January 11, 2008

     The spring semester begins next week, and students will have plenty to keep them occupied in addition to their classes.

     In January alone, the Christian Life Conference and “Scourge,” a conference on human trafficking (see separate story below), will challenge students spiritually and socially. Nick Norwalk, Christian Life Conference speaker, will address the topic of Jonathan Edwards on the Trinity, developing themes in Edwards’ essay “The End for which God Created the World.”
     Academic Vice President Dr. Cal White said the college again will send students to San Lorenzo, Italy, where they will study for the semester at Saints Bible Institute. A number of Bryan professors will spend time in San Lorenzo teaching particular aspects of the curriculum. Thirteen students, mostly sophomores, have signed up for the semester-abroad program this year.
     Dr. White also reported that Bryan’s distance learning program is continuing to grow, with 39 students enrolled in three classes. Most of the students, he said, are high school seniors seeking a head-start on their college programs.
     Admissions Director Michael Sapienza said he expects 15 to 20 new students to enroll this semester, a typical number for the spring.
     He added that the admissions office is gearing up for Presidential Scholarship and Dean’s Scholarship competitions in February. Nearly 150 prospective students are expected over the course of the two weekends to compete for the college’s top academic awards. Presidential Scholarship weekend is Feb. 8-9 and Dean’s Scholarship competition is Feb. 28-29.

     Family and friends filled Rudd Auditorium Dec. 21, 2007, as 89 graduates received their diplomas in Bryan’s first mid-year commencement service.

     Bryan President Dr. Stephen D. Livesay congratulated the graduates for their role in the historic event and encouraged them to “sharpen yourselves for future service. Make your life count for the Kingdom of God. Seek His righteousness. We need those whose lives demonstrate a difference between His people and the world.”

     Bryan Trustee Delana Bice, a 1974 graduate of the college, told the graduates “My education at Bryan prepared me well for the challenges as I began my new chapter. I believe it has prepared you as well.”

     Dr. W. Gary Phillips, pastor of Signal Mountain Bible Church and a former faculty member at Bryan, gave the commencement address. He encouraged the graduates to pursue greatness—not power, wealth or fame as our culture defines greatness, but as God defines greatness. “God’s definition of greatness is attainable for you and me.”

     Brittany Fawcett-Lowe in the traditional program and Curtis Baker, Richard Boyd, Leslie Dunn, Angela Melton, Judith Rose and Gloria Cannon in the Aspire degree completion program were recognized as the top academic performers in the class.

     Bachelor of Arts degrees were conferred on 11 graduates, and Bachelor of Science degrees on 78. In the class were 16 students from the traditional program and 73 from the Aspire program.

     Bryan’s Master of Business Administration program was accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) at the Commission’s December meeting, Academic Vice President Dr. Cal White announced.
     Bryan received authorization from the Commission on Colleges in December 2005, to begin an MBA program, and enrolled the first students in August 2006.
     Today, 31 students are enrolled in the MBA program in three groups or cohorts. The first cohort is scheduled to graduate in May.
     Dr. Ray Smith, MBA director, said the program is designed to accommodate students who are “mid-career professionals who have to keep up with the demands of their jobs, who have families and are full-time students.”
     Classes meet every other Saturday for 18 months. Weekends when classes do not meet, students have computer-mediated assignments they complete at home.
     “I like to say this is a high-tech and high-touch program,” Dr. Smith said. “We have the small Christian college attitude of treating everybody like an individual, and we strive for technical competence in our students. This includes understanding use of technology in business and industry as well as the concept of ‘comfortable chaos’—appropriating changing technology for competitive advantage.”
     Bryan is accepting applications for the next cohort, to begin classes in late January. For more information, contact Dr. Smith at 423-775-7590.

     Students Stopping the Trafficking of People (SSTOP) and the Center for International Leadership will host “Scourge,” a conference about human trafficking, January 25 and 26 at Bryan College.

     Keynote speakers will be Christine Dolan, a journalist dedicated to the cause of ending slavery, and Paula Goode, a deputy ambassador in the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

     The conference is an outgrowth of a seminar in the spring of 2007, which featured a presentation by Ms. Dolan.

     It is estimated by Free the Slaves that 27 million persons worldwide are enslaved. Of that number, more than half are children. This modern slave trade exits in many forms including child soldiers, sex tourism, forced prostitution and labor trafficking.

     As students investigated the issue, they determined to sponsor the conference, endeavoring to raise awareness among college students, alumni and members of the larger community. “The more people who know that human trafficking exists, the closer we are to ending slavery in our life time,” said SSTOP co-founder Michael Reneau.
     Attendance at the conference is free, but there will be a charge for meals served. For more information and to register please go to the web site www.bryan.edu/scourge or email conference organizers at scourge@bryan.edu.