Grace Schools News & Events

Photography Exhibit Opens in Grace Art Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:02:00 +0000

Expressive portraiture is featured in Illustrations: Karen Geswein Photography, opening Monday at the Mount Memorial Art Gallery on the Grace College campus. The public is invited to a reception with the artist on Friday, October 17 from 4–6 pm at the gallery.

Geswein puts her love for people, her God-given talent, and 20 years of experience to work to enable her to capture authentic images on film. The wide range of illustrative and intimate portraits featured in the exhibit “are a ‘sampling’; a chance to get to know me and get a glimpse of my heart,” she comments.

Beginning her career as a school photographer, Geswein opened her first portrait studio in 1992. While portraiture—especially of children—is her first love, Karen has expanded her work to include landscapes, abstract images, and human interest subjects of all kinds. Her current projects include illustrating Ordinary People; Extraordinary Faith, an upcoming book depicting senior citizens whose long lives show the difference of a life lived by faith in God. Geswein also teaches photography at IPFW and hopes to launch a program called Youth with Vision in the near future, offering photography classes for at-risk youth.

Karen earned her photography credentials at Savannah Technical College and attended classes at the Winona School of Photography. She is currently seeking a masters of photography degree with the Professional Photographers of America. Among her many honors are Photographer of the Year (1991) from the Lifetouch National School Studios and The Court of Gold Portraiture Award and Silver Medal in Illustration (2007) from the Michiana Professional Photographer’s annual print competition. Her work can be seen online at www.classicimageart.com.

Work will be available for sale. The exhibit runs through Saturday, November 8. Admission is free.

The Mount Memorial Art Gallery is located on the main floor of Mount Memorial Hall on the Grace College campus, between Kings Highway and College Avenue. Gallery hours are 8 am to 5 pm weekdays and Monday and Thursday evenings until 10 pm. There will be extra weekend hours from 10 to noon on Saturday, November 8, in conjunction with the Grace Homecoming festivities. The gallery is handicapped accessible.

The art program at Grace is one of the oldest and largest among Christian universities. Nearly 70 students from across the nation and several foreign countries are enrolled in the four major programs: graphic design, art education, illustration and drawing/painting.

For more information regarding the exhibit or further details on the art programs at Grace, phone 574.372.5100 ext 6022, visit www.grace.edu, or email keithac@grace.edu.

GRACE COLLEGE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT EARNS ACCREDITATION

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:37:00 +0000

The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) has awarded Grace College’s Department of Business the maximum seven-year accreditation. The accreditation is for all undergraduate degree programs in business.

Grace College is one of only six IACBE-accredited colleges and universities in Indiana. IACBE accreditation involves a self-evaluation process, with results reviewed by IACBE, and an on-site visit by a team of evaluators.

“The accreditation process is rigorous,” said Roger Stichter, MBA, chair of the Department of Business at Grace. “We are measured on achieving the outcomes we establish for our students, such as their level of knowledge, academic achievement, spiritual maturity, and business skills. Accreditation holds us accountable to achieve what we are committed to achieve by forcing us to look at ourselves and evaluate our quality.”

Stichter added the quality and depth of education for business majors at Grace is enhanced by the experience they gain in local industries, which provide internships that enable students to work in actual business environments.

The Department of Business is Grace’s largest department, with 210 majors. Starting this year, the department has added faculty and plans to add at least one more faculty member next year. In addition, the Sport Management major and the Information Systems major were transferred to the department at the beginning of the 2008–2009 academic year. Placing these programs in the Department of Business allows students to learn broad business principles as they strengthen their knowledge of the specialized skills taught in the major.

“We emphasize both practical business knowledge and academic learning to help students prepare for successful careers,” Stichter explained. The business faculty members average nearly 10 years of experience in operating and managing businesses before joining the faculty.

