Even with students gone, Bryan College is a busy place during the summer. Physical improvements are under way, preparations are being made to welcome the Class of 2011 and returning students in August, and planning has started for Homecoming 2007.

 

This has been a great year at Bryan, and the coming year looks even brighter as we face the opportunities and challenges our Lord has put before us. We deeply appreciate your prayerful support for the college.

 

There will not be an E-Lumine in July; look for the next edition in August as we present the latest updates and information about Bryan College.

June 18, 2007

     Workers are converting Brock Hall on the lower level of Rudd Auditorium into a 120-seat performance venue that will meet a longstanding need for a location larger than a classroom by smaller than Rudd’s 850-seat capacity.

     Operations Vice President Tim Hostetler said Brock is being modified to accommodate programs such as dinner theatre productions, recitals and seminars presented by the Bryan Center for Critical Thought and Practice.

     The ceiling has been removed, lighting is being modified, additional air conditioning capacity is being installed and doors are being added to meet safety codes.

     In a related move, three music practice rooms have been consolidated into one studio office for a new music faculty member and for a new baby grand piano which also will be used in Brock.

     Across campus, work is proceeding on renovations to Summers Gymnasium. Construction on the office and dressing rooms complex was delayed for about six weeks while engineering issues were resolved, but Mr. Hostetler said construction is in full swing now. Meanwhile, good progress is being made on renovations to the upper level of the building, where visitor dressing rooms are being remodeled and weight and fitness rooms are being built. When finished, the gym also will have a façade which reflects the architecture of other buildings on campus.

     In residence halls, the project to replace carpet with tile in Woodlee-Ewing is complete. Flooring repairs have been completed in the Long and Huston rooms which will be converted to three-person residences. Furniture for those rooms has been ordered to accommodate the new housing arrangements.

     Bryan College and the Dayton Chamber of Commerce will present the 20^th annual Scopes Trial Festival July 20-22, in the Rhea County Courthouse, the site of the 1925 trial that resulted in Bryan’s founding five years later.

     “The reenactment of the trial is the central feature of the festival,” festival Chairman Tom Davis said. “The great issues that were argued then still have not been resolved; just mention ‘intelligent design’ or ‘creation’ in a discussion about public education and see what happens.”

     In addition to the play, the festival will include crafts, children’s games and traditional music throughout the weekend.

     Special guests for Saturday’s musical lineup are Randall Franks, “The Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle,” and “Doc” Tommy Scott, who made his living for many years as a “snake oil” salesman running old-time medicine shows. “Doc” Scott was a Grand Ole Opry and western movies star in the 1940s, and continues performing today.

     This summer, the college also will film the reenactment and make the production available on DVD. DVDs will be available through the Bryan College bookstore in late July.

     For information about the festival or for tickets to the Scopes Trial reenactment, contact the Dayton Chamber of Commerce at 423-775-0361.

     “Growth” might be one way to describe this past academic year at Bryan College. Enrollment was larger than ever before, a new residence hall opened its doors, and a new practice gym and an athletic training facility were completed.

     Our graduating seniors recorded impressive scores on nationally normed tests, and students confirm that they are challenged to grow spiritually. “Educating students to become servants of Christ to make a difference in today’s world” is not just a slogan, it is a driving force behind Bryan’s efforts in every area.

    Growth also has been recorded in the number of alumni who give to support their alma mater. Robert F. Davis, vice president for advancement, said this is an extremely important area of growth as the greater the number of alumni supporting the college, the more likely foundations, corporations and other major donors are to contribute to the college.

     “Bryan has been blessed this year in many ways, and it is important that we finish the year strong,” Mr. Davis said. “With those blessings come challenges, and one of the challenges is meeting financial aid needs for our students. More than 95 percent of Bryan students receive financial aid, at a cost to the college of nearly $3 million per year.

     “Your gift will help confirm what has been accomplished this year and will be an encouragement as we look forward to the coming year.”

     You may make a gift online or send a gift to Bryan College, P.O. Box 7000, Dayton, TN 37321.