October 13, 2006

     Academically qualified students with significant financial need may be able to take advantage of an innovative program that guarantees a financial aid package equivalent to the cost of tuition at Bryan College, Admissions Director Michael Sapienza has announced.

     The William Jennings Bryan Opportunity Program is an effort to ensure that financial need does not prevent otherwise qualified Tennessee high school graduates from attending Bryan. The new program is open to students who will graduate from high school in 2007 and enter Bryan in August 2007.

     Mr. Sapienza said the William Jennings Bryan Opportunity Program “is a guarantee that eligible students will receive scholarship or grant funds which meet or exceed the cost of tuition at Bryan College. In many cases additional funds will be available to help offset the cost of room and board.”

     To be eligible, students must apply before Dec. 31; complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by Feb. 15, 2007; be eligible for federal aid; and have a total family income not greater than $35,000.

     Students who qualify for the program may remain eligible for up to four years by maintaining at least a 3.0 grade average on Bryan’s 4.0 scale and maintaining current financial documentation each year.

     For complete information about the William Jennings Bryan Opportunity Program, visit the Bryan College web site at www.bryan.edu/3324 or contact the financial aid office at 423-775-7339.

     More than 500 alumni came home Oct. 6-8 to celebrate Homecoming 2006 and to honor the Class of 1981 on its 25^th anniversary.

      Special attention came to the Class of 1981 as they gathered for a reunion dinner Friday night. Alumni Coordinator Warren Cole welcomed the class as they started their homecoming festivities. Saturday afternoon 1981 Homecoming Queen Darlene Ragland LaPlue crowned this year’s Homecoming King and Queen, and on Sunday class member Ron Ruark gave the sermon during the alumni worship service.

      At the Awards Dinner Saturday night, Mr. Cole presented the Alumnus of the Year award to Dr. Don Black, a member of the Class of 1964 and a nephrologist practicing in Knoxville, Tenn. He also named Tom Davis, Bryan’s director of public information, as an Honorary Alumnus of the college.

      Director of Athletics Dr. Sandy Zensen inducted the late John Spracklin, a 1995 graduate, into the Bryan College Hall of Fame. Dr. Zensen pointed out Mr. Spracklin’s accomplishments on the soccer field and the character he displayed off the field. With the assistance of several of John’s teammates, he also presented John’s widow, Jenny, a framed jersey with John’s number and a Lion of Valor award. The award, created after John’s graduation, is presented to the top male and female athlete at Bryan who model the character of Christ on and off the field.

      Two new features of homecoming this year were a bonfire and make-your-own s’mores on Friday night, and a bluegrass concert in the grassy bowl on Saturday night that hundreds of alumni and students enjoyed.

     After a probing examination of what makes man “man” at its seminar in September, the Bryan Center for Critical Thought and Practice will raise the issue of bioethics during its seminar Nov. 11-12.

     “Bioethics and the Meaning of Man” will be the overall topic for four speakers who will examine various aspects of the theme.

     Speakers and the titles of their presentations include:

     Dr. W. Gary Phillips, pastor of Signal Mountain, Tenn., Bible Church and former professor of Bible at Bryan College, “Boundaries and Thresholds: Some Biblical Reflections on Bioethics.”

     Dr. Harold Y. Vanderpool, professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, “Human Nature and the Entanglement of Medicine and Religion.”

     Mr. Eric Cohen, Editor of The New Atlantis, “Morality, Equality and the Fate of Bioethics.”

     Prof. Carter Snead, associate professor of law at Notre Dame School of Law, “The (Surprising) Truth about Schiavo: A Defeat for the Cause of Autonomy.”

     Bryan Center Director Dr. Charles VanEaton said, “One would never need to speak of the specialized term 'bioethics' if conflicts had never risen over what is right and not right when using science to play God in dealing with man. We invite you to join us and make the effort to understand this important topic.”

     For more information about the seminar, visit the Bryan Center web site at bryan.edu/bioethics_seminar. If you live in the Chattanooga area, you may hear Dr. VanEaton interviewed on WSMC-FM, 90.5, at 10:10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 3.

 

     Construction of the new practice gymnasium and athletic training facility is progressing on schedule, Vice President for Operations Tim Hostetler said.

     Masonry work on the practice gym has been completed, and workers are installing the metal walls as they press on toward a completion target in early November.

     Meanwhile, structural steel was delivered this week for the athletic training facility and should be set up in the next few days.

     The practice gym will include two floors and provide much-needed space for the five intercollegiate teams that use the gym in the fall. Completion of the athletic training facility will allow work to begin on further renovations of Summers Gymnasium once basketball season ends in the spring.