STUDENTS, PROFS TAKE PART IN FAITH AND HISTORY CONFERENCE

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:25:00 +0000

Grace College Professors Mark Norris, Ph.D. and Jared S. Burkholder, Ph.D., along with seven Grace College students, took part in the 2008 biennial meeting of the Conference on Faith and History (CFH), September 17–20 at Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio.

CFH is a professional organization with hundreds of members from across the country who are intentional about how Christian faith informs their work as historians, educators, and scholars. The organization also reaches out to both undergraduate and graduate students. Grace College students participating this year were Lauren Cartwright, Jason Conrad, Anna Klatt, Alex Lepley, Chelsea Noble, Mat Swartz, and Charles Ulm.

In addition to providing leadership for the student sessions, Dr. Norris and Dr. Burkholder both presented research papers in the professional portion of the meeting.

Dr. Norris’ presentation, entitled, “Ma Sunday, CEO: Beginnings,” is part of a complete biography of Billy Sunday's wife, Helen ("Ma Sunday"), which Dr. Norris is writing. His work fills a significant history gap regarding the Sundays. Since Ma Sunday's life was overshadowed by her husband, most historians have ignored her. But, unknown to most people, Ma Sunday was the driving force behind Billy Sunday's crusades, and she became an accomplished evangelist herself.

Dr. Burkholder presented his paper, “Winona Lake, Pennsylvania Mennonites, and the Long Arm of Popular Evangelicalism.” In the presentation, he argues that Bible Conferences like those at Winona Lake were a significant part of evangelical and fundamentalist influence among Mennonites of eastern Pennsylvania between 1935 and 1955. Networks of popular evangelical activity, he said, included radio broadcasts, correspondence Bible courses, printed material, and prophecy conferences. Many Mennonites felt restricted by the tradition culture within their conservative congregations, and evangelicalism was an attractive alternative. In his paper, he points out that ultimately, a number of Mennonites dissented from their congregations and became part of the evangelical movement.

GRACE SETS NEW ENROLLMENT RECORD

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:29:00 +0000

Grace College and Seminary recorded its third consecutive record enrollment as 1,508 students enrolled for the 2008-09 academic year. The record includes a school-best 281 freshmen and 84 percent retention rate for returning students.

The combination of new students and the retention of upper classmen are two reasons why U.S. News and World Report named Grace College to the top tier of its “Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the Midwest.” Grace’s previous best enrollment was the 1,438 students in 2007.

According to Mark D. Weinstein, Dean of Enrollment and Marketing, Grace is attracting the record number of students because of new academic programs, the development of scholar and leadership programs, and the College’s continued commitment to Christian values. In recent years, the College developed academic majors in public relations and intercultural studies and next year will offer a degree in environmental biology.

At the Seminary level, the master’s degree programs in Local Church Studies and Intercultural Studies are offered through an online and on campus blended format. In January 2009, a Bachelor of Science degree in Management through the newly formed degree completion undergraduate program called GOAL (Grace Opportunities for Adult Learners) will begin.

“It is encouraging to see our students respond to our innovative scholar and leadership programs, such as the Millennial Scholars Academy, Orthopaedic Scholar Institute, and Presidential Scholarship Competition,” Weinstein said. “In addition, when visiting the Grace campus, parents and future students often comment on the engaging atmosphere and the commitment of our students, faculty, and staff to both academic achievement and the Christian faith.

The record enrollment and new academic offerings, including the GOAL degree completion program, are reasons for optimism for continued growth, he added.

“There is a measure of excitement with the further growth of programs and student enrollment,” said Weinstein. “As we provide the programs that students desire and stay true to our mission, I see Grace continuing to grow and being a leader in Christian higher education."

GRACE RECEIVES GRANT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTER

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:29:00 +0000

U.S. Rep. Mark Souder and Sen. Evan Bayh have announced the awarding of a $1.07 million grant from the Department of Justice to Grace College for the development of an Integrated Community Emergency Response Training Center (ICERT).

Bill Darr, a registered/certified emergency medical technician and Director of Library Services at Grace, will head the ICERT Center. Darr will work in partnership with Ed Rock, Executive Director of the Kosciusko County Office of Emergency Management.

