate Vice Provost and teaches law, theology, and history. He has also co-edited and contributed to two books and written a number of scholarly and popular articles.
“I believe Coach Bracey will take our cross country program to a whole new level,” said Turner. “With his love of Welch College and his passion for running, I think we’ll see the program flourish. If you’re interested in cross country, or know someone who is, contact Coach Bracey at mbracey@welch.edu.”