“Community Emergency Response Teams can be a huge asset in the event of a major disaster, such as a flood,” Rock explained. “Having organized and educated groups of residents who can assist professional responders can go a long way to mitigating significant risks to affected victims in a disaster. The Kosciusko County Emergency Management Agency is very pleased that the U.S. Department of Justice has the vision to award Grace College the funds necessary to make this a reality.”

The grant will allow both emergency first responders and local community members to respond to sudden disasters and emergencies by endowing community outreach, disaster simulations and drills, and local workshops. It will also permit Kosciusko County to recruit and train CERT trainers through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

The training center, to be located in the Orthopaedic Capital Center at Grace College, will provide for the training of emergency personnel and volunteers to assist local authorities in response to natural disasters throughout Kosciusko County.

Darr has been a registered/certified emergency medical technician for 34 years and an advanced EMT for 27 years. He has been honored two times as “Advanced EMT of the Year” in Kosciusko County and has completed more than 1,500 hours of additional EMT training in the last 27 years.
Rep. Souder, who sponsored the legislation resulting in the grant, explained that the grant is from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grant Fund.
“I am pleased that Grace College will receive $1,073,218 to assist residents of Kosciusko County,” Rep. Souder said. “In the unfortunate event of a natural disaster, such as a flood or a severe snow storm, CERT will help protect our community. In a crisis, preparedness programs and response resources are crucial to help guard against additional harm.”
“These funds will help ensure that our first responders are well equipped to proactively prepare for the unexpected,” Sen. Bayh commented. “The Community Emergency Response Team will be essential in keeping Hoosiers safe in the event of an emergency or local disaster.”

Grace President Ronald E. Manahan, Th.D., expressed the institution’s appreciation for these resources to enable Grace to achieve a long-term objective in community involvement and assistance. “On behalf of Grace College and the Kosciusko County community,” Dr. Manahan said, “I express our sincere appreciation for the strong support and committed efforts given by Congressman Souder and Senators Lugar and Bayh to help our community train and equip citizens to respond to various natural disasters and emergencies.”

DR. TIBERIUS RATA'S ARTICLE PUBLISHED

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Dr. Tiberius Rata, Professor of Old Testament Studies, recently published an article in Scripture and Interpretation, the journal of the Torch Trinity Center for Biblical Research in Seoul, South Korea. The article is “The History of the Text of Jeremiah.” Tiberius Rata, Scripture and Interpretation. 11/1 (2008): 39-51.

U.S. NEWS NAMES GRACE TO ITS "BEST COLLEGES" TOP-TIER LIST

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:35:00 +0000

U.S. News and World Report today named Grace College to the top tier of its “Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the Midwest” for 2009.

U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings are based on a number of criteria, including academic reputation, retention rates, graduation rates, faculty, selective admissions practices, financial resources, and alumni giving.

Grace College’s top-tier ranking comes at a time when large numbers of prospective students are applying to the college. The campus is preparing to welcome an estimated 350 new full-time freshmen and transfer students at its new student registration on August 30. The new students come from 26 states and nine foreign countries. Fifteen of the new freshmen at Grace this fall graduated high school as valedictorians and five as salutatorians.

The increasing numbers of applicants are attracted to Grace because of several factors, including the college’s commitment to academic achievement and to the Christian faith. In recent years, Grace has continued to build on its strengths with innovative programs such as the Millennial Scholars Academy, Orthopaedic Scholar Institute, and Presidential Scholarship Competition. In addition, Grace provides students with increasing opportunities for community involvement and domestic and foreign ministries.

Grace starts the fall semester this year with a newly implemented academic organization structure designed to further enhance its academic programs. The college consists of four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Ministry Studies, School of Music, and School of Adult and Community Education. Grace offers more than 50 undergraduate majors in its undergraduate departments: Art, Behavioral Science, Biblical Studies, Business, Communication, English and Journalism, Foreign Languages and Cultures, History and Social Studies, Nursing, Science and Mathematics, and School of Music. In addition, the college offers six undergraduate pre-professional programs: pre-law, pre-med, pre-veterinary, pre-physical therapy, pre-dentistry, and pre-physician assistant.

The Grace Graduate Department of Counseling and Interpersonal Relations offers two master’s degree programs. Master’s and doctoral-level programs are offered by Grace Theological Seminary.

Among new programs at Grace this year are two master’s degrees in the seminary featuring blended studies, with on-campus and online components. In addition, the college’s School of Adult and Community Education recently announced its new GOAL (Grace Opportunities for Adult Learners) degree completion program. GOAL provides the opportunity for those who have some college credits to complete their studies and earn a Bachelor of Science in Management degree in as little as 16 months on a convenient evening class schedule. GOAL classes begin in January 2009, and other undergraduate and graduate degree programs for adult learners and online blended learning are in development.

GOAL classes are scheduled in state-of-the-art classroom facilities in the newest building on the Grace campus, the Orthopaedic Capital Center, which was completed last year as the result of a partnership with the local orthopaedic businesses and community. In addition to classroom facilities, the Orthopaedic Capital Center houses an events and sports complex that is the largest of its kind in Kosciusko County.

Last month, Grace also was recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the best colleges and universities in the Midwest. The New York City-based education services company selected Grace as one of the institutions it recommends in its "Best in the Midwest" section on its Web site feature, 2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region.

GRACE ALUMNUS NAMED GREENVILLE COLLEGE INTERIM PRESIDENT

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:15:00 +0000

Grace Alumnus Dr. Edwin G. Blue recently was named interim president at Greenville College, a Christian college in Greenville, Illinois. Dr. Blue earned his B.A. in History degree at Grace College, graduating in 1956. After graduating from Grace, he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Indiana University. During his career, Dr. Blue has served as a public school teacher and administrator, consultant, college professor, and is the former president of Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. He also is former assistant superintendent of schools in Warsaw, Indiana, and has served for the last 14 years as head of the Education Department and now dean of the School of Education at Greenville. He also has served on a committee for President George W. Bush to create legislation to combat illegal pornography.

JOIN THE GRACE LANCERS ATHLETIC CLUB

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:38:00 +0000

The Grace College Lancers Athletic Club is composed of individuals who have a desire to help support and continue to build the Athletic Department at Grace College.

The Lancers Athletic Club supports the primary goal of the college, which is the spiritual, intellectual, and physical development of its students and alumni, and provides its members the opportunity to foster and maintain relationships across different sports, generations, and geographical locations. Through the common bond of sport, the club contributes to the social and professional enrichment of its members and an ongoing association with the college.

Today, the Athletic Department sponsors 14 varsity sports in both men’s and women’s athletics.

Join the Grace College Lancers Athletic Club today and help continue the rich tradition of Grace College Athletics! For more information, click here (pdf file).

GRACE NAMED "BEST MIDWEST COLLEGE" FOR 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Grace College is one of the best colleges and universities in the Midwest according to The Princeton Review.

The New York City-based education services company selected the school as one of 159 institutions it recommends in its "Best in the Midwest" section on its website feature 2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region.

According to The Princeton Review, the selection was made based on excellent academic programs, data collected from colleges in the region, campus visits, and opinions of independent and high school-based college advisors whose recommendations the company solicits. “We also take into account what each school’s customers–their students–report to us about their campus experiences at their schools on our 80-question student survey,” explained Robert Franek, Princeton Review's vice president of publishing.

The 159 colleges The Princeton Review chose for this year’s "Best in the Midwest" designations are located in twelve states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The Princeton Review also designated 212 colleges in the Northeast, 120 in the West, and 139 in the Southeast as best in their locales on the company’s 2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region section on its site. The 630 colleges named "regional best(s)" represent only about 25% (one out of four) of the nation's 2,500 four-year colleges.

The Princeton Review (www.PrincetonReview.com) is a New York-based company known for its test preparation courses, books, and college admission and other education services.

GRACE ATHLETIC TEAMS EARN NAIA SCHOLAR HONORS

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:36:00 +0000

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has named nine of the 14 athletic programs at Grace College to its list of 2007-2008 scholar teams, recognizing the achievement of academic excellence by Grace College athletes.

NAIA student-athletes around the country work diligently throughout the year for academic excellence at their respective institutions. All teams on the list of scholar teams have earned at least a 3.0 team grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) during the 2007-08 academic year.

“This honor is an accurate reflection of the hard work our women have put in off the soccer field,” said women’s head soccer coach Michael Voss. “Our academics are one of the things we are known for and I am super proud of them.”

The women’s programs at Grace College receiving this honor include: women’s outdoor track and field with a GPA of 3.21 coached by Neal Butler, women’s soccer with a GPA of 3.39 coached by Michael Voss, softball with a GPA of 3.13 coached by Stephen Liebsch, women’s tennis with a GPA of 3.24 coached by Deron Datzman, and volleyball with a GPA of 3.54 coached by Andria Harshman.

“I am very proud of the team for working so diligently on their academics as they do their athletics,” said head softball coach Stephen Liebsch. “It shows that our athletes are committed to the entire collegiate experience.”

The men’s programs receiving this honor include: men’s basketball with a GPA of 3.10 coached by Jim Kessler, men’s golf with a GPA of 3.33 coached by Bo Wright, men’s outdoor track and field with a GPA of 3.36 coached by Neal Butler, and men’s soccer with a GPA of 3.08 coached by Matt Hotchkin.

“Credit goes to our athletes and our coaches,” said men’s basketball head coach Jim Kessler. “We take pride in achieving excellence both on the field of competition and in the classroom.”

These nine programs combined hold a total grade point average of 3.26 and had the second highest total of athletic programs to be honored within the NAIA Mid-Central Conference.

The NAIA is committed to high standards and to the principle that participation in athletics serves as an integral part of the total education process. Furthermore the Association is dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics and provides student-athletes an environment that values academic and athletic excellence.

“This is a great honor for our athletic department,” said Grace Athletic Director, Chad Briscoe. “It is great to see our student athletes recognized for their academic efforts throughout the year. Our students do a great job of balancing academics with the athletic season. Our coaches and student athletes are dedicated to pursuing excellence in all areas of the Grace College experience.”

Grace College is a member of the Mid-Central Conference and affiliated with both the NAIA and NCCAA.

GRACE TO HOST 2009 NCCAA WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:36:00 +0000

The National Christian College Athletic Association has released the new site for the 2008-09 Women’s Basketball National Championship Tournament.

The Division I tournament will be hosted by Grace College and the community of Winona Lake, March 12-14, 2009. Grace’s Orthopaedic Capital Center will be the site of all 12 games. It will serve as one of the finest arenas to ever house an NCCAA Championship.

“From your first step into this facility, the quality and the atmosphere that should surround an NCCAA Championship is evident,” states NCCAA Executive Director, Dan Wood. Fans will enjoy the 2,200 seat arena and the teams will appreciate the outstanding locker room and VIP facilities. Under the direction of Grace Athletic Director, Chad Briscoe, his staff, and various community agencies, the support is present for a long term relationship for this event with Grace set to host through the 2009-10 season. Grace is a member of the NCCAA, NAIA, and Mid-Central College Conference. For more information, go to http://www.grace.edu/athletics.

GRACE SEEKS COMMENTS IN ACCREDIATION PROCESS

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:18:00 +0000

Grace is seeking comments from the public about the college and seminary in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency.

Grace will undergo a comprehensive evaluation October 6-8, 2008, by a team representing The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Grace has been accredited by the Commission since 1976. The team will review the institution’s ongoing ability to meet the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation.

The public is invited to submit comments regarding Grace:

Public Comment on Grace College and Seminary
The Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, Illinois 60602

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs. Comments must be in writing and signed; comments cannot be treated as confidential.

All comments must be received by September 5, 2008.

GRACE TEAM IN THAILAND

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:41:00 +0000

Thirteen students from Grace College served in Thailand June 15-29 working with Christian and Bonnie Beuggert, who are missionaries with Grace Brethren International Missions (GBIM). The Beuggerts are both Grace alumni. Scott Feather, Dean of the Chapel and Global Ministries at Grace College, led the group, which sponsored by GBIM, The Grace team worked with the Beuggerts making contact with students at two university campuses.

Grace students participating are Danae Beeler, Kayla Bilbrey, Caryn Britton, Joshua Curtis, Valerie Embree, Ashley House, Emily Hughes, Hannah Marshall, Caleb Richardson, Natalie Rummel, Amy Shain, Brice Williams, and Kyla Zenan.

Scott Feather posted daily updates on his blog at http://esfeather.com.

DR. JOHN DAVIS' BOOK PUBLISHED

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:37:00 +0000

John J. Davis, Th.D., D.D., former president of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary, has completed the revision and expansion of his book, Conquest and Crisis: Studies in Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.

The 234-page soft cover book is a concise analysis of Israel's conquest and settlement of Canaan. In revising and expanding the book, Dr. Davis used recent archaeological discoveries, the Hebrew text, and his understanding of and experiences with the Near Eastern culture. A number of new charts, graphs, maps and reports of archaeological finds help the reader to interpret the history and theology of the three Old Testament books.

Dr. Davis is author of 18 books and numerous articles, has served as a senior staff member on 12 archaeological expeditions to Israel and Jordan, participated in the Wheaton Institute of Archaeology, and was Executive Dean of the Near East School of Archaeology in Jerusalem. Conquest and Crisis: Studies in Joshua, Judges, and Ruth may be ordered online at www.bmhbooks.com, by telephone at 1-800-348-2756, and is available in most Christian bookstores.

OCC RECEIVES EXCELLENCE AWARD

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:10:00 +0000

Grace College’s newest building, the Orthopaedic Capital Center, has received the 2007 Excellence in Masonry Award from the Indiana Concrete Masonry Association.

The award was presented at the Indiana Concrete Masonry Design Awards Program on January 10 in Indianapolis. Tom Dunn, Grace’s chief operations officer, Jeremy Ringger and Terry Emmons from Weigand Construction, and Kevin Scully and Katie Papagiannis from Design Collaborative represented their organizations at the awards program. Weigand Construction and Design Collaborate were the contractors and architects for the OCC project.

The distinctive curved wall on the front of the Orthopaedic Capital Center at Grace is one of the building's features highlighted in the 2007 Excellence in Masonry award presented by the Indiana Concrete Masonry Association.

The OCC was selected for the award on the basis of several features. First was the architects’ decision to judiciously use masonry to achieve visual impact when approaching the building from varied viewpoints. Also, masony-clad elements read very well against the metal-clad walls and cornices of the elements between them. In addition, concrete masonry was used as an interior material in a pragmatic and straight-forward manner throughout the building. The use of limestone and white brick, plus the curved, masonry-columned wall of the exterior was also mentioned.

The building was selected for the award by a jury composed of three architects from Cincinnati, Ohio, Eric Inglert, John Rogers, and Keith Hall.

The Orthopaedic Capital Center, completed in May 2007, is a 56,000-square-foot facility located on the Grace campus in Winona Lake. It is the home of Grace College athletics, chapel, and the school’s Business Department. Its main arena can accommodate 2,500 people for large events such as concerts or seminars. There are also classrooms in the OCC, including a video conference room for 100-220 participants. The facility was built in partnership with local orthopaedic companies and provides a major event center for the college and community.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT ACADEMIC RESTRUCTURING

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:08:00 +0000

Summary of academic restructuring:

The program changes at Grace are taking place after a long study by an ad hoc committee of administration, faculty, and staff management. The committee's objective was to examine every aspect of our academic structure, including degree programs and departmental alignments, and recommend changes that would enable Grace to achieve the objectives of its strategic plan, to better serve our market of prospective students and the majors and career paths they are choosing, and to increase efficiencies at Grace. None of the program changes have had to do with academic quality or any other issues of integrity or orthodoxy.

The committee’s recommendations were presented to the administration in the fall of 2007, and in consultation with the committee, department heads, and faculty, the administration made the decisions for changes that were announced December 14. As a result of the decisions, several faculty positions will be dropped and other faculty positions added. The changes are effective the fall 2008 semester.

Foreign Languages and Cultures Department

The German and German Education majors have been discontinued due to low enrollment and limited market demand for these majors. Grace will not offer German language programs after this semester. The department currently is developing curriculum changes to maintain the International Languages major. Majors fields of study in the department are French, French Education, International Languages, Spanish, and Spanish Education, with minor fields offered in French and Spanish.

Social Work Major (B.S.W.)

Grace College’s Social Work program gained accreditation from the Council of Social Work Education, which is an extremely significant accomplishment, is difficult to achieve, and is evidence of high quality.

But the Social Work program, like social work programs at many colleges and universities, has attracted relatively few majors. The Grace administration recognizes that academic programs with low enrollment have an adverse financial impact on the Grace ministry. Like all of the decisions we have made regarding program changes, the issue with Social Work has not involved quality, but low enrollment.

The faculty and administration have planned an orderly transition that will serve the needs of current juniors and seniors working toward their BSW degree. A major feature of the program has been that it requires social work majors, all of whom are juniors and seniors, to have been formally admitted to the social work major via an application and interview with faculty. All of these students will be able to complete the program and graduate with an accredited BSW degree. This includes all the required upper-level course work and the field experience. No additional students will be formally admitted to the program.
Therefore, the tentative closure date for the BSW degree program is May 2009, at which time the current juniors who remain fully admitted to the program and complete the academic requirements will graduate.

Social work faculty will assist prospective students and accepted students in exploring other options for them at Grace College. We also will be happy recommend other Christian colleges and universities to prospective students who strongly desire to pursue social work as a major field of study.

Management of Information Systems Major

The Computer Information Science Department will be merged into the Business Department and offer a major in Management of Information Systems in place of the current Information Technology and Management of Information Technology majors. In addition, the Information Processing major will be eliminated.

The new Management of Information Systems degree program, currently being designed, will be a blended degree that focuses on preparing students for Information Systems careers within an organizational setting. Potential careers for graduates will include business application programming, systems analysis, web development, and other positions that integrate technical and business skills.

The Business Department also will add four faculty—Dr. Darrell Johnson in Sport Management, Prof. Rick Koontz in MIS, and two new Ph.D. faculty in accounting/finance and marketing.

Physical Education Department

The Physical Education degree program decision also is market driven.
There are increasingly limited job opportunities for physical education graduates, but there are expanding opportunities in sport management. The administration made the decision to discontinue the Physical Education Department and degree program and expand and enhance the sport management program, with this degree program being placed in the Business Department.

Not only will a Sport Management degree program in the Business Department offer programs that are more desired in the market, but also this gives Grace a better chance to grow and operate more efficiently.

While the curricula are still under development, we are looking at a degree program that can offer preparation for several career tracks, when the Sport Management major is combined with different minor programs or part of a double major. These include sport business management, fitness management (such as YMCA, youth clubs, or personal training), coaching management (coaching at all levels through professional sports), sport ministries (Fellowship of Christian Athletes, missions, youth work, international sports teams), sport medicine, and sport media (print and electronic media reporting and management).

History and Social Studies Department

We are studying the feasibility to add a major in Political Science and we will add one full-time Ph.D. faculty member.

Mathematics and Science Department

This new department will include the present Mathematics Department, Biological Science Department, and Physical Science Department. One major was dropped, the General Science major, due to low enrollment.

School of Ministry Studies

One of the major changes is the creation of the School of Ministry Studies, which will include the current seminary programs and the undergraduate programs now in the Religious Studies Department. This is being done to take advantage of opportunities for significantly improved efficiencies in faculty resources and to better integrate the undergraduate and graduate theology and ministry programs under the seminary’s focus on preparation for practical ministry.

There will be some curriculum changes that are being studied now, as well as tentative developmental work on a new joint bachelor of arts/master of arts and/or master of divinity program that could be highly attractive to undergraduate students planning on entering seminary.

Online Education

Grace Seminary has begun a pilot program this semester with two online seminary courses. Grace will start marketing Grace Online in April, with some seminary programs and a Master of Arts in Education degree program to be offered through the new School of Adult and Community Education later this year. Significant growth in the online program is expected in the near future, with additional classes to be offered each year.
In the future, students will be able to take Grace Online courses as well as on-campus courses to complete degree programs in less time. Additional online and on-campus courses will be developed as part of the community education program.

NCATE EXTENDS TEACHER EDUCATION ACCREDITATION

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:07:00 +0000

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) recently notified Grace College that the Teacher Education Department’s accreditation has been extended another full seven-year term. NCATE accreditation is the national standard of excellence for departments of education at U.S. colleges and universities.

The NCATE accreditation team visited Grace last spring to conduct its rigorous examination of the college’s teacher education program. Graduates from NCATE-accredited colleges and universities may transfer their teaching licenses easily among most states.

WESTMINSTER GUEST ROOMS AVAILABLE

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:05:00 +0000

The Westminster Guest Rooms are once again accepting reservations.

The guest rooms can be rented by anyone who has an affiliation with Grace College whether a graduate, student, parent of a student, campus visitor, or visiting the campus for business purposes.

There are five rooms available, each having a queen-sized bed, private bath, cable television, internet access, and an iron and ironing board. Each room is decorated differently, but all are furnished in a Mission Oak style.

The room rate is $55.00 per night including all taxes. A continental breakfast is available upon request for an additional $5.00 per person and includes a carafe of coffee or tea, large muffin, juice, and fresh fruit delivered to your room.

Rooms can be reserved by calling Kathy Gill at 574-372-5100, ext. 6501, or by sending an email to gillkf@grace.edu. Cash VISA, Discover, and MasterCard are all accepted.

LEAD DONOR LAUNCHES FGBC SCHOLARSHIP FUND

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:03:00 +0000

Thanks to a generous lead donor, Grace College will be able to offer $1,000,000 in four-year FGBC Scholarships beginning fall 2008 to new students from the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC).

To qualify for one of the 200 FGBC Scholarships in the amount of $5,000 ($1,250 per year), admitted applicants must be from a Grace Brethren Church and meet one of the following academic requirements: 3.1 GPA or top 40 percent of class or combined SAT of 1,000 (math/reading) or ACT composite of 21.

Students will automatically be considered for FGBC Scholarships through the Grace College application for admission and will be notified when accepted. FGBC Scholarships are renewable each year, for four years, provided academic good standing is achieved at the end of each academic year.

CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCES FAITH

noreply@blogger.com (Grace) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:02:00 +0000

Choosing a college or university is one of the defining decisions in the life of a Christian Student. Every college campus community reflects unique characteristics that impact faith, character, moral choices, and the truth and authority of Scripture.

The Grace College community is for the evangelical Christian student for whom faith and spiritual maturity is a priority. This is why Grace is one of the few Christian colleges that requires a faith statement and spiritual life reference as a normal part of the application process.

By affirming both the truth and authority of Scripture and the infinite grace of God, Grace College is dedicated to helping students find a deep and mature Christian faith.

Chuck Edwards, internationally known author and speaker and the Director of Bible Study Curriculum for Summit Ministries, discusses the impact a college campus community can have on the student’s spiritual life in his article, “Why students walk away from Christ, and what can be done about it!”

Click here to read his important commentary